Comparison

Hands vs K

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

Head to head
About

Hands

This app provides a virtual playground for students to explore place value, addition, and subtraction with regrouping using interactive base ten blocks. It supports learning whole numbers and decimals through hands-on discovery.

Highlights
  • Virtual base ten blocks
  • Place value exploration
  • Addition and subtraction with regrouping
  • Whole number concepts
  • Decimal concepts
  • Interactive learning
Features
Read full description

Hands-On Math: Base Ten Blocks is a virtual math manipulative playground where students explore and discover place value concepts and also learn addition and subtraction with regrouping. Our Base Ten Blocks allow students to experience and develop math concepts through interaction and discovery. When first learning place value, blocks can be set to represent ones, tens and hundreds. Later, to introduce decimals, blocks can be set to ones, tenths and hundredths. Topics: Whole Numbers Reading and Writing Numbers Decimals Addition and Subtraction Regrouping A comprehensive instructor's guide is available at the app URL given below. Note to Reviewers: Use Settings options to control Sound and Decimal settings. iPad sound must be turned on in Settings and also the switch on the side of iPad must also be in ON position for the sound to work.

About

K

This app provides a collection of interactive math tools for kindergarten through second-grade classrooms. It includes manipulatives like base 10 blocks, counters, and number lines, along with grids and a basic calculator to aid in problem-solving.

Highlights
  • Marker board
  • Base 10 blocks (1s & 10s)
  • Counters
  • 10 frames
  • Number line
  • Addition grids
  • 100s chart
  • Basic calculator
Features
Read full description

K-2 Math Tools A set of math tools to use in K-2 classrooms. No math problems are presented. Use the tools to solve problems from other contexts. The Tools include: marker board, base 10 blocks (1s & 10s), counters in several configuations, 10 frames, 10 bead rows, number line with 10-25 tick marks, 5x5 and 10x10 addition grids, a 100s chart, and a calculator with addition and subtraction only. You may choose to enlarge the size of the 5x5 Grid, the 10x10 Addition Grid, and the Calculator. When selecting a number in the grid 10x10 Addition and 5x5 Addtion charts highlight the number and its addends. The 10 Beads can be set to reverse or alternate the red/white beads. It’s not feasible to use all of the tools at one time, but the tools are draggable so multiple tools may be used at once. For example, the base 10 blocks and the marker board to illustate numbers to 99. The square counters may be shown in sets of 10, 20, or 30. As they are tapped, the center changes to a white square. The number line may be set to begin at any number (including negatives). You may show 10, 12, 15, 20, or 25 tick marks.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: K at Free against Hands's $2.99. K also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.2). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

K is free to download; Hands costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Hands against 5.0 for K. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hands ships an update every 6 months, K every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hands versus K: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHandsK
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews30.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS13.210.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVentura Educational SystemsClassroom Focused Software

Customer experience

Hands

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive30.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative40.0%

K

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

In-app purchases

None

Hands

No in-app purchases

None

K

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hands free?
Hands costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is K free?
K is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hands or K?
Hands and K are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Hands or K have ads?
Neither Hands nor K shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hands or K?
Hands ships an update every 6 months, and K every 4 months. Most recently, Hands was updated on November 1, 2026 and K on November 1, 2026.

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