# Starfall Learn to Read vs HMH Brain Arcade

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Starfall Learn to Read at 75% against HMH Brain Arcade's 0%. HMH Brain Arcade's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Starfall Learn to Read ships an update every 9 months, HMH Brain Arcade every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall Learn to Read | HMH Brain Arcade |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (228 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall-learn-to-read/id551817261/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **228** | — |
| Positive reviews | **74.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 91 MB | 233 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt](https://appshunter.io/developer/409368007) |

## 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


### HMH Brain Arcade

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hmh-brain-arcade/id1532111654)

Practice math skills through engaging games that reinforce arithmetic reasoning, number fluency, and problem-solving. Unlock new challenges and levels as you progress, building proficiency in fractions, decimals, and more.

**Highlights:** Engaging math games, Arithmetic reasoning practice, Number fluency building, Progress tracking and rewards, Fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, Companion to MATH 180 curriculum

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**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 HMH Brain Arcade free?

HMH Brain Arcade is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Starfall Learn to Read or HMH Brain Arcade have ads?

Neither Starfall Learn to Read nor HMH Brain Arcade shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall Learn to Read or HMH Brain Arcade?

Starfall Learn to Read ships an update every 9 months, and HMH Brain Arcade every 5 months. Most recently, Starfall Learn to Read was updated on October 24, 2026 and HMH Brain Arcade on October 21, 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.*