Comparison

ABA vs Hungry Caterpillar Play School

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

Head to head
About

ABA

This app helps young children develop problem-solving skills by identifying the item that doesn't belong in a group of four. It uses real photographs and customizable content to teach concepts like colors, shapes, and characteristics in an engaging, multi-sensory way.

Highlights
  • Identify the item that doesn't belong
  • Teaches colors, shapes, and characteristics
  • Add custom voice and items
  • Uses real photographs
  • Dynamic difficulty adjustment
  • Multi-sensory learning
Features
Read full description

"Wow... this one is an awesome problem solving app and great at teaching concepts such as colors, up and down, left and right." Endorsed by tens of thousands of satisfied parents, teachers, and kids the world over. Touch and Learn is a powerful new gaming platform that allows you to introduce new concepts in a fun and exciting new way. You can use Touch and Learn to teach basic concepts such as new shapes or advanced concepts such as colors or characteristics (e.g. big, bigger, small, smaller, etc.). The possibilities are truly endless and just up to your imagination. This game comes pre-loaded with hundreds of unique images to provide hours of learning and entertainment. What's unique about the Touch and Learn - What does not belong apps? The "what does not belong apps" do the opposite of the basic Touch and Learn applications. Instead of asking kids to find "the circle" or the "red square" the "what does not belong apps" display 4 images and require the child to identify the one item that is different. The difference could be due to the color, name of the object, type of object or concept being presented. This app can be challenging or easy depending on the difficulty that you select and is ideal for ages 2 to 4. FEATURES • Add your own voice - now your toddler can learn everything in mommy's or daddy's voice • Add your own items - take pictures of your child's favorite items to make the game more fun and personal • Add your own concepts - you can add an unlimited number of new concepts and associate them with any picture or item to add exciting new levels and hours of fun • Learn by sight, sound, and touch • Uses real, crisp photographs that are carefully hand picked and selected vs. cartoonish illustrations • Uses advanced algorithms that automatically makes the teaching of concepts fun and easy to grasp (i.e when teaching the concept of yellow circle, the app will present both a circle that is not yellow and another item that is yellow but is not a circle). • Fun & engaging voice artist keeps kids engaged • Dynamic game play adjust difficulty automatically to keep kids both challenged and entertained vs. getting bored. If you select progressive game play then the game starts with easy concepts (e.g. touch the circle) and proceeds to advanced concepts (touch the bigger circle) automatically. • Wrong answers do not interfere with gameplay, the child can immediately try again and touch the correct answer (most other games are too slow to keep kids interested by slowly repeating the desired question). • Multi-sensory learning tool - combining audio, voice, and written words • Don't like some of the existing items... no problem, just delete or turn them off to cover only what you like • Multi-language support - since you can edit existing items and add new items, you can record everything in your native tongue HEROIC SUPPORT Heroic Support is not just what we do.  It's really what makes us, well, us.  It's that drive to make a difference in your life - no matter how big or small.  Really, it's our way of life because we want you to be our customer for a lifetime of fun and learning. Have questions?  We are here to help.  Email us at support@grasshopperapps.com

About

Hungry Caterpillar Play School

This app provides a Montessori-inspired learning environment for children aged 2-6, featuring hundreds of books, activities, and games. It encourages independent learning through art, music, math, science, and problem-solving, with a focus on digital wellness and offline play.

Highlights
  • Montessori-inspired activities
  • Hundreds of books, games, and songs
  • Child-centric learning
  • Eric Carle art style
  • Early learning for ages 2-6
  • Offline play
  • Meditations for wellness
Features
Read full description

Hungry Caterpillar Play School offers a calming and beautiful environment for young children ages 2-6. Activities are based on Montessori principles that encourage hands-on and independent learning. The app is inspired by Eric Carle, a beloved author and illustrator known for his classic children’s books, including “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. • Hundreds of books, activities, videos, songs, and meditations. • Child-centric learning—explore and learn at your own pace • Eric Carle's beautiful and unique art style • Essential early learning for kids aged 2-6 • Gentle rewards to encourage repeated play—crucial for early learners • Highly praised by parents of neurodivergent children LEARNING BENEFITS ABCs - learn the alphabet and how to read. Children trace letters and learn to spell their name. EARLY MATH - explore numbers 1-10. Play games that teach early coding, measurement, patterns, and more. SCIENCE & NATURE - activities and non-fiction books make little ones aware of science and the natural world. PROBLEM-SOLVING - match pairs, learn shapes, solve jigsaw puzzles, and complete fun quizzes. ART & MUSIC - artistic activities include coloring, collage, and building blocks. Experiment with musical notes, explore scales, learn chords, and create beats. HEALTH & WELLNESS - practice meditations to calm down, relax, and reduce anxiety. Apple Editor’s Choice 2022 FEATURES • Safe and age-appropriate • Designed responsibly to let your child enjoy screen time while developing healthy digital habits at a young age • Play pre-downloaded content offline without wifi or internet • Regular updates with new content • Apple Family Sharing for easy subscription sharing with other family members • No third-party advertising • No in-app purchases for subscribers SUPPORT For any questions or assistance, please reach out to us at support@storytoys.com ABOUT STORYTOYS Our mission is to bring the world's most popular characters, worlds, and stories to life for children. We make apps for kids that engage them in well-rounded activities designed to help them learn, play, and grow. Parents can enjoy peace of mind knowing their kids are learning and having fun at the same time. PRIVACY & TERMS StoryToys takes children's privacy seriously and ensures that its apps comply with privacy laws, including the Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If you would like to learn more about the information we collect and how we use it, please visit our privacy policy at https://storytoys.com/privacy. Read our terms of use here: https://storytoys.com/terms. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS This app contains sample content that is free to play. However, LOTS MORE fun and entertaining games and activities are available if you purchase a monthly or yearly subscription. While you are subscribed you can play with EVERYTHING. We regularly add new stuff, so subscribed users will enjoy ever-expanding play opportunities. • Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually according to the rate of the selected subscription plan. • You can change your mind at any point. Cancelling can be done through your iTunes settings. • Your subscription will auto-renew at the cost of the chosen package unless you cancel it 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. Subscription fees are charged to your iTunes account. • After purchase, you can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings. • When you purchase a subscription, you forfeit any unused portion of a free trial period. • You can use your subscription on any device registered with the same Apple ID that you subscribed from.

