Starfall Learn to Read vs Hoopla
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Starfall Learn to Read
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.
- 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
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Starfall® Learn to Read is the second step of Starfall’s Learn to Read phonics sequence, which teaches the foundational skills for learning to read. Step 1: ABCs Step 2: Learn to Read Step 3: It’s Fun to Read Step 4: I’m Reading! In Starfall Learn to Read, children explore early phonics in a sequential, stress-free environment. Each step of the learning journey comes to life with help from the Vowel Pals—delightful characters that add depth and personality to each vowel sound. Children develop their phonics skills through the use of CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, sight words, and vowel teams. Mastering the skills taught in Starfall Learn to Read helps children become confident, independent readers. Travel-ready. No internet connection required. Find Starfall Learn to Read, along with 700+ additional activities and counting across reading, math, music, and more in the Starfall app. The Starfall website and applications are program services of Starfall Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) publicly supported nonprofit organization. Starfall® and Starfall.com® are registered trademarks in the US, the European Union, and various other countries. Copyright © 2002–2026 by Starfall Education. All rights reserved. Starfall apps are inclusively designed to support all children, including English Language Learners (ELLs). Starfall also provides an Enhanced Accessible Index for children with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments. For more information, please contact Customer Service at (+1) 303-417-6414.
Hoopla
This app uses fun, expert-designed activities to help children aged 3-8 reduce anxiety and build emotional skills. It offers meditations, games, and songs to improve sleep, manage tantrums, and strengthen family bonds through interactive play.
- Expert-backed activities for children
- Interactive family games
- Multi-sensory emotional regulation tools
- Quick, effective mindfulness exercises
- Builds emotional skills
- Simplifies parenting resources
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Reduce anxiety and promote mental wellness in children aged 3-8 through fun, engaging activities. Hoopla combines the power of play with evidence-based strategies. Each activity is under 5 minutes instilling healthy habits and designed by experts to calm tantrums, improve sleep, and strengthen emotional bonds. Discover our collection of meditations, mindfulness exercises, songs, and interactive games crafted to relieve stress, enhance emotional growth, and deepen family connections. Start transforming screen time into positive family time with Hoopla. Why Hoopla Stands Out: Expert-Backed for Kids: Developed with child psychologists and educators, tailored for young children’s developmental stages. Interactive Family Fun: All games and activities are designed for parents and kids to enjoy together, strengthening family connections. Multi-Sensory Tools: Using the vibration of the phone, calm and regulate emotions by effectively engaging your child’s senses with tools designed to mimic physical sensory toys. Quick and Effective: Fit mindfulness, emotional regulation, and social-emotional learning seamlessly into your child’s day, requiring no special setup or props. Build Emotional Skills: Equip your children with essential skills to manage emotions, navigate challenges, and thrive through active play and engaging activities. Simplify Parenting: Access resources, tips, and follow-up activities that support your child’s and your own mental health. Start Your Free Trial: Download Hoopla today for a 7-day free trial. Manage subscriptions easily within the app. Privacy and Terms: We prioritize your family's privacy. Read our full privacy policy and terms of service at https://hooplafun.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Starfall Learn to Read at none against Hoopla's 4. Starfall Learn to Read also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (228 vs 5). Hoopla's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 71%). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Hoopla sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Starfall Learn to Read asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Starfall Learn to Read against 4.2 for Hoopla. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starfall Learn to Read has 228 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of Starfall Learn to Read's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hoopla's.
Starfall Learn to Read ships an update every 9 months, Hoopla every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | Starfall Learn to Read | Hoopla |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (228 ratings) | 4.2 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 71.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 228 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 91 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Starfall Education Foundation | Hoopla FZ-LLC |
Customer experience
Starfall Learn to Read
Hoopla
Bugs and requests
Starfall Learn to Read
Reported bugs
8 issues- 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
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- Glitches when pressing letter machine words
- App needs to be opened twice each time to run
- Compatibility issues with various iOS versions
Requested features
10 requests- 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
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- Settings to control word pronunciation features
- More word-building exercises
- Sight vocabulary games for common words
- Additional phonics rules (ng, tch, ck, tion, sion)
- Level progression system to track advancement
Hoopla
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Starfall Learn to Read
No in-app purchases
Hoopla
- Hoopla$9.991 Month
- Hoopla$12.991 Month
- Hoopla$39.991 Year
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- Hoopla$44.991 Year
Questions
Is Starfall Learn to Read free?
Is Hoopla free?
Which has better reviews, Starfall Learn to Read or Hoopla?
Do Starfall Learn to Read or Hoopla have ads?
Which is updated more often, Starfall Learn to Read or Hoopla?
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