Comparison

MathTappers vs Main Idea

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MathTappers

This app is a game designed to help learners understand multiplication and division with whole numbers. It aims to build fluency and accuracy through engaging gameplay and visual models. It is part of a suite of educational math games.

Highlights
  • Learn multiplication
  • Learn division
  • Develop fluency
  • Improve accuracy
  • Visual models
  • Focused content
Features
Read full description

MathTappers: Multiples is a simple game designed first to help learners to make sense of multiplication and division with whole numbers, and then to support them in developing fluency while maintaining accuracy. Design: Tim Pelton & Leslee Francis Pelton Programming: Mike Anderson, Joshua E. Smith & Garrett Reimer The designers of the MathTappers apps are math educators and researchers seeking to create simple games that will help learners to make sense of mathematics one concept at a time. We have designed MathTappers apps to support students in learning mathematics by providing relevant visual models, focused content linked games and helpful suggestions for parents and educators. Please check out all of our MathTappers apps (links found at MathTappers.com): MathTappers: MultiMatch--a matching app that challenges learners to match sets of cards placed on the table. This is our newest MathTappers app. Although it comes with a deck and you can download others from our website, it was really designed to encourage teachers and students make and share their own matching game decks to capture their understanding and challenge others. Please go to mathtappers.com and check out our instructions on the right to find out how to make your own decks MathTappers: Clock Master--learn to tell time MathTappers: Estimate Fractions--make sense of fraction sums and differences MathTappers: Find Sums--learn basic facts for addition and subtraction MathTappers: Multiples--learn basic facts for multiplication and division MathTappers: Equivalents--equivalent fractions, decimals and percents MathTappers: Numberline--find relative positions of numbers on a numberline, MathTappers: Carbon Choices--help students explore their carbon footprint.

About

Main Idea

This app helps children in grades 2-5 develop reading comprehension skills by focusing on identifying the main idea of sentences. It uses a fun, game-like approach with step-by-step learning and rewards to keep kids motivated. Designed by educators, it's suitable for both typical and special needs children.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step skill building
  • Game-like environment
  • Frustration-free learning
  • Reward Center for motivation
  • Parental review and reporting
  • Over 600 examples
  • Designed by teachers and researchers
Features
Read full description

** Featured on Appolicious.com & iHeartThisApp.com ** 'Main Idea -Sentences' helps kids who have trouble with reading comprehension. Identifying the main idea is a key part of reading comprehension. 'Main Idea -Sentences' builds this comprehension skill in a fun, game-like environment. The skill is developed step-by-step until mastery. *** Happy Frog Apps is a Mom's Choice Award winner! *** ***** 5 Stars - Thank you for this app! Other software I’ve used has moved too quickly for my son. This one worked! Can’t wait for the next Main Idea app…it’s coming, right? ***** 5 Stars - This app is one the best education apps I have used with my little one. It really helps to improve his reading abilities. He is obsessed with passing the levels and it never let him disappointed. One of the few apps that worth to upgrade to premium version. 'Main Idea - Sentences' is designed for children in Grades 2-5 who can read the words, but don't understand what they read. Beginning readers in earlier grades can also benefit from the targeted skill development. 'Main Idea - Sentences' develops the skill of knowing what a sentence is about. This skill must be firmly established before a child can determine what a paragraph or page is about. Key Benefits: - Builds comprehension skills step-by-step until mastery. - Incremental learning. New levels are unlocked only when your child is ready. - Frustration-free learning. Your child will always be guided to the correct answer. - Fun and engaging Reward Center to increase motivation. - Easy parental review. Just check out the stars to see how your child is doing. - Contains over 600 examples, with content designed by professional teachers and researchers. - Advanced levels include timers to ensure fluency. Research shows fluency in the foundation skills is critical to reading comprehension. - Can be used independently (just hand it over: your child will know what to do!) or with a therapist/parent for reading intervention. - Provides extensive reporting for up to 10 students to suit the needs of parents, teachers and therapists. Our apps are designed for and tested by typical and special needs children. Testers include children with Autism and other special needs. Our apps work for them! To evaluate the app, download the free version, which has 4 free levels. Additional levels and additional players can be accessed with in-app purchase. If you prefer no in-app purchases, download the School Edition of this app. While you're thinking about reading, check out our other apps that target WH questions, inferencing and answer identification skills. Learn more about reading comprehension and research at our website www.HappyFrogApps.com. Drop us a note, we'd love to hear from you! We take customer service very seriously! If you ever have a problem or find that we've missed something, contact us at our website and we will do our best to fix the problem. We are a member of the Moms With Apps program that promotes privacy in children's apps. We collect NO private information in our apps and our apps do not allow unrestricted web access.

Screenshots

MathTappers4 screens
Main Idea4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MathTappers at none against Main Idea's 3. MathTappers also leads on ratings volume (118 vs 18). Main Idea's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 61 months) and rating (3.7 vs 3.4). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Main Idea sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. MathTappers asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Main Idea holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MathTappers has 118 ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 71% and 71% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MathTappers ships an update every 61 months, Main Idea every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
MathTappers versus Main Idea: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMathTappersMain Idea
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (118 ratings)3.7 (18 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews71.4% of reviews
Number of ratings118 — better18
Update frequencyEvery 61 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.012.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoshua SmithJanine Toole

Customer experience

MathTappers

All ratings118 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral16.9%
Negative33.1%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

Main Idea

All ratings19 ratings
Positive63.2%
Neutral15.8%
Negative21.1%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%

In-app purchases

None

MathTappers

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Main Idea

One-time3
  • Upgrade to 2 Users$1.99
  • Access All Levels$2.99
  • Up to 10 Users$2.99

Questions

Is MathTappers free?
MathTappers is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Main Idea free?
Main Idea is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, MathTappers or Main Idea?
Main Idea is rated higher. MathTappers averages 3.4 out of 5 from 118 ratings, while Main Idea averages 3.7 from 18 ratings.
Do MathTappers or Main Idea have ads?
Neither MathTappers nor Main Idea shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MathTappers or Main Idea?
MathTappers ships an update every 61 months, and Main Idea every 3 months. Most recently, MathTappers was updated on November 6, 2026 and Main Idea on November 8, 2026.

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