# Reader Bee vs Their First Words

The clearest difference is update cadence: Their First Words at weekly against Reader Bee's every 2 months. Their First Words also leads on ratings volume (8 vs 1). Reader Bee's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reader Bee sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Their First Words sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Reader Bee against 5.0 for Their First Words. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Their First Words has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Reader Bee ships an update every 2 months, Their First Words weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reader Bee | Their First Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader-bee/id6480310608/reviews) | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/their-first-words-flashcards/id6776320033/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 399 MB | 530 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [READER BEE LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560742295) | [Their First Words LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6776320035) |

## What reviewers say

### Reader Bee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reader-bee/id6480310608)

This app uses interactive books and a unique Chunking Engine with animated phonics sound outs to make learning to read fun and effective. It helps children build cognitive links and decode new words independently, fostering fluency and confidence.

**Highlights:** Interactive books, Chunking Engine, Phonics Sound outs, Animated examples, Independent word decoding, Cognitive link building

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


### Their First Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/their-first-words-flashcards/id6776320033)

This app offers a calm, ad-free experience for parents to teach young children early vocabulary in six languages. It features over 1,000 watercolor flashcards, native voice audio, and progress tracking for up to four children.

**Highlights:** 1,000+ watercolor flashcards, Native voice audio in 6 languages, Age-based word lists, Progress tracking for up to 4 children, Offline functionality, Child-safe screen lock, Customizable child character

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro — Lifetime Unlock | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reader Bee free?

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

### Is Their First Words free?

Their First Words is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Reader Bee or Their First Words?

Reader Bee and Their First Words are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 8 ratings respectively.

### Do Reader Bee or Their First Words have ads?

Neither Reader Bee nor Their First Words shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Reader Bee or Their First Words?

Reader Bee ships an update every 2 months, and Their First Words weekly. Most recently, Reader Bee was updated on November 4, 2026 and Their First Words on November 5, 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.*