firstSounds vs Hipling
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
firstSounds
Introduce your baby to the sounds of 8 languages and world music with this audio-only app. Designed by experts, it uses native speakers and acoustic instruments to support cognitive growth, creativity, and social skills in just 15 minutes a day.
- Audio-only language learning
- 8 languages available
- World music and lullabies
- Native speaker "motherese"
- Authentic acoustic instruments
- Downloadable translation guide
- Expert-designed and research-backed
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World Languages & Music for Babies Give Your Baby the Gift of Languages & Music firstSounds is an audio-only language learning app that makes it simple and enjoyable to introduce your baby to the sounds of 8 languages and soothing world music. With just 15 minutes a day, you can help support your baby’s cognitive growth, creativity, and social skills—laying the foundation for lifelong learning. Designed for Your Little One Research shows that early exposure to the sounds of multiple languages can enhance language acquisition later in life. Drawing on these insights, firstSounds was created by linguistic and music experts to make early language learning engaging and accessible. Native Speakers Using “Motherese” — Spoken words are introduced in natural, melodic tones that babies naturally respond to. Traditional Acoustic Instruments — Lullabies and melodies are played on authentic acoustic instruments unique to each culture. Why Parents Love the firstSounds App: • Instant access to 8 languages — Spanish, French, English, German, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Hebrew, and Japanese. • Bonus world lullabies — Relaxing music for soothing routines and bonding. • Downloadable Translation Guide — Includes translations and tips for engaging your baby. • Play anytime, anywhere — Hands-free learning at home or on the go. • Expert-Designed & Research-Backed — Built on studies in early language learning and music cognition. • Trusted by 1 million+ families — A proven approach for more than 30 years. The Power of Early Language Exposure: • Supports brain development by enhancing listening skills. • Engages babies with diverse rhythms and melodies. • Lays the foundation for future language learning. Join thousands of families who trust firstSounds to nurture their baby’s natural ability to learn and connect. Download firstSounds now and start your baby’s language journey today! If you subscribe via iTunes: - Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account upon confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and you will be notified of the renewal cost. - You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase. Subscription Plans: 1-Year Plan: $14.95 per year, providing instant access to all music in the app. - Unlimited access to all sounds in the app - Enjoy lullabies and language sounds to support your child’s growth - Fun, interactive learning experiences for kids - Early language development through engaging activities For more information, please visit: Terms of Use: https://firstsounds.com/api/terms_and_condition Privacy Policy: https://firstsounds.com/api/privacy/policy
Hipling
Easily document and organize your homeschool journey. Capture photos, scan documents, track progress, and generate reports for multiple students. Your homeschool data is securely stored and accessible across devices.
- Capture photos and videos of activities
- Scan worksheets and documents
- Track student progress and attendance
- Generate PDF reports
- Digital student portfolios
- Offline functionality
- Cloud backup
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Free homeschool tools, for every family in the world. You already teach your kids every day. The hard part is proving it, and remembering it. We built Hipling so you don't have to. Every photo of a science experiment. Every scanned worksheet. Every book your kid devoured. Every field trip. Every note you jotted down at the kitchen table. Captured in seconds, organized automatically, kept forever. WHAT YOU CAN CAPTURE • Photos and videos of any activity • Scanned worksheets and documents • Books from a library of millions of titles • PDF imports of certificates and test results • Written notes and reflections • Curriculum lesson progress Everything lives on one shelf. Organized by subject, by student, by date. WHAT HIPLING TRACKS, AUTOMATICALLY Attendance days, calculated from the moments you capture. Subject hours, tallied across every entry. Schoolwork and progress, organized by subject and student. Curriculum lessons, checked off as you complete them. Every dashboard updates in real time. WHAT YOU CAN SHARE One-tap PDF reports with attendance heatmaps, subject breakdowns, and grade transcripts. Shareable moment pages, link-only. Digital portfolios for each student, ready for evaluators, family, or co-ops. BUILT FOR EVERY FAMILY Unlimited students. Each one gets their own records and dashboard. See everyone's year on a single screen. THE DETAILS • Works offline, syncs when you're back online • Cloud backup across all your devices • Built-in document scanner with edge detection • Book search with auto-filled covers, authors, and page counts • Scan a textbook to build a full curriculum plan in minutes • Custom subjects, collections, and smart folders • Dark mode YOUR DATA IS YOURS No ads. No data selling. No tracking. Delete your account and everything goes with it. SIMPLE PRICING The Hipling app is free for every family. Every feature, every country, every device. On principle. Every account comes with 3 GB of Hipling Cloud storage. For families who need more room as the years stack up, Hipling+ adds 50 GB: • $4.99 a month • $49.99 a year (saves 17%) The features stay free. Cancel any time. Terms of Use: https://hipling.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://hipling.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: firstSounds at daily against Hipling's every 3 days. Hipling's advantage is ratings volume (12 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. firstSounds sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.95 per year and Hipling sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 firstSounds against 5.0 for Hipling. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hipling has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
firstSounds ships an update daily, Hipling every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | firstSounds | Hipling |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 12 — better |
| Update frequency | Daily — better | Every 3 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 123 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Elizabeth Huddleston | hipling, Inc. |
Customer experience
firstSounds
Hipling
In-app purchases
firstSounds
- Yearly Plan$14.951 Year
Hipling
- Hipling Homeschool (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- Hipling Homeschool (Annual)$49.991 Year
Questions
Is firstSounds free?
Is Hipling free?
Which has better reviews, firstSounds or Hipling?
Do firstSounds or Hipling have ads?
Which is updated more often, firstSounds or Hipling?
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