# Planbook Mobile vs BrightKid

Planbook Mobile and BrightKid both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of BrightKid's written reviews are positive against 51% of Planbook Mobile's. BrightKid also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). Planbook Mobile's advantage is ratings volume (7.7K vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planbook Mobile sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and BrightKid sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BrightKid holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Planbook Mobile has 7.7K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Planbook Mobile's written reviews are positive against 100% of BrightKid's.

Planbook Mobile ships an update every 2 months, BrightKid every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Planbook Mobile | BrightKid |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightkid-learn-with-arlo/id6785600044/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.7K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 50.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 83 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Planbook Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/671763637) | [Ugonna Ekoro](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785600046) |

## What reviewers say

### Planbook Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planbook-mobile/id1502332358)

This is a comprehensive online lesson planning tool designed for educators. It offers a wide array of features, meticulous student learning standards, and excellent support. A free trial is available to experience its capabilities.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive lesson planning, Meticulous student learning standards, Extensive features for educators, Outstanding support and tutorials, Continuous improvement based on feedback

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-Year Planbook Subscription | $20.00 | one-time |
| 2-Year Planbook Subscription | $36.00 | one-time |
| 3-Year Planbook Subscription | $48.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Time-saving program
- 👍 Helpful for both homeschool and school teachers
- 👍 Allows for easy sharing and organization of lessons
- 👍 Useful for adapting to changes like snow days

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Events/features not working in app
- 🐛 Google sign-in not working on app
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable, crashes frequently
- 🐛 Copy/paste feature not working as expected
- 🐛 Inability to access Google Drive files in app

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to add school year dates
- Login page issues (keyboard blocking screen)
- Inability to use Gmail account for sign-up
- Lesson plans deleted without explanation

**Requested features**

- Add copy and paste feature
- Improve mobile app experience (e.g., biometric login, portrait mode)
- Enhance integration with other platforms (e.g., Canvas)


### BrightKid

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brightkid-learn-with-arlo/id6785600044)

This app offers a voice-first learning adventure for young children, guided by an AI tutor. It focuses on early literacy, numeracy, and concept development through listening, speaking, and play. Designed for ages 1-5, it provides a safe and distraction-free educational experience.

**Highlights:** Voice-guided learning with AI tutor, Covers letters, phonics, numbers, and shapes, Adaptive lessons based on child's progress, Songs, rhymes, and creative play, Progress updates for parents, Distraction-free and age-appropriate design

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Explorer | $5.99 | per month |
| BrightKid | $11.99 | per month |
| BrightKid | $17.99 | per month |
| BrightKid | $47.99 | per year |
| BrightKid | $95.99 | per year |
| BrightKid | $143.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Planbook Mobile free?

Planbook Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is BrightKid free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Planbook Mobile or BrightKid?

BrightKid is rated higher. Planbook Mobile averages 4.8 out of 5 from 7.7K ratings, while BrightKid averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Planbook Mobile or BrightKid have ads?

Neither Planbook Mobile nor BrightKid shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Planbook Mobile or BrightKid?

Planbook Mobile ships an update every 2 months, and BrightKid every 10 days. Most recently, Planbook Mobile was updated on November 3, 2026 and BrightKid on October 31, 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.*