# Starfall Learn to Read vs Blending Board

Starfall Learn to Read and Blending Board both sit at 4.2 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of Starfall Learn to Read's written reviews are positive against 65% of Blending Board's. Blending Board's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Starfall Learn to Read against 4.3 for Blending Board. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 226 and 81 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Starfall Learn to Read's written reviews are positive against 65% of Blending Board's.

Starfall Learn to Read ships an update every 11 months, Blending Board every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall Learn to Read | Blending Board |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall-learn-to-read/id551817261/reviews) | **[4.3 (81 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blending-board/id1521114657/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **226** | 81 |
| Positive reviews | **74.7% of reviews** | 64.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 10 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 91 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [Chain Reaction Games LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/969795617) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Blending Board

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blending-board/id1521114657)

This app helps teachers and parents teach phonics and blending sounds for reading. It allows users to create and customize decks of phonemes for blending activities, supporting both simple and multisyllabic word decoding. Shared decks via QR codes streamline instruction.

**Highlights:** Create custom phoneme decks, Blend sounds for word decoding, Practice multisyllabic rules, Personalize visual deck design, Share decks via QR codes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starfall Learn to Read free?

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

### Is Blending Board free?

Blending Board is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starfall Learn to Read or Blending Board?

Blending Board is rated higher. Starfall Learn to Read averages 4.2 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while Blending Board averages 4.3 from 81 ratings.

### Do Starfall Learn to Read or Blending Board have ads?

Neither Starfall Learn to Read nor Blending Board shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall Learn to Read or Blending Board?

Starfall Learn to Read ships an update every 11 months, and Blending Board every 10 months. Most recently, Starfall Learn to Read was updated on October 1, 2026 and Blending Board on September 8, 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.*