# Starfall vs PBS KIDS Games

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PBS KIDS Games at none against Starfall's 1. PBS KIDS Games also leads on ratings volume (372K vs 4.3K) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). Starfall's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 61%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Starfall sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. PBS KIDS Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

PBS KIDS Games holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS KIDS Games has 372K ratings behind it against 4.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Starfall's written reviews are positive against 61% of PBS KIDS Games's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, PBS KIDS Games fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall | PBS KIDS Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889/reviews) | **[4.4 (372K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-kids-games/id1050773989/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **372K** |
| Positive reviews | **74.7% of reviews** | 60.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#103** |
| Size | 155 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [PBS KIDS](https://appshunter.io/developer/324323339) |

## What reviewers say

### Starfall

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889)

This app offers engaging reading and math activities for children from preschool to 5th grade. It features games, songs, and interactive lessons designed by educators to support early literacy and numeracy skills. The platform also includes accessibility features for children with impairments.

**Highlights:** Reading phonics and fluency, Math concepts and operations, Interactive games and songs, Accessibility features, Sequential learning objectives, Holiday activities and sing-alongs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starfall Monthly | $5.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy and fun learning
- 🎨 Engaging activities and games
- 🧠 Helps with reading, math, and more
- 🌟 Nostalgic childhood memories
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great for kids of all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free content, requires subscription
- 🔒 Difficulty managing parental controls
- 🐛 Technical issues like crashes and freezes
- 📱 Compatibility problems on mobile devices
- 🔍 Repetitive content and lack of updates

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues and trouble logging in
- Freezing and crashing on certain devices
- Glitches in specific games and activities
- Compatibility problems with newer OS versions
- Incorrect pronunciation of numbers and dates

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced content for older kids
- Improve accessibility for visually impaired users
- Provide offline mode for use without internet
- Allow customization of character and settings
- Integrate with other educational platforms


### PBS KIDS Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-kids-games/id1050773989)

**Currently charting:** #103 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Explore over 280 free educational games designed for children ages 2-8, featuring beloved PBS KIDS characters. These kid-tested games cover subjects like math, reading, and science, promoting early learning and STEM skills in a safe, engaging environment.

**Highlights:** 280+ curriculum-based educational games, Features favorite PBS KIDS characters, Available in English and Spanish, Offline play capability, STEM, math, reading, and science games, Kid-tested and safe interface, New games added weekly

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app with great quality games
- 👍 Variety of educational and engaging games
- 💡 Daily game feature
- 🔒 No ads or links to take kids elsewhere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and glitches
- 🐛 Buggy games like Rosie's Rules and Donkey's Froyo Stand
- 🐛 Sound issues and random volume loss
- 🐛 Games disappearing after updates
- 🐛 Compatibility issues on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Odd Squad game level issues with missing elements
- Cooking School game getting stuck on same recipe
- Greens Hill race in Kart Racer game always resulting in second place
- Downloading games not working for some users

**Requested features**

- Add more Kart Kingdom features like customization and online play
- Ability to reset individual games
- Sort games by age/difficulty level
- Add a search function
- Increase offline storage capacity


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starfall free?

Starfall is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PBS KIDS Games free?

PBS KIDS Games is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starfall or PBS KIDS Games?

PBS KIDS Games is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while PBS KIDS Games averages 4.4 from 372K ratings.

### Do Starfall or PBS KIDS Games have ads?

Neither Starfall nor PBS KIDS Games shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall or PBS KIDS Games?

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and PBS KIDS Games fortnightly. Most recently, Starfall was updated on September 24, 2026 and PBS KIDS Games on September 24, 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.*