# A Starting Point vs Mental Math

The clearest difference is rating: A Starting Point at 4.9 against Mental Math's 3.7. A Starting Point also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (95% vs 63%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mental Math sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. A Starting Point asks for nothing beyond the download.

A Starting Point holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: A Starting Point has 757 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 95% of A Starting Point's written reviews are positive against 63% of Mental Math's.

A Starting Point ships an update every 5 weeks, Mental Math every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 5, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A Starting Point | Mental Math |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (757 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-starting-point/id1500947762/reviews)** | [3.7 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-math-arithmetic-games/id1628058449/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **757** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **95.3% of reviews** | 62.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [A Starting Point Llc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500947761) | [Mehul Mistri](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628058451) |

## What reviewers say

### A Starting Point

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-starting-point/id1500947762)

This app provides a bipartisan platform for Americans to communicate with their elected officials. It offers concise, video-based explanations of current issues to foster a more informed electorate.

**Highlights:** Bipartisan communication channel, Connect with elected leaders, Video-based issue explanations, Understand issues in under 2 minutes, Informed electorate creation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Informative and unbiased
- 🚀 Concise and easy to digest
- 🔍 Provides direct access to politicians
- 💡 Facilitates bipartisan dialogue
- 👍 Visually appealing and intuitive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🔍 Limited content and topics covered
- 🔍 Lack of closed captions or transcripts
- 🔍 Absence of independent or third-party perspectives

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen not functioning properly
- Video playback issues and stuttering

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Implement a way for users to submit questions
- Provide a filter to view content by home state
- Expand the range of topics and issues covered


### Mental Math

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-math-arithmetic-games/id1628058449)

This app teaches children arithmetic and calculation skills using an abacus and mental math techniques. It offers fun quizzes and practice problems to improve cognitive performance and mathematical ability.

**Highlights:** Abacus learning, Mental calculation techniques, Vedic math tricks, Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, Quiz-based learning, Progress monitoring

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mental Math Premium | $0.99 | per month |
| Mental Math Premium | $1.99 | per 3 months |
| Mental Math Premium | $6.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A Starting Point free?

A Starting Point is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mental Math free?

Mental Math is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, A Starting Point or Mental Math?

A Starting Point is rated higher. A Starting Point averages 4.9 out of 5 from 757 ratings, while Mental Math averages 3.7 from 19 ratings.

### Do A Starting Point or Mental Math have ads?

Neither A Starting Point nor Mental Math shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, A Starting Point or Mental Math?

A Starting Point ships an update every 5 weeks, and Mental Math every 6 weeks. Most recently, A Starting Point was updated on September 5, 2026 and Mental Math on September 17, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*