Comparison

Upon A Time vs ReadPals

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

Head to head
About

Upon A Time

This app creates personalized illustrated storybooks for children, allowing them to star in their own adventures. It adapts to various reading levels and incorporates phonics highlighting and read-to-me narration to build reading skills.

Highlights
  • Personalized story creation
  • Adaptive reading levels
  • Phonics highlighting
  • Read-to-me narration
  • Customizable characters
  • Offline story access
Features
Read full description

Once upon a time, your child asked for a story about a dinosaur who lost his roar — and got a whole illustrated book about it, starring them. Then they read it aloud, all by themselves. Upon A Time creates personalized picture books that teach young children to read. Tell it who your little one is, pick a story idea together, and in about a minute the app writes, illustrates, and binds a brand-new book onto your family's shelf — written at exactly the level your child can decode. BUILT TO GROW READERS • Choose a reading level from first-words to confident reader; stories are written with the rhythm, repetition, and refrains that early-reader books use to make reading click • Phonics highlighting colors the sound patterns inside words • Tap any word to hear it spoken — curiosity becomes practice • Read to Me: a warm storyteller voice reads each page while every word lights up in turn, connecting sound to print THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN STAR • Build a cast: your child, siblings, grandparents — even the family dog • Add a photo or a short description so each character looks like themselves on every page, in every book • Stories weave in each character's name, age, and the things they love • Every book gets its own cover art and ends with a classic "The End" A REAL BOOK FEEL • Page-curl turns, two-page spreads in landscape, illustrations painted right into the page • Pages never turn by themselves; little hands stay in charge BUILT FOR FAMILIES • Your first 2 stories are free; a Story Pack adds 10 more with a simple one-time purchase — no subscription • Books live on your iPad or iPhone and work offline once created; narration is saved on-device, so favorite books replay instantly • Watch new books being made right on the shelf, and keep reading while you wait • No ads, no links, nothing to wander into — and it works with Guided Access, so story time stays story time Five minutes to a new book. A shelf full of stories where your child is the hero. A little reader who can't wait for the next page.

About

ReadPals

Features
Read full description

Reading practice should feel like play—and progress should mean something. ReadPals is a mastery-driven phonics app for emerging readers. It creates one lesson at a time from what the selected reader has demonstrated, so practice can introduce the next skill, strengthen a weak one, review at the right time, or verify what is truly known. WHAT READERS DO • Learn letter sounds and spelling patterns • Blend sounds into words • Read decodable words, sentences, and stories • Practice through varied, no-giveaway activities • Say sounds and words aloud in supported activities • Follow a playful journey with a friendly buddy and earned rewards FOR GROWN-UPS • Create separate reader profiles for your family • See the skills each reader has practiced and demonstrated • Understand what comes next and where support may help • Keep progress connected to the same evidence that plans future lessons ReadPals is designed for young learners, from first letter sounds through connected reading. Lessons are not fixed in advance: the app plans the next session after the current one is finished. A parent or guardian manages the account. Children do not create their own login. Some activities request microphone access so a reader can say a sound or word aloud for feedback. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Upon A Time4 screens
ReadPals4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: ReadPals at 15.0 against Upon A Time's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Upon A Time sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ReadPals sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Upon A Time ships an update every 11 days, ReadPals every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Upon A Time versus ReadPals: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUpon A TimeReadPals
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMidhun HarikumarRelay HQ LLC

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Upon A Time

One-time1
  • Story Pack — 10 Stories$4.99
10 purchases

ReadPals

Subscriptions10
  • ReadPals Individual · 1 reader7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • ReadPals Family · 4 readers7 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • ReadPals Individual · 3 readers7 Days trial$13.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • ReadPals Family · 5 readers7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • ReadPals Family · 6 readers7 Days trial$17.991 Month
  • ReadPals Individual · 2 readers7 Days trial$84.991 Year
  • ReadPals Family · 4 readers7 Days trial$89.991 Year
  • ReadPals Individual · 3 readers7 Days trial$109.991 Year
  • ReadPals Family · 5 readers7 Days trial$114.991 Year
  • ReadPals Family · 6 readers7 Days trial$139.991 Year

Questions

Is Upon A Time free?
Upon A Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ReadPals free?
ReadPals is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Upon A Time or ReadPals have ads?
Neither Upon A Time nor ReadPals shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Upon A Time or ReadPals?
Upon A Time ships an update every 11 days, and ReadPals every 3 weeks. Most recently, Upon A Time was updated on November 6, 2026 and ReadPals on November 6, 2026.

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