# LetterSchool vs First Grade Reading Program

The clearest difference is price: LetterSchool at Free against First Grade Reading Program's $0.99. LetterSchool also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 21 months) and ratings volume (17K vs 1). First Grade Reading Program's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 14). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

LetterSchool is free to download; First Grade Reading Program costs $0.99 up front. LetterSchool sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. First Grade Reading Program asks for nothing beyond the download.

First Grade Reading Program holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LetterSchool has 17K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 54% of LetterSchool's written reviews are positive against 50% of First Grade Reading Program's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

LetterSchool ships an update every 2 months, First Grade Reading Program every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LetterSchool | First Grade Reading Program |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letterschool-learn-to-write/id481067676/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-grade-reading-program/id504193423/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **17K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **54.4% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 158 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Letterschool Enabling Learning B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133082101) | [Visual Learning Aids, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/327866969) |

## What reviewers say

### LetterSchool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letterschool-learn-to-write/id481067676)

This app helps young children learn to write letters, numbers, and shapes through interactive tracing and engaging animations. It offers progress tracking and is designed by educational professionals to be safe and fun for toddlers and preschoolers.

**Highlights:** Block and cursive letter tracing, Uppercase and lowercase letters, Numbers 1-10 tracing, Geometric shape tracing, Progress tracking for multiple players, Interactive animations and sound effects, CVC, CVCC, and long sound word practice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access Pass | $4.99 | per month |
| LetterSchool - Monthly Pass | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Access Pass | $9.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Access Pass | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| LetterSchool - Monthly Pass | $14.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Access Pass | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Access Pass | $44.99 | per year |
| LetterSchool - Annual Pass | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access Pass | $59.99 | per year |
| LetterSchool - Annual Pass | $74.99 | per year |
| Unlock All Shapes | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Full Block Alphabet | $6.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Full Cursive Alphabet | $6.99 | one-time |
| All-in-one Package | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and interactive
- 🚀 Helps improve handwriting
- 💡 Supports multiple writing styles (print, cursive, d'nealian)
- 👍 Motivating with rewards and animations
- 👍 Useful for children with learning challenges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Subscription issues (app reverts to lite version, need to restore purchases)
- 🐛 Glitches and crashes (especially with Dari letters)
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Limited free version
- 🔍 Inconsistent letter formation (not aligned with school standards)

**Reported bugs**

- Dari letter (پ) keeps glitching
- Subscription issues (app reverts to lite version, need to restore purchases)
- Incompatibility with older devices
- Login screen freezes

**Requested features**

- Add more languages (Russian, Serbian, Thai, Korean, Hebrew, Hindi, etc.)
- Allow creating custom words/names to practice
- Improve letter sound pronunciations
- Add more visual options (fonts, themes, etc.)
- Integrate with International Phonetic Alphabet


### First Grade Reading Program

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-grade-reading-program/id504193423)

This phonics-based reading program helps young learners develop fluency and comprehension. It features read-along audio for stories and interactive word family exercises. Multiple-choice questions after each story reinforce understanding.

**Highlights:** Phonics-based reading approach, Read-along audio stories, Word family exercises, Reading comprehension questions, Fluency and confidence building

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LetterSchool free?

LetterSchool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is First Grade Reading Program free?

First Grade Reading Program costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, LetterSchool or First Grade Reading Program?

First Grade Reading Program is rated higher. LetterSchool averages 4.5 out of 5 from 17K ratings, while First Grade Reading Program averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do LetterSchool or First Grade Reading Program have ads?

Neither LetterSchool nor First Grade Reading Program shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LetterSchool or First Grade Reading Program?

LetterSchool ships an update every 2 months, and First Grade Reading Program every 21 months. Most recently, LetterSchool was updated on October 13, 2026 and First Grade Reading Program on October 6, 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.*