# LessonNote vs Popsicle Sticks

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Popsicle Sticks at 1.3K against LessonNote's 10. Popsicle Sticks also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LessonNote sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per 3 months and Popsicle Sticks sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for LessonNote against 4.6 for Popsicle Sticks. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Popsicle Sticks has 1.3K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of LessonNote's written reviews are positive against 60% of Popsicle Sticks's.

LessonNote ships an update monthly, Popsicle Sticks every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LessonNote | Popsicle Sticks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lessonnote/id507466065/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popsicle-sticks-teacher-picks/id1139826444/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **65.2% of reviews** | 60.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 47 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lesson Study Alliance](https://appshunter.io/developer/507466068) | [Neil Daly](https://appshunter.io/developer/1139826443) |

## What reviewers say

### LessonNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lessonnote/id507466065)

This tool facilitates classroom lesson observation by allowing educators to document lesson flow and student engagement. It enables tracking of interactions, capturing notes, taking photos of student work, and analyzing time spent in different learning modalities. The app helps create a factual record to improve teaching and learning.

**Highlights:** Track student interactions, Record time-stamped notes, Photograph student work, Analyze time in learning modalities, Create seating charts, Review data for student-focused conversations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Months of Pro | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Months of Pro | $44.99 | per 6 months |
| 1 Year Pro | $64.99 | per year |
| 6-month LessonNote Pro subscription | $89.99 | one-time |
| 1-year LessonNote Pro subscription | $149.99 | one-time |
| 2-year LessonNote Pro subscription | $249.99 | one-time |


### Popsicle Sticks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/popsicle-sticks-teacher-picks/id1139826444)

This app offers a digital solution for educators to randomly select students, form groups, and manage classroom activities. It includes features for grading, math games, and tournament creation, aiming to enhance engagement and streamline administrative tasks.

**Highlights:** Random student selection, Student grouping and swapping, Random list generation, Grade calculation, Mental math games, Tournament builder

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Christmas Skin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Halloween Skin | $0.99 | one-time |
| Popsicle Sticks Unlimited | $1.99 | one-time |
| Random Picks Unlimited | $4.99 | one-time |
| Popsicle Sticks Unlimited | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for elementary music teachers
- 🤩 Randomized grouping tool
- 🚀 Useful and fun app
- 🚀 Intuitive to set up and easy to learn
- 🚀 Awesome tool creates awesome student engagement

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Hidden cost
- 💰 Expensive
- 💰 Deceptive about costs
- 🐛 Crashes when picking a student
- 🐛 Import glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when picking a student
- Import glitches
- Deleting students/classes not intuitive
- Asks for reviews too often

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit voice/pronunciation of names
- Ability to mark students absent so they're not randomly selected
- Ability to rotate iPad to landscape mode
- Support for Slide Over and/or Side-by-Side apps
- Ability to remove students on a tournament-by-tournament basis


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LessonNote free?

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

### Is Popsicle Sticks free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LessonNote or Popsicle Sticks?

LessonNote is rated higher. LessonNote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Popsicle Sticks averages 4.6 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do LessonNote or Popsicle Sticks have ads?

Neither LessonNote nor Popsicle Sticks shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LessonNote or Popsicle Sticks?

LessonNote ships an update monthly, and Popsicle Sticks every 5 weeks. Most recently, LessonNote was updated on November 1, 2026 and Popsicle Sticks on October 23, 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.*