# PopMath Original vs Learn to Read

The clearest difference is price: Learn to Read at Free against PopMath Original's $3.99. Learn to Read also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 12 months). PopMath Original's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Learn to Read is free to download; PopMath Original costs $3.99 up front. Learn to Read sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. PopMath Original asks for nothing beyond the download.

Learn to Read holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 71K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of PopMath Original's written reviews are positive against 81% of Learn to Read's.

PopMath Original ships an update every 12 months, Learn to Read every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PopMath Original | Learn to Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popmath-original/id364173598/reviews) | **[4.7 (71K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **71K** |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | **81.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#11** |
| Size | 7 MB | 252 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AppBlit LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/295536769) | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) |

## What reviewers say

### PopMath Original

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popmath-original/id364173598)

This app offers a playful approach for children to master fundamental math skills. Players pop numbered bubbles to solve equations, with increasing difficulty and new operations introduced as they advance. It provides feedback on performance and allows for focused practice on specific tables or operations.

**Highlights:** Bubble popping math challenges, Progressive difficulty levels, Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, Practice specific multiplication tables, Performance tracking (time, errors), Encouraging feedback messages

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Learn to Read

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

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Grossing · Education, #67 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PopMath Original free?

PopMath Original costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Learn to Read free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PopMath Original or Learn to Read?

Learn to Read is rated higher. PopMath Original averages 4.1 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Learn to Read averages 4.7 from 71K ratings.

### Do PopMath Original or Learn to Read have ads?

Neither PopMath Original nor Learn to Read shows ads.

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

PopMath Original ships an update every 12 months, and Learn to Read every 5 days. Most recently, PopMath Original was updated on September 16, 2026 and Learn to Read on September 28, 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.*