# First Book Community vs READ WITH MALCOLM

The clearest difference is update cadence: First Book Community at every 9 days against READ WITH MALCOLM's monthly. First Book Community also leads on device support. READ WITH MALCOLM's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for First Book Community against 5.0 for READ WITH MALCOLM. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

First Book Community ships an update every 9 days, READ WITH MALCOLM monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Book Community | READ WITH MALCOLM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-book-community/id6747725815/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-with-malcolm/id6760318407/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | — |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 132 MB | 137 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | — |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [First book](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822615208) | [Share the Magic Foundation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883830877) |

## What reviewers say

### First Book Community

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-book-community/id6747725815)

Access free educational resources, connect with fellow educators, and discover opportunities for books and supplies. This app empowers those working with children and teens in low-income communities to foster learning and growth.

**Highlights:** Free book recommendations, Virtual field trips and events, Professional development for educators, Research and toolkits, Giveaways and funding opportunities, Community collaboration and discussion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### READ WITH MALCOLM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-with-malcolm/id6760318407)

This app connects educators passionate about literacy, offering a private network to share resources, best practices, and collaborate on literacy initiatives. It provides tools and community support to inspire young readers and transform literacy outcomes in classrooms.

**Highlights:** Private educator network, Literacy resources and programs, Topic-based discussion feeds, Group chats and collaboration tools, Grade-level specific spaces, Access to events and symposiums, Achievement badges

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Book Community free?

First Book Community is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is READ WITH MALCOLM free?

READ WITH MALCOLM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, First Book Community or READ WITH MALCOLM?

First Book Community and READ WITH MALCOLM are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Which is updated more often, First Book Community or READ WITH MALCOLM?

First Book Community ships an update every 9 days, and READ WITH MALCOLM monthly. Most recently, First Book Community was updated on October 7, 2026 and READ WITH MALCOLM on October 1, 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.*