Screenshots

ABA4 screens
Hungry Caterpillar Play School4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Hungry Caterpillar Play School at Free against ABA's $0.99. Hungry Caterpillar Play School also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 72 months) and ratings volume (24K vs 32). ABA's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (67% vs 39%). On rating, 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

Hungry Caterpillar Play School is free to download; ABA costs $0.99 up front. Hungry Caterpillar Play School sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. ABA asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for ABA against 4.2 for Hungry Caterpillar Play School. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hungry Caterpillar Play School has 24K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of ABA's written reviews are positive against 39% of Hungry Caterpillar Play School's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ABA ships an update every 72 months, Hungry Caterpillar Play School every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
ABA versus Hungry Caterpillar Play School: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterABAHungry Caterpillar Play School
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (32 ratings)4.2 (24K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews — better39.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3224K — better
Update frequencyEvery 72 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB463 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperInnovative Mobile AppsStoryToys Limited

Customer experience

ABA

All ratings32 ratings
Positive71.9%
Neutral15.6%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral13.0%
Negative20.4%

Hungry Caterpillar Play School

All ratings23,698 ratings
Positive79.3%
Neutral9.7%
Negative10.9%
Written reviews305 reviews
Positive39.0%
Neutral6.9%
Negative54.1%

User reviews

ABA

From 32 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great for special needs students
  • 💡 Highly customizable options
  • 🧠 Good for critical thinking
  • 🧩 Useful for problem-solving
  • 🗣️ Helps with vocabulary

Room to improve

  • 🐛 App stalls after updates
  • 🐛 Crashes on concept level
  • 🐛 Voiceover mispronunciation
  • 🐛 Inappropriate image (marijuana leaf)
  • 🐛 Visuals are horrible/ugly

Hungry Caterpillar Play School

From 24K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Engaging and educational
  • 👍 Great for young kids
  • 👍 Variety of games and activities
  • 👍 Calming and relaxing
  • 👍 Visually appealing

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Sound issues
  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 💰 Misleading pricing and trial
  • 🤬 Deceptive subscription practices

Bugs and requests

ABA

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Won't let me out of touch and learn segment
  • Stalls after 3 or 4 pages
  • Crashes on the concept level
  • Voiceover mispronounces 'belong'
  • One of the shapes is a marijuana leaf
Show 1 more
  • Kept force closing

Requested features

7 requests
  • Add accuracy percentage counter for documentation
  • Add data collection system
  • Create something with more vivid colors
  • Make it much harder
  • Make it more interesting to a toddler
Show 2 more
  • Add more interesting pictures and rewards
  • Track accuracy

Hungry Caterpillar Play School

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Inability to log in
  • Freezing and crashing
  • Unresponsive touch controls
  • Content not unlocking after purchase

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved accessibility options
  • Better navigation and organization
  • More reading and spelling activities
  • Family sharing support
  • Ability to cancel subscription easily

In-app purchases

None

ABA

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Hungry Caterpillar Play School

Subscriptions10
  • Special Offer$2.991 Month
  • Learning - Pay Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Start learning – Pay monthly1 Month trial$7.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Learning - Pay Monthly7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Monthly Membership7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Limited Offer - Pay Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Learning - Pay Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Annual - Best Value7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Learning - Pay Yearly - Save!1 Month trial$59.991 Year
  • Big Savings - Pay Annually7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is ABA free?
ABA costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hungry Caterpillar Play School free?
Hungry Caterpillar Play School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ABA or Hungry Caterpillar Play School?
Hungry Caterpillar Play School is rated higher. ABA averages 4.2 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Hungry Caterpillar Play School averages 4.2 from 24K ratings.
Do ABA or Hungry Caterpillar Play School have ads?
Neither ABA nor Hungry Caterpillar Play School shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ABA or Hungry Caterpillar Play School?
ABA ships an update every 72 months, and Hungry Caterpillar Play School every 5 weeks. Most recently, ABA was updated on October 30, 2026 and Hungry Caterpillar Play School on November 1, 2026.

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