# Learn to Read vs MaxScholar

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MaxScholar at none against Learn to Read's 10. MaxScholar also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). Learn to Read's advantage is ratings volume (80K vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn to Read sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. MaxScholar asks for nothing beyond the download.

MaxScholar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 80K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Learn to Read's written reviews are positive against 100% of MaxScholar's.

Learn to Read ships an update weekly, MaxScholar every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn to Read | MaxScholar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (80K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maxscholar/id6745490159/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **80K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#21** | — |
| Size | 264 MB | 257 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) | [MaxScholar](https://appshunter.io/developer/569173839) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn to Read

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

**Currently charting:** #21 Top Grossing · Education, #96 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 (6)**

| 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) | $14.99 | per month |
| 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


### MaxScholar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maxscholar/id6745490159)

This app offers Orton-Gillingham based reading instruction and practice for students Pre-K to Grade 12. It's designed for English language learners, those learning to read, students with dyslexia, or those needing to reinforce foundational reading and writing skills.

**Highlights:** Orton-Gillingham based instruction, Reading lessons and training, Workbook exercises, Supports students with dyslexia, Reinforces reading and writing skills, Suitable for Pre-K to Grade 12

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn to Read free?

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

### Is MaxScholar free?

MaxScholar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Learn to Read or MaxScholar?

MaxScholar is rated higher. Learn to Read averages 4.7 out of 5 from 80K ratings, while MaxScholar averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Learn to Read or MaxScholar have ads?

Neither Learn to Read nor MaxScholar shows ads.

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

Learn to Read ships an update weekly, and MaxScholar every 3 weeks. Most recently, Learn to Read was updated on November 9, 2026 and MaxScholar on October 30, 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.*