The ASL Shop vs CommonMatters
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The ASL Shop
Learn American Sign Language (ASL) through engaging video lessons taught by Deaf instructors. Access a comprehensive ASL dictionary, connect with a supportive community of learners, and explore cultural insights. Offers free mini-courses and self-paced lessons for all levels.
- Video lessons by Deaf instructors
- ASL Dictionary with over 1,000 signs
- Community for learners
- Free mini-courses
- Self-paced courses
- Cultural insights
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Learn American Sign Language (ASL) from Deaf instructors at a Deaf-owned school. Take self-paced video courses, look up signs in a 2,000+ sign video dictionary, and join live practice sessions with the Plus plan. The ASL Shop teaches ASL as a real language, including grammar, structure and Deaf culture, so you understand how to use signs, not just memorize them. WHAT YOU GET • Self-paced video courses: lessons build on each other toward conversational signing, and your progress is saved • ASL dictionary: 2,000+ signs with video, and the dictionary keeps growing • Live practice sessions: sign in real time with Deaf instructors and other learners, included with Plus • Fingerspelling practice: build your ABCs and fingerspelling speed • Community: post videos, comment and practice with other learners and The ASL Shop crew • Live classes: group ASL classes with Deaf instructors, available in the app as a one-time purchase (not included in subscriptions) LEARN FROM DEAF INSTRUCTORS Every course is designed and taught by Deaf ASL instructors. The ASL Shop is Deaf-owned. We use ASL every day, and we teach the culture alongside the language, because understanding Deaf culture is part of signing well. LEARN YOUR WAY • Self-paced: study anytime, anywhere, and pick up where you left off • Live practice: join live practice sessions with Deaf instructors, included with Plus • Live classes: prefer a classroom? Join group classes with Deaf instructors in the app for a one-time payment, separate from your subscription • Community: practice with others instead of learning alone WHO IT'S FOR • Beginners learning sign language for the first time • Families, friends and coworkers of Deaf and hard of hearing people • Students who want extra practice alongside an ASL class • Anyone who wants to connect with the Deaf community WHAT STUDENTS SAY "Fosters a sense of community over everything else... surrounded by a teacher and other student who support me and want me to succeed." - Christine "My favorite part of class has been applying what we've learned through practice in conversations with other students." - Jenni "If you're interested in learning ASL and understanding more about Deaf culture, The ASL Shop is the place to go!" - Kimberly SUBSCRIPTION The ASL Shop is a subscription app. Choose the plan that fits you: • Base: unlimited access to our ASL dictionary. $1.99/month, $19.99/year, or $79.99 one-time lifetime access • Plus: everything in Base, plus unlimited self-paced courses, live practice sessions and our community forum. $13.99/month, $149.99/year, or $299.99 one-time lifetime access Lifetime access is a limited offer: only a set number of lifetime spots are available, for a limited time. Live classes are not included in the subscription. They're available in the app as a separate one-time purchase. Plans and prices are shown in the app before you buy. Subscriptions renew automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID account settings. Privacy Policy: https://theaslshop.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Download the app and start learning ASL today.
CommonMatters
This app teaches kids essential life skills like communication, problem-solving, and decision-making through interactive lessons and games. It caters to different learning styles with animations, audio, and hands-on activities, making learning engaging and effective.
- Interactive life skills lessons
- Multiple learning styles support
- Real-life scenario simulations
- Progress tracking and rewards
- Confidence and independence building
- Critical thinking development
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CommonMatters is a comprehensive, interactive learning app designed to help kids develop essential everyday life skills in an engaging, modern, and supportive environment. Instead of focusing only on traditional school subjects, the app teaches practical “common matters” that students will use throughout their lives, such as communication, problem-solving, decision-making, teamwork, organization, responsibility, creativity, and critical thinking. The app is built around the idea that every student learns differently. To support this, CommonMatters includes multiple learning styles within each lesson. Visual learners can benefit from colorful animations and diagrams, auditory learners can listen to explanations and guided instructions, and hands-on learners can complete interactive activities, simulations, and mini-games. This flexible approach helps make learning more accessible, inclusive, and effective for all types of students. Each lesson is designed to feel fun and meaningful, often presenting real-life scenarios where kids must apply the skills they are learning. For example, users might manage a schedule, solve a teamwork challenge, or make decisions that affect a story-based outcome. As students complete activities, they earn rewards, track progress, and unlock new levels that gradually increase in difficulty. CommonMatters also encourages personal growth by building confidence and independence. The app motivates students to reflect on their learning, improve their skills over time, and understand how these abilities apply outside the classroom—in school projects, friendships, and daily responsibilities. Overall, CommonMatters transforms learning into an interactive experience that is both educational and enjoyable, helping kids prepare for real-life challenges while staying motivated and engaged.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CommonMatters at none against The ASL Shop's 6. The ASL Shop's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. The ASL Shop sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. CommonMatters asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for The ASL Shop against 5.0 for CommonMatters. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The ASL Shop has 16 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
| Parameter | The ASL Shop | CommonMatters |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (16 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 16 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 114 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The ASL Shop, LLC | Coding Minds, Inc. |
In-app purchases
The ASL Shop
- Base - Monthly$1.991 Month
- Plus - Monthly7 Days trial$13.991 Month
- Base - Yearly$19.991 Year
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- Plus - Yearly7 Days trial$149.991 Year
- Base - Lifetime$79.99
- Plus - Lifetime$299.99
CommonMatters
No in-app purchases









