# Reading Raven vs Starfall Learn to Read

The clearest difference is price: Starfall Learn to Read at Free against Reading Raven's $2.99. Starfall Learn to Read also leads on ratings volume (226 vs 64). Reading Raven's advantage is review sentiment (87% vs 75%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Starfall Learn to Read is free to download; Reading Raven costs $2.99 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 — 4.3 for Reading Raven against 4.2 for Starfall Learn to Read. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 64 and 226 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Reading Raven's written reviews are positive against 75% of Starfall Learn to Read's.

Reading Raven ships an update every 16 months, Starfall Learn to Read every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reading Raven | Starfall Learn to Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.3 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-raven/id508474629/reviews)** | [4.2 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall-learn-to-read/id551817261/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 64 | **226** |
| Positive reviews | **86.8% of reviews** | 74.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 11 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 92 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Early Ascent, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/496586138) | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) |

## What reviewers say

### Reading Raven

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-raven/id508474629)

This app guides young children through a fun, adventure-filled journey to learn reading. It offers step-by-step lessons from pre-reading skills to reading full sentences, incorporating games and printing practice.

**Highlights:** Self-paced reading lessons, Eleven types of educational games, Customizable by age/reading level, Dynamic speed and tolerance adaptation, Sticker rewards, Free form letter and word writing, Voice instructions and feedback

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Highly effective for learning to read
- 🤩 Fun and engaging for children
- 🚀 Well-thought-out progression
- 💡 Innovative voice recording feature
- 👍 Easy to navigate and understand

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Charges money without authorization
- 👎 No way to cancel subscriptions
- 😞 Slow email support
- 💰 Have to pay again for each device
- 😠 Poor customer service

**Reported bugs**

- Freezes iPhone during letter tracing
- Background noise makes letter names hard to hear
- No option to add more than 1 player profile (despite guide saying so)
- In-app purchases removed (positive feedback, but implies previous issue)

**Requested features**

- Add multi-user profiles
- Option to change manuscript style (D'Nealian)
- More levels for paid app
- Add more volumes/lessons
- Dark mode option


### Starfall Learn to Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall-learn-to-read/id551817261)

This free app offers engaging books, games, and movies to help children learn to read. It focuses on vowel sounds and spelling through interactive activities, songs, and movies, fostering a love for language and reading.

**Highlights:** Interactive reading activities, Engaging games and movies, Focus on vowel sounds and spelling, Songs and positive reinforcement, Suitable for emerging readers, Supports English language learners

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Excellent phonics and reading instruction method
- 🎵 Engaging songs and catchy tunes that maintain interest
- 🎨 Well-designed animations and interactive stories
- 👶 Effective for children with learning difficulties (dyslexia, ADHD, special needs)
- 💰 Free version available with substantial content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and fails to load on some devices
- ❌ Math games incompatible with certain iOS versions
- 📱 Technical issues with black/green screens on launch
- 🔄 Requires multiple restarts to function properly
- 💳 Misleading pricing - paid version converted to free

**Reported bugs**

- App won't load beyond launch screen (black or green screen)
- Math games incompatible with iPhone updates
- Sound not playing in some instances
- App requires deletion and reinstallation to function
- Crashes on iOS 9.2.1 and older versions

**Requested features**

- Reward/star system for motivation and progress tracking
- Lesson progression markers showing mastery of modules
- Writing and spelling exercises to reinforce learning
- More stories and content variety
- UK English version option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reading Raven free?

Reading Raven costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Starfall Learn to Read free?

Starfall Learn to Read is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Reading Raven or Starfall Learn to Read?

Reading Raven is rated higher. Reading Raven averages 4.3 out of 5 from 64 ratings, while Starfall Learn to Read averages 4.2 from 226 ratings.

### Do Reading Raven or Starfall Learn to Read have ads?

Neither Reading Raven nor Starfall Learn to Read shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reading Raven or Starfall Learn to Read?

Reading Raven ships an update every 16 months, and Starfall Learn to Read every 11 months. Most recently, Reading Raven was updated on September 28, 2026 and Starfall Learn to Read on October 2, 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.*