# First Phrases vs MindSpark

The clearest difference is price: MindSpark at Free against First Phrases's $15.99. MindSpark also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months). First Phrases's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.4). On device support there is nothing between them.

MindSpark is free to download; First Phrases costs $15.99 up front. First Phrases sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MindSpark asks for nothing beyond the download.

First Phrases ships an update every 4 months, MindSpark every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Phrases | MindSpark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $15.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.2 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases/id473894018/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **13** | — |
| Positive reviews | 93.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 612 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Hamaguchi Learning & Development, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/460288922) | [fabrizio chimienti](https://appshunter.io/developer/955155245) |

## What reviewers say

### First Phrases

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-phrases/id473894018)

This interactive app helps young children learn to combine words into meaningful phrases. It features animated characters performing actions and allows for recording and playback to aid language development. Ideal for speech therapy and early literacy support.

**Highlights:** 72 verb + noun phrase combinations, Animated characters performing actions, Record and playback speech, Group setting for multiple users, Data collection and reporting, Visual support for learning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| In-app purchase | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging animations
- 👍 Effective for speech therapy
- 👍 Customizable settings
- 👍 Good for language development
- 👍 Interactive learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🐛 Screen share disconnects
- 💰 In-app purchases for characters
- 💰 Price considered high by some
- 🐛 App crashes frequently

**Reported bugs**

- Screen share disconnects during animations
- App crashes frequently
- Settings do not save
- Words do not flip to show phrases after update
- App not working after new iPad purchase (resolved)

**Requested features**

- Store recordings for progress tracking
- Add more phrases
- Allow more student profiles
- Save multiple recordings
- Repeat targeted phrase with icons on all pages


### MindSpark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindspark-brain-training/id6761559999)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Phrases free?

First Phrases costs $15.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is MindSpark free?

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

### Do First Phrases or MindSpark have ads?

MindSpark shows ads; First Phrases does not.

### Which is updated more often, First Phrases or MindSpark?

First Phrases ships an update every 4 months, and MindSpark every 5 days. Most recently, First Phrases was updated on November 6, 2026 and MindSpark on October 31, 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.*