Comparison

Pattern Sets vs Starfall Learn to Read

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

Head to head
About

Pattern Sets

This app helps young learners develop number sense by practicing subitizing, the ability to quickly recognize quantities without counting. It features various dot patterns, dice patterns, and 10-frames for practice, with adjustable settings for exposure time and quantity range.

Highlights
  • Subitizing practice
  • Dot patterns
  • Dice patterns
  • 10-frames
  • Adjustable time and quantity
  • Two-color patterns
Features
Read full description

Subitizing, or quickly recognizing the quantity of objects in a group without having to count, is an important number sense skill. Practice recognizing the number of dots in a variety of pattern types including from 1 to 10 dots. Dice patterns and patterns based on 10-frames are included. Patterns are made with one or two colors. Set the length of time a pattern is shown and the range of dots displayed. The iPad version also incorporates up to 20 dots and two 10 Frames Pattern Sets is one app in the NumberSense series designed at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois for K-2 grade students. In addition to the support website, see www.augustana.edu/numbersense for information about the project. Pattern Sets is one app in the NumberSense series designed at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois for K-2 grade students. In addition to the support website, see www.augustana.edu/numbersense for information about the project.

About

Starfall Learn to Read

This free app offers engaging books, games, and movies to help children learn to read. It focuses on vowel sounds and spelling through interactive activities, songs, and movies, fostering a love for language and reading.

Highlights
  • Interactive reading activities
  • Engaging games and movies
  • Focus on vowel sounds and spelling
  • Songs and positive reinforcement
  • Suitable for emerging readers
  • Supports English language learners
Features
Read full description

Starfall® Learn to Read is the second step of Starfall’s Learn to Read phonics sequence, which teaches the foundational skills for learning to read. Step 1: ABCs Step 2: Learn to Read Step 3: It’s Fun to Read Step 4: I’m Reading! In Starfall Learn to Read, children explore early phonics in a sequential, stress-free environment. Each step of the learning journey comes to life with help from the Vowel Pals—delightful characters that add depth and personality to each vowel sound. Children develop their phonics skills through the use of CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, sight words, and vowel teams. Mastering the skills taught in Starfall Learn to Read helps children become confident, independent readers. Travel-ready. No internet connection required. Find Starfall Learn to Read, along with 700+ additional activities and counting across reading, math, music, and more in the Starfall app. The Starfall website and applications are program services of Starfall Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) publicly supported nonprofit organization. Starfall® and Starfall.com® are registered trademarks in the US, the European Union, and various other countries. Copyright © 2002–2026 by Starfall Education. All rights reserved. Starfall apps are inclusively designed to support all children, including English Language Learners (ELLs). Starfall also provides an Enhanced Accessible Index for children with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments. For more information, please contact Customer Service at (+1) 303-417-6414.

Screenshots

Pattern Sets4 screens
Starfall Learn to Read4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pattern Sets at 5.0 against Starfall Learn to Read's 4.2. Pattern Sets also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). Starfall Learn to Read's advantage is ratings volume (226 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pattern Sets holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starfall Learn to Read has 226 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pattern Sets ships an update every 7 months, Starfall Learn to Read every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pattern Sets versus Starfall Learn to Read: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPattern SetsStarfall Learn to Read
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.2 (226 ratings)
Positive reviews—74.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1226 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 months — betterEvery 11 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB91 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClassroom Focused SoftwareStarfall Education Foundation

Customer experience

Pattern Sets

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Starfall Learn to Read

All ratings226 ratings
Positive77.0%
Neutral7.1%
Negative15.9%
Written reviews75 reviews
Positive74.7%
Neutral1.3%
Negative24.0%

Bugs and requests

Pattern Sets

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Starfall Learn to Read

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • App won't load beyond launch screen (black or green screen)
  • Math games incompatible with iPhone updates
  • Sound not playing in some instances
  • App requires deletion and reinstallation to function
  • Crashes on iOS 9.2.1 and older versions
Show 3 more
  • Glitches when pressing letter machine words
  • App needs to be opened twice each time to run
  • Compatibility issues with various iOS versions

Requested features

10 requests
  • Reward/star system for motivation and progress tracking
  • Lesson progression markers showing mastery of modules
  • Writing and spelling exercises to reinforce learning
  • More stories and content variety
  • UK English version option
Show 5 more
  • Settings to control word pronunciation features
  • More word-building exercises
  • Sight vocabulary games for common words
  • Additional phonics rules (ng, tch, ck, tion, sion)
  • Level progression system to track advancement

In-app purchases

None

Pattern Sets

No in-app purchases

None

Starfall Learn to Read

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pattern Sets free?
Pattern Sets is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Starfall Learn to Read free?
Starfall Learn to Read is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Pattern Sets or Starfall Learn to Read?
Pattern Sets is rated higher. Pattern Sets averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Starfall Learn to Read averages 4.2 from 226 ratings.
Do Pattern Sets or Starfall Learn to Read have ads?
Neither Pattern Sets nor Starfall Learn to Read shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pattern Sets or Starfall Learn to Read?
Pattern Sets ships an update every 7 months, and Starfall Learn to Read every 11 months. Most recently, Pattern Sets was updated on September 24, 2026 and Starfall Learn to Read on October 2, 2026.

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