# Starfall vs Josh the Otter

The clearest difference is rating: Josh the Otter at 5.0 against Starfall's 4.1. Josh the Otter also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). Starfall's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (4.4K vs 7). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Josh the Otter holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starfall has 4.4K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Starfall's written reviews are positive against 100% of Josh the Otter's.

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, Josh the Otter every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall | Josh the Otter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889/reviews) | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/josh-the-otter/id1063219051/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.4K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 72.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 155 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1063219050) |

## 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


### Josh the Otter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/josh-the-otter/id1063219051)

This app teaches young children about water safety through an engaging story. It aims to prevent drowning by educating children to always be supervised around water. The app promotes a fun and simple message for lasting water safety habits.

**Highlights:** Water safety education for children, Drowning prevention message, Fun and simple learning, Promotes adult supervision around water, Generational water safety behavior

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starfall free?

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

### Is Josh the Otter free?

Josh the Otter is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starfall or Josh the Otter?

Josh the Otter is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.4K ratings, while Josh the Otter averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.

### Do Starfall or Josh the Otter have ads?

Neither Starfall nor Josh the Otter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall or Josh the Otter?

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and Josh the Otter every 11 months. Most recently, Starfall was updated on November 9, 2026 and Josh the Otter on November 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*