Comparison

Picture Packets vs Paper Math

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

Head to head
About

Picture Packets

This app is part of a comprehensive reading and writing curriculum designed for beginning readers or those who have struggled with literacy. It focuses on transitioning from phonetic sounds to reading words in letters, helping children become independent readers and writers.

Highlights
  • Part of a 14-app reading curriculum
  • Aids transition from sounds to letters
  • Develops independent reading skills
  • Encourages creative writing
  • No ads or in-app purchases
Features
Read full description

Center for Innovation in Education Picture Packets - Transition Dekodiphukan Description The twelfth of the fourteen apps that comprise the Baratta-Lorton Reading Program. The Reading Program is a reading and writing curriculum for beginning readers and any child who has already experienced difficulty in learning to read. 99% unique – 100% effective - 100% free Background for the fourteen apps The Baratta-Lorton Reading Program also known as Dekodiphukan (pronounced decode if you can) was developed by the Center for Innovation in Education whose many other offerings include Mathematics Their Way, the first non-traditional math curriculum adopted in by the State of California. Dekodiphukan has been in use in classrooms across the United States and Canada since 1985. The Program has been used to teach thousands of children to read and to write regardless of background or supposed lack of reading readiness. To date, no child using the program in a classroom setting has ever failed to learn to read or to write. This Dekodiphukan reading and writing curriculum is now a series of fourteen apps plus a parent-guide for the iPad that, within a period of six months to a year (or occasionally a bit longer for some special needs children), will enable every child using it to read and to write. Reading with enjoyment. Writing creatively. Dekodiphukan is a full fledged curriculum. It is a set of specific learning activities, not a set of games. The curriculum’s fourteen apps are all free with no ads - popup or otherwise - included. While the apps may be downloaded all at once and stored in a folder on the iPad, no more than two or three of the apps are used at any one time by the child. Picture Packets - Transition The twelfth of the Fourteen Apps The child begins Picture Packets-Transition at the same time as he or she begins the Writing Worksheets. Despite the lack of specific letter instruction accompanying the Picture Packets, the parent will observe that when his or her child reads the Picture Packets-Transition phrases, the child often attempts to read the words in letters, as opposed to the words in sounds.  The sounds above the letters are used when the word they represent is not known.  Children use the sounds to check the accuracy of their reading without having to ask a parent or anyone else a word they do not know. It may seem like more should be said about teaching children how to read the letters in the transition phrases, because it is the transition level of the program that produces the most parental anxiety.  The concern is that a child may not be able to make the switch from sounds to letters to become what the parent feels is a real reader.  But the most difficult learning level has already past.  It passed for each child when that child mastered the art of blending two and three sounds into words.  The child who can read phrases comfortably and who is at the transition level has already cleared all the hurdles.  The child now is merely finishing out the run. Picture Packets - Transition Introduced in tandem with the Writing Worksheets No specific lesson with the letters is given to the child Letter association take place in the Writing Worksheets and Sightword apps

About

Paper Math

Easily print custom math worksheets for K-8 students. Reduce screen time and enhance basic math practice with adjustable difficulty and operations. Scan to review answers.

Highlights
  • Printable math worksheets
  • Adjustable difficulty levels
  • Selectable operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide)
  • Integer, decimal, and fraction support
  • Answer scanning for review
  • Reduced screen time focus
Features
Read full description

Paper Math turns your iPhone or iPad into a math worksheet printer. Pick the skills, set the difficulty, tap Generate, and print. MAKE THE EXACT WORKSHEET YOU NEED - Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in any combination - Three difficulty levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced - Whole numbers, fractions, or decimals - Multi-page worksheets with 20 questions per page - Tap New to instantly regenerate a fresh set with the same settings PRINT IT OR SHARE IT - Print straight to any AirPrint printer - Save or share the worksheet as a clean PDF SCAN FOR ANSWERS Every worksheet prints with a small QR code in the corner. When the worksheet is done, point the app's built-in scanner at the code and the matching answer key appears instantly. No typing, no searching, no re-entering settings. SIMPLE, FAIR PRICING Your first 5 answer key reveals are free. After that, a single one-time purchase unlocks answer keys forever. No subscription, no recurring charges. MADE FOR REAL PRACTICE Great for parents keeping skills sharp over breaks, teachers who need a worksheet right now, tutors, and kids who focus best on paper. Paper Math. Real practice, on real paper.

Screenshots

Paper Math4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Picture Packets at 100% against Paper Math's 50%. Picture Packets also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Paper Math's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 69 months) and ratings volume (31 vs 2). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Picture Packets holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paper Math has 31 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Picture Packets's written reviews are positive against 50% of Paper Math's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Picture Packets ships an update every 69 months, Paper Math every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Picture Packets versus Paper Math: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPicture PacketsPaper Math
Price—Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.7 (31 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings231 — better
Update frequencyEvery 69 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBob Baratta-LortonPretty Motion LLC

Customer experience

Picture Packets

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Paper Math

All ratings31 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

None

Picture Packets

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Paper Math

Subscriptions3
  • Answer Keys 1 Month1 Month trial$0.991 Month
  • Answer Keys 6 Month$4.996 Months
  • Answer Keys for 1 Year$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Scan for Answer Key$1.99

Questions

Is Picture Packets free?
Pricing for Picture Packets is not currently listed on the App Store.
Is Paper Math free?
Paper Math is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Picture Packets or Paper Math?
Picture Packets is rated higher. Picture Packets averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Paper Math averages 4.7 from 31 ratings.
Do Picture Packets or Paper Math have ads?
Neither Picture Packets nor Paper Math shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Picture Packets or Paper Math?
Picture Packets ships an update every 69 months, and Paper Math every 3 weeks. Most recently, Picture Packets was updated on November 1, 2026 and Paper Math on November 2, 2026.

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