Comparison

Number Pieces, by MLC vs Owlet

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Number Pieces, by MLC

This app helps students grasp place value and computation with multi-digit numbers using interactive visual tools. Users can manipulate number pieces to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, fostering a deeper mathematical understanding.

Highlights
  • Manipulate ones, tens, and hundreds pieces
  • Regroup pieces (e.g., 10 ones to 1 ten)
  • Measure array dimensions with an edge piece
  • Use drawing and text tools for annotations
  • Zoom, scroll, and hide/reveal work
  • Share work via image save or share code
Features
Read full description

Number Pieces helps students develop a deeper understanding of place value while building their computation skills with multi-digit numbers. Students use the number pieces to represent multi-digit numbers, regroup, add, subtract, multiply, and divide. FEATURES • Add and manipulate pieces (ones, tens, and hundreds). • Change the starting set of pieces to a basic or an advanced set. • Join pieces in groups of ten or break them apart (e.g., 10 ones into 1 ten and vice versa). • Use the expanding edge piece like a measuring tape to show the dimensions of arrays created with the pieces. • Choose from three different colors to clearly identify groups or pieces. • Move, rotate, and duplicate pieces individually or as a group. • Use the drawing tools to label representations and show understanding. • Add equations, expressions, and descriptions with the math text and writing tools. • Zoom and scroll to work with larger collections of pieces. • Hide and reveal work with resizable covers to create your own problems and model strategies. • Share your work by saving an image or providing a share code to others. MORE APPS For more Number Pieces resources and other apps, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps LEARN MORE To learn about Bridges in Mathematics, an elementary curriculum that employs visual models like number pieces, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges/overview ABOUT US This resource is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 education since 1976. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Number Pieces was made possible by a generous donation from Dr. David Moursund. This app was crafted by Clarity Innovations. We help improve teaching and learning by creating solutions that match promising technologies with the needs of education. Visit us: www.clarity-innovations.com

About

Owlet

This app uses a physical manipulative to teach place value concepts. It offers five distinct modes covering tens, hundreds, money, hundredths, and thousandths, with interactive activities for exploration, creation, and problem-solving.

Highlights
  • Place value learning
  • Tens, Hundreds, Money modes
  • Hundredths and Thousandths modes
  • Explore, Make, Build activities
  • Compare and Round functions
  • Interactive number puzzles
Read full description

Owlet: Cube3 is an app that uses the Owlet CubeTower manipulative. Students create numbers by stacking small cubes in the columns of the CubeTower. Cube3 has five modes. Each corresponds to a different topic in place value: Tens, Hundreds, Money, Hundredths, and Thousandths. For each topic, there are five different activities. - Explore: Students place cubes in the CubeTower to create numbers that are shown on the tablet. - Make: Students are prompted to make a target number by placing cubes in the CubeTower. - Build: Students solve number puzzles. For example, students might be asked to build a number between 200 and 300 using 5 cubes. - Compare: Students create a number in the CubeTower and then compare it to a number generated by the app. - Round: Students use the CubeTower to round a number to a specified place.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Number Pieces, by MLC at 3.9 against Owlet's 1.0. Number Pieces, by MLC also leads on ratings volume (22 vs 1). Owlet's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Number Pieces, by MLC holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Number Pieces, by MLC has 22 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Number Pieces, by MLC ships an update every 9 months, Owlet every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Number Pieces, by MLC versus Owlet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNumber Pieces, by MLCOwlet
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (22 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings22 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 6 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS14.712.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB123 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Math Learning CenterBirdBrain Technologies LLC

In-app purchases

None

Number Pieces, by MLC

No in-app purchases

None

Owlet

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Number Pieces, by MLC free?
Number Pieces, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Owlet free?
Owlet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Number Pieces, by MLC or Owlet?
Number Pieces, by MLC is rated higher. Number Pieces, by MLC averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Owlet averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Number Pieces, by MLC or Owlet have ads?
Neither Number Pieces, by MLC nor Owlet shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Number Pieces, by MLC or Owlet?
Number Pieces, by MLC ships an update every 9 months, and Owlet every 6 months. Most recently, Number Pieces, by MLC was updated on October 23, 2026 and Owlet on October 27, 2026.

Other comparisons