# READING MAGIC for Schools vs Learn to Read

The clearest difference is price: Learn to Read at Free against READING MAGIC for Schools's $3.99. Learn to Read also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (71K vs 9). READING MAGIC for Schools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18) and review sentiment (93% vs 81%). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Learn to Read is free to download; READING MAGIC for Schools costs $3.99 up front. Learn to Read sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. READING MAGIC for Schools asks for nothing beyond the download.

Learn to Read holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 71K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of READING MAGIC for Schools's written reviews are positive against 81% of Learn to Read's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

READING MAGIC for Schools ships an update every 13 months, Learn to Read every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on August 18, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | READING MAGIC for Schools | Learn to Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-for-schools/id585133208/reviews) | **[4.7 (71K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 9 | **71K** |
| Positive reviews | **92.9% of reviews** | 81.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#16** |
| Size | 190 MB | 252 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.7** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) |

## What reviewers say

### READING MAGIC for Schools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-for-schools/id585133208)

This app makes learning to read an exciting adventure for young children. It uses interactive games and activities focused on CVC words and phonics principles to build essential reading skills. Designed by educators, it helps children develop phonemic awareness and phonological processing.

**Highlights:** Interactive CVC word games, Focus on phonemic awareness, Blending and segmenting practice, Science of reading-based approach, Lesson tracking and sequenced curriculum, Discourages picture guessing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Learn to Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305)

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Grossing · Education, #70 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a guided, co-play experience for parents and children aged 3-8 to learn reading skills. It uses research-backed phonics lessons, interactive storybooks, videos, and games to build foundational reading abilities.

**Highlights:** 99 step-by-step phonics lessons, 67 interactive digital storybooks, 42 educational videos, 3 expert-designed reading games, Printable offline activities, Family subscription with 3 profiles, Ad-free experience

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly (With Free Trial) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $17.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $66.99 | per year |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 🚀 Effective at teaching reading skills
- 💡 Structured, step-by-step approach
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Promotes parent-child bonding
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Expensive subscription model
- 🐢 Slow progression for more advanced learners
- 🤖 Lack of flexibility to customize or skip lessons
- 🤔 Placement assessment not accurate for all levels
- 🤯 Frustrating when app crashes or logs out

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes or freezes
- User data loss after app updates
- Inability to redeem promo codes

**Requested features**

- Option to learn cursive writing
- More independent practice games and activities
- Ability to jump to appropriate lesson level
- Support for multiple languages or accents
- Printable resources like flashcards or worksheets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is READING MAGIC for Schools free?

READING MAGIC for Schools costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Learn to Read free?

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

### Which has better reviews, READING MAGIC for Schools or Learn to Read?

Learn to Read is rated higher. READING MAGIC for Schools averages 4.4 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Learn to Read averages 4.7 from 71K ratings.

### Do READING MAGIC for Schools or Learn to Read have ads?

Neither READING MAGIC for Schools nor Learn to Read shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC for Schools or Learn to Read?

READING MAGIC for Schools ships an update every 13 months, and Learn to Read every 5 days. Most recently, READING MAGIC for Schools was updated on August 18, 2026 and Learn to Read on September 26, 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.*