# Learn to Read vs Flash Words

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flash Words at none against Learn to Read's 18. Learn to Read's advantage is chart position (#17 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn to Read sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. Flash Words asks for nothing beyond the download.

Learn to Read ships an update every 5 days, Flash Words every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn to Read | Flash Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (75K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **75K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#17** | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) | [Kristina Longmuir](https://appshunter.io/developer/6788748637) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn to Read

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

**Currently charting:** #17 Top Grossing · Education, #90 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


### Flash Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flash-words-reading-practice/id6789767978)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 Flash Words free?

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

### Do Learn to Read or Flash Words have ads?

Neither Learn to Read nor Flash Words shows ads.

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

Learn to Read ships an update every 5 days, and Flash Words every 4 days. Most recently, Learn to Read was updated on October 18, 2026 and Flash Words on September 29, 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.*