Reading Numbers vs Zero Our Hero
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Reading Numbers
This app helps young learners master number recognition and ordering up to 20. It offers interactive modules designed for guided learning with parents or educators, focusing on understanding number names and sequences beyond simple counting.
- Number recognition up to 20
- Number ordering skills
- Magnetic number placement
- Line matching numbers to words
- Object to number matching
- Number word puzzles
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Help your child move beyond simple rote counting to true mathematical literacy! Little Monkey Apps Reading Numbers helps early learners (ages 4–7) recognise, read, spell, and order numbers and number words from 0 to 20. Rote counting ('1, 2, 3...') is only the first step. To build a solid foundation for elementary arithmetic, children must connect three distinct representations: 1. The spoken word ('fourteen') 2. The written numeral (14) 3. The written word ('fourteen') and its concrete quantity. For young minds, teen numbers (11–19) present unique linguistic hurdles. Unlike predictable numbers such as twenty-four or sixty-five, teen numbers do not follow a straightforward left-to-right naming pattern, and numbers like 14 are frequently misread as 'forty-one' or 'one-four'. Reading Numbers bridges this gap through multi-sensory, hands-on learning. ================================== 8 RESEARCH-BACKED LEARNING MODULES ================================== 1. MAGNETIC NUMBERS Place jumbled numbers back into their correct sequence on the 1–10, 11–20, or 1–20 grid. Tap refresh or shake your device to reset the board! 2. LINE MATCH Draw direct connections between numerals and their matching written number words across 3 progressive difficulty levels. 3. ORDERING Arrange scrambled number words on a vertical ladder from smallest to largest, reinforcing ordinal sequence and comparative magnitude. 4. OBJECT MATCH Count colourful fruit illustrations and match concrete quantities with the corresponding numeral digit. 5. OBJECT MATCH II A multi-target counting challenge: match multiple numeral tiles simultaneously to their matching groups of objects. 6. WORD PUZZLE Unscramble individual letter tiles to spell out number words. Level 3 introduces distractor letters to foster genuine phonemic and orthographic recall. 7. NUMBER PUZZLE Solve two-part association cards by matching numeral tiles, quantity groups, and written number words into unified puzzle frames. 8. LISTEN & TAP (NEW!) Listen to natural voice prompts and tap the matching number word. Features repetition on demand to sharpen auditory discrimination and word recognition. ================================== DESIGNED FOR CLASSROOMS & DIVERSE LEARNERS ================================== • 4 CLASSROOM FONTS: Choose between School Print (clean manuscript), School Handwriting, Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Fluency (Lexend spacing to reduce visual crowding), and Playful Cartoon. • DUAL ACCENT AUDIO: Select authentic Australian (AU) or British (UK) voice narration, or switch to Quiet Classroom Mode for silent work periods. • ADAPTIVE MASTERY: The app dynamically monitors learner hesitation and mistakes, subtly giving extra reinforcement to tricky teen numbers. • 3 PROGRESSION LEVELS: Activities scale seamlessly from 1–10, to 11–20, to 0–20 including the vital concept of zero. ================================== TEACHER & PARENT APPROVED ================================== • 100% AD-FREE & SAFE: Zero advertisements, zero third-party tracking, and no hidden subscriptions. • OFFLINE ACCESSIBLE: Perfect for school iPad carts, road trips, and airplane rides without needing Wi-Fi. • MULTITASKING SUPPORT: Fully supports iPad Split View and Slide Over for seamless classroom station integration. Designed by experienced primary school educators, Little Monkey Apps creates purposeful digital tools that encourage rich dialogue between children, parents, and teachers.
Zero Our Hero
This educational app helps students aged 7-12 master whole number place value through interactive questions. Designed by an experienced teacher, it offers over 450 questions across four difficulty stages, encouraging learning from mistakes.
- Over 450 place value questions
- Four stages of difficulty
- Sequential question presentation
- Mistakes as learning opportunities
- Independent student work
- No distracting sounds
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Who is this app appropriate for? Zero Our Hero is a teacher-designed, research-based Mathematics app for students aged 7-12. What content is covered? The app focuses asks students quality questions related to the six aspects of whole number place value (Rogers, 2014). The aspects are: Calculate, Compare/Order, Count, Make/Represent, Name/Record and Rename. Who designed the app? The app is designed by experienced primary school teacher Dr Angela Rogers and is based on her PhD research into the teaching and learning of place value. What are the features? -Includes over 450 different questions specifically designed to address common student misconceptions in whole number place value. -Questions are sequentially presented so students work at their own pace through four stages of difficulty. -Students are continually encouraged to see mistakes as learning opportunities and are provided with three opportunities to try each question. -Students are able to work independently on the app. -No distracting music or annoying sounds included. Why should you purchase this app? Zero Our Hero is designed to be the most comprehensive place value app currently available. It is a wonderful resource for both teachers and parents to support their children in this critical area of the Mathematics curriculum. App developed by Yianni Software Pty Ltd yianni-software.com.au
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Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Zero Our Hero at 5.0 against Reading Numbers's 4.5. Zero Our Hero also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Reading Numbers's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 90%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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
Reading Numbers costs $1.99 and Zero Our Hero $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Zero Our Hero holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Reading Numbers's written reviews are positive against 90% of Zero Our Hero's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Reading Numbers ships an update every 34 months, Zero Our Hero every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Reading Numbers | Zero Our Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 90.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 34 months | Every 19 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aleesha Kondys | Angela Rogers |
Customer experience
Reading Numbers
Zero Our Hero
In-app purchases
Reading Numbers
No in-app purchases
Zero Our Hero
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Reading Numbers free?
Is Zero Our Hero free?
Which has better reviews, Reading Numbers or Zero Our Hero?
Do Reading Numbers or Zero Our Hero have ads?
Which is updated more often, Reading Numbers or Zero Our Hero?
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