# Lexia Core5 Reading vs Starfall

The clearest difference is rating: Starfall at 4.1 against Lexia Core5 Reading's 3.5. Starfall also leads on review sentiment (75% vs 41%) and chart position (#197 vs unranked). Lexia Core5 Reading's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Starfall sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Lexia Core5 Reading asks for nothing beyond the download.

Starfall holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 4.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Lexia Core5 Reading's written reviews are positive against 75% of Starfall's.

Lexia Core5 Reading ships an update every 3 weeks, Starfall every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lexia Core5 Reading | Starfall |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lexia-core5-reading/id623853404/reviews) | **[4.1 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 4.3K |
| Positive reviews | 40.6% of reviews | **74.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#197** |
| Size | 460 MB | 155 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lexia Learning Systems, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/412471949) | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) |

## What reviewers say

### Lexia Core5 Reading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lexia-core5-reading/id623853404)

This app accelerates literacy development for students in preK-5 by providing personalized, science-based reading instruction. It adapts to individual student performance, targets skill gaps, and equips educators with real-time data and resources for tailored instruction.

**Highlights:** Personalized adaptive learning, Science of reading based instruction, Targets skill gaps, Real-time progress monitoring, Actionable data for educators, Six critical reading areas

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning and improving reading skills
- 🚀 Allows users to skip levels and progress quickly
- 💡 Engaging and fun for some users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy, with issues like freezing and crashing
- ⏱️ Slow loading times and long lesson explanations
- 🤖 Repetitive and boring for some users
- 🤯 Frustrating and overwhelming for some students

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to access account
- Incorrect answers being marked as wrong
- Levels resetting unexpectedly or not progressing properly

**Requested features**

- Add a skip button or option to speed up lesson explanations
- Improve compatibility with older devices and tablets
- Provide more challenging content for advanced users
- Offer more customization and personalization options


### Starfall

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889)

**Currently charting:** #197 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

This app offers engaging reading and math activities for children from preschool to 5th grade. It features games, songs, and interactive lessons designed by educators to support early literacy and numeracy skills. The platform also includes accessibility features for children with impairments.

**Highlights:** Reading phonics and fluency, Math concepts and operations, Interactive games and songs, Accessibility features, Sequential learning objectives, Holiday activities and sing-alongs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starfall Monthly | $5.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and fun learning
- 🎨 Engaging activities and games
- 🧠 Helps with reading, math, and more
- 🌟 Nostalgic childhood memories
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great for kids of all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free content, requires subscription
- 🔒 Difficulty managing parental controls
- 🐛 Technical issues like crashes and freezes
- 📱 Compatibility problems on mobile devices
- 🔍 Repetitive content and lack of updates

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues and trouble logging in
- Freezing and crashing on certain devices
- Glitches in specific games and activities
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions
- Incorrect pronunciation of numbers and dates

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced content for older kids
- Improve accessibility for visually impaired users
- Provide offline mode for use without internet
- Allow customization of character and settings
- Integrate with other educational platforms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lexia Core5 Reading free?

Lexia Core5 Reading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Starfall free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lexia Core5 Reading or Starfall?

Starfall is rated higher. Lexia Core5 Reading averages 3.5 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Starfall averages 4.1 from 4.3K ratings.

### Do Lexia Core5 Reading or Starfall have ads?

Neither Lexia Core5 Reading nor Starfall shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lexia Core5 Reading or Starfall?

Lexia Core5 Reading ships an update every 3 weeks, and Starfall every 2 months. Most recently, Lexia Core5 Reading was updated on October 15, 2026 and Starfall on October 13, 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.*