# LetterSchool vs Hoopla

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hoopla at 100% against LetterSchool's 55%. Hoopla also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). LetterSchool's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (17K vs 5). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LetterSchool sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Hoopla sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

LetterSchool holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LetterSchool has 17K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of LetterSchool's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hoopla'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, Hoopla every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LetterSchool | Hoopla |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letterschool-learn-to-write/id481067676/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoopla/id6451356536/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **17K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 158 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Letterschool Enabling Learning B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133082101) | [Hoopla FZ-LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1697677213) |

## 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 spelling games. It offers progress tracking and engaging animations to make learning fun and effective for toddlers and preschoolers.

**Highlights:** Block and cursive letter tracing, Uppercase and lowercase letters, Number tracing (1-10), Geometric shape tracing, Word spelling and phonics, Progress tracking for multiple players, Interactive animations and sound effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access Pass | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Access Pass | $9.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Access Pass | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Quarterly Access Pass | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Access Pass | $44.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access Pass | $59.99 | 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


### Hoopla

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hoopla/id6451356536)

This app uses fun, expert-designed activities to help children aged 3-8 reduce anxiety and build emotional skills. It offers meditations, games, and songs to improve sleep, manage tantrums, and strengthen family bonds through interactive play.

**Highlights:** Expert-backed activities for children, Interactive family games, Multi-sensory emotional regulation tools, Quick, effective mindfulness exercises, Builds emotional skills, Simplifies parenting resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hoopla | $9.99 | per month |
| Hoopla | $12.99 | per month |
| Hoopla | $39.99 | per year |
| Hoopla | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LetterSchool free?

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

### Is Hoopla free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LetterSchool or Hoopla?

LetterSchool is rated higher. LetterSchool averages 4.5 out of 5 from 17K ratings, while Hoopla averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do LetterSchool or Hoopla have ads?

Hoopla shows ads; LetterSchool does not.

### Which is updated more often, LetterSchool or Hoopla?

LetterSchool ships an update every 2 months, and Hoopla every 3 weeks. Most recently, LetterSchool was updated on November 6, 2026 and Hoopla on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*