# Learn to Read vs Read with Ello

The clearest difference is monetization model: Learn to Read at free with in-app purchases against Read with Ello's subscription. Learn to Read also leads on ratings volume (71K vs 2.8K) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn to Read sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month and Read with Ello sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Learn to Read against 4.8 for Read with Ello. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 71K ratings behind it against 2.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Learn to Read's written reviews are positive against 78% of Read with Ello's.

Learn to Read ships an update every 5 days, Read with Ello every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn to Read | Read with Ello |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (71K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-with-ello/id1536720182/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **71K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | **81.0% of reviews** | 78.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | #195 |
| Size | 252 MB | 639 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) | [Ello Technology, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467293710) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn to Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Education, #59 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a guided, co-play experience for parents and children aged 3-8 to learn reading skills. It uses research-backed phonics lessons, interactive storybooks, videos, and games to build foundational reading abilities.

**Highlights:** 99 step-by-step phonics lessons, 67 interactive digital storybooks, 42 educational videos, 3 expert-designed reading games, Printable offline activities, Family subscription with 3 profiles, Ad-free experience

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly (With Free Trial) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $17.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $66.99 | per year |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 🚀 Effective at teaching reading skills
- 💡 Structured, step-by-step approach
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Promotes parent-child bonding
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Expensive subscription model
- 🐢 Slow progression for more advanced learners
- 🤖 Lack of flexibility to customize or skip lessons
- 🤔 Placement assessment not accurate for all levels
- 🤯 Frustrating when app crashes or logs out

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes or freezes
- User data loss after app updates
- Inability to redeem promo codes

**Requested features**

- Option to learn cursive writing
- More independent practice games and activities
- Ability to jump to appropriate lesson level
- Support for multiple languages or accents
- Printable resources like flashcards or worksheets


### Read with Ello

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-with-ello/id1536720182)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

This app uses advanced AI to act as a personalized reading coach for children. It listens, provides feedback, and guides young learners through a library of decodable books to build reading confidence and skills.

**Highlights:** AI reading coach, Personalized 1:1 instruction, Library of 700+ decodable books, Speech recognition technology, Science of Reading principles, Adaptive learning system

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Read with Ello Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Read with Ello Monthly Plan | $14.99 | per month |
| Read with Ello Subscription | $25.00 | per month |
| Read with Ello Annual Plan | $99.00 | per year |
| Read with Ello Subscription | $139.00 | per year |
| Read with Ello Annual Plan | $139.00 | per year |
| Read with Ello Annual Plan | $139.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helps with reading progress
- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 👍 Builds reading confidence
- 👍 Customized book selection
- 👍 Motivates kids to read

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Voice recognition issues
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Inconsistent performance
- 🔒 Concerns about subscription model and pricing

**Reported bugs**

- Books not loading properly
- App skipping pages during reading
- Incorrect word recognition

**Requested features**

- Ability to repeat words/sentences
- Larger font size options
- More book variety and levels
- Sibling profiles and shared books
- Progress tracking and reporting for parents


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn to Read free?

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

### Is Read with Ello free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Learn to Read or Read with Ello?

Read with Ello is rated higher. Learn to Read averages 4.7 out of 5 from 71K ratings, while Read with Ello averages 4.8 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Learn to Read or Read with Ello have ads?

Neither Learn to Read nor Read with Ello shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Learn to Read or Read with Ello?

Learn to Read ships an update every 5 days, and Read with Ello every 2 weeks. Most recently, Learn to Read was updated on September 24, 2026 and Read with Ello on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Learn to Read or Read with Ello?

Learn to Read currently peaks at #13 in the App Store charts, and Read with Ello at #195. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*