# Counting Dots vs Main Idea

The clearest difference is price: Counting Dots at $2.99 against Main Idea's $6.99. Counting Dots also leads on ratings volume (38 vs 6). Main Idea's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months) and review sentiment (85% vs 76%). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Counting Dots costs $2.99 and Main Idea $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Counting Dots against 4.3 for Main Idea. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Counting Dots has 38 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Counting Dots's written reviews are positive against 85% of Main Idea's.

Counting Dots ships an update every 7 months, Main Idea every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Counting Dots | Main Idea |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $6.99 |
| Rating | **[4.4 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/counting-dots-learn-and-play/id484775327/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/main-ideasentences/id895686005/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews | **84.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 23 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ellie's Games, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/355986115) | [Janine Toole](https://appshunter.io/developer/839832427) |

## What reviewers say

### Counting Dots

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/counting-dots-learn-and-play/id484775327)

An engaging game designed to boost counting skills in children. It transforms learning into an adventure with colorful dots, building numerical understanding and confidence. Optimized for visual learning with sensory feedback and customizable settings.

**Highlights:** Tap to count colorful dots, Build numerical understanding, Vibrant colors for visual learning, Spoken number sounds and vibrations, Child-friendly interface, Customizable counting settings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Main Idea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/main-ideasentences/id895686005)

This app helps children in grades 2-5 improve their reading comprehension by teaching them to identify the main idea of sentences. It uses a fun, game-like environment with step-by-step learning and a reward system to keep kids motivated.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step skill building, Incremental learning with unlocked levels, Frustration-free guided learning, Engaging reward center, Parental review and reporting, Over 600 examples, Timed levels for fluency

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Counting Dots free?

Counting Dots costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Main Idea free?

Main Idea costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Counting Dots or Main Idea?

Counting Dots is rated higher. Counting Dots averages 4.4 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Main Idea averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Counting Dots or Main Idea have ads?

Neither Counting Dots nor Main Idea shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Counting Dots or Main Idea?

Counting Dots ships an update every 7 months, and Main Idea every 3 months. Most recently, Counting Dots was updated on November 1, 2026 and Main Idea on November 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.*