Comparison

SpareTime Learning vs Curio

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SpareTime Learning

Features
Read full description

SpareTime Learning is a mobile application that offers a variety of learning materials in a micro-learning format. It allows you to utilize your spare time effectively while continuing your education.

About

Curio

Discover fascinating short stories on history, science, psychology, and more. Engage with AI-powered explanations, interactive scenarios, and save content for later. Learn and explore topics that spark your curiosity through bite-sized, engaging reads.

Highlights
  • Curated short reads
  • AI-powered explanations
  • Interactive scenarios
  • Save and organize content
  • Multi-language support
  • Offline reading (Pro)
Features
Read full description

Curio turns the swipe habit into something worth keeping. Instead of doomscrolling, swipe through beautiful full-screen reads: weird history, psychology, science, horror stories, money lessons, hidden knowledge, and rabbit holes you actually want to fall into. WHY CURIO • A feed built for curiosity — short, specific, fascinating reads picked for your interests • Today's News — real stories from around the world, a new edition every day • Bible Curiosities — strange stories from the Bible • Bite-sized by design — most cards take 20–45 seconds, with depth one tap away • Explain Deeper — Curio AI unpacks any card: simpler, deeper, quiz me, or turn it into a story • Build a feed on a topic — pick one Curio covers and scroll a rabbit hole built around it • Listen with premium voices — natural, expressive narration for every card • Interactive scenarios — Would You Survive? Make the call and see how you score • Save what matters — bookmark and revisit ideas worth keeping • Read in 4 languages — English, 中文, Español, Português, with bilingual mode • Easy on your eyes — SmartRead Display, night themes, and reading comfort settings CURIO PRO Go Pro: unlimited deep dives, every story in Today's News, every AI tool on every card, higher daily Explain and Listen access with fair-use limits, unlimited scrolling and saves, and offline reading. Every category stays free to read. Eligible new subscribers get a 3-day free trial; otherwise billing starts immediately at $12.99/month or $79.99/year. Cancel anytime. Curio is for people who save weird facts at 2AM, love rabbit holes, and want their scrolling to leave something behind. Turn scrolling into learning. Download Curio. — Terms of Use (EULA): https://trycurio.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://trycurio.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

SpareTime Learning4 screens
Curio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SpareTime Learning at none against Curio's 9. Curio's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 days). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Curio sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per 7 days. SpareTime Learning asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SpareTime Learning ships an update every 6 days, Curio every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SpareTime Learning versus Curio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpareTime LearningCurio
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (14 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—14 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB17 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperChi Hang LeeLeon Kelvin Li

In-app purchases

None

SpareTime Learning

No in-app purchases

9 purchases

Curio

Subscriptions3
  • Curio Pro Weekly$3.497 Days
  • Curio Pro Monthly3 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Curio Pro Yearly3 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time6
  • More on This Topic$1.99
  • 1 Custom Feed$2.99
  • 5x More on This Topic$7.99
Show 3 more
  • 5 Custom Feeds$9.99
  • 15x More on This Topic$19.99
  • 15 Custom Feeds$24.99

Questions

Is SpareTime Learning free?
SpareTime Learning is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Curio free?
Curio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SpareTime Learning or Curio have ads?
Neither SpareTime Learning nor Curio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SpareTime Learning or Curio?
SpareTime Learning ships an update every 6 days, and Curio every 2 days. Most recently, SpareTime Learning was updated on October 31, 2026 and Curio on October 31, 2026.

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