Comparison

Starfall vs Math Worlds AR

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

Head to head
About

Starfall

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
Read full description

Starfall® fun activities, games, and songs includes reading, math, music, and more – read, learn, and play preschool to fifth grade. Includes free and subscriber content. Starfall provides an Enhanced Accessible Index for children with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments. For more information, please contact Customer Service at (+1) 303-417-6414. Join Zac the Rat® and his friends on an exciting learning journey, starting with the ABCs and 123s and advancing up to grade 5 grammar and mathematics. Starfall's playful open format intuitively guides children through sequential learning objectives for reading, math, art, music, and social subjects like kindness and caring. *Highlights* *Reading (phonics, fluency, grammar) -- ABCs, Learn to Read, I’m Reading, Talking Library, Punctuation, Parts of Speech *Math -- Numbers, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, Geometry and Measurement, Fractions *More -- Holiday Activities, Nursery Rhymes, Sing-Alongs, Interactive Calendar *Why Starfall* *Research based, teacher tested, child approved. The Starfall® systematic approach was created by experienced educators using time-tested instructional methods. *Try it for free. All of the basics for learning how to read are available to everyone. *No advertisements. Whether a free user or subscriber, you won’t see any ads. *Pass it forward! Subscribers gain access to hundreds of additional activities and support the free sections for others to enjoy. *What people are saying about Starfall* Listed on PC Magazine’s “15 best Online Learning Services for Kids,” Think Five’s “Top 5 Most Used Apps by Elementary Teachers,” and as one Parent's Magazine's "70 Best Apps for Families." "Kids can learn about letter recognition, phonics, and reading. Skill acquisition is appropriately gradual... Starfall does an excellent job of offering clear and intriguing early literacy lessons." —Common Sense Media “I truly believe that Starfall set the foundation for my future.” —Sarah, undergraduate at Stanford University *Subscription information* If you choose to purchase a Starfall subscription, a $5.99 (USD) payment will be applied to your Apple ID account upon confirmation of purchase and monthly after that. Your subscription will automatically renew unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. This subscription is valid only for home use. It can be used on devices signed in with your Apple ID, as well as any associated Family Sharing devices. *Additional Info* This app requires an internet connection and is intended for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grades 1-5. It also supports English language development, special education, and homeschool environments. Privacy Policy: https://teach.starfall.com/privacy Terms of Service: https://teach.starfall.com/terms The Starfall website and applications are program services of Starfall Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) publicly supported nonprofit. Copyright © 2002–2024 by Starfall Education and its licensors. All rights reserved. Starfall® and Starfall.com® are registered trademarks in the U.S., the European Union, and various other countries.

About

Math Worlds AR

This augmented reality game transforms a book cover into an interactive math learning experience for children. It offers various game levels covering core math concepts from kindergarten to sixth grade, encouraging active practice and engagement.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality book cover scanning
  • Interactive math game levels
  • Covers K-6 math curriculum
  • Encourages active learning
  • Homework activity option
  • No personal data collection
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Math Worlds AR! Math Worlds AR is an augmented reality game that turns your kids’ book cover into a fun, unique learning experience. To play, open the app and scan either the Student Activity Book or the Teacher’s Edition cover from any grade using a smartphone or tablet. Then watch an augmented reality game pop right out of it! There’s one game level for every unit in every grade (K–6). Math Worlds AR gets students out of their seats and practicing the math they’re learning. It can also serve as a short, fun homework activity. In order to access this app’s content, you will need any book cover from HMH’s Math Expressions 2018 program, or download complete list of levels, associated lessons and target images for free at: https://www.hmhco.com/~/media/sites/home/education/disciplines/mathematics/elementary/math-expressions/math-worlds-levels.pdf Game levels include… Counting and cardinality Number partners Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division Geometry Place value Money, time, and measurement Fractions, decimals, and integers Graphing Expressions and equations Gameplay Find the spheres hidden throughout the map. Move your device around the cover and even move the cover itself to get the full experience. Earn bonus points for finding spheres quickly. The game lends itself well to students working in pairs. App Info This app does not collect any personally identifiable information. This app contains no social media sharing or links to websites. This app does not track the user’s location. For users age 6 or younger, we recommend child-safe device covers. Avoid pressing buttons or controls outside the main screen area when holding the device as doing so may minimize or close the game.

Screenshots

Starfall4 screens
Math Worlds AR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Starfall at 4.1 against Math Worlds AR's 3.5. Starfall also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months) and ratings volume (4.3K vs 2). Math Worlds AR's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads and device support 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. Starfall sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Math Worlds AR asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Starfall holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starfall has 4.3K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, Math Worlds AR every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Starfall versus Math Worlds AR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarfallMath Worlds AR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (4.3K ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews74.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.3K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 13 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
Best chart rank#197 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size155 MB201 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStarfall Education FoundationHoughton Mifflin Harcourt

Customer experience

Starfall

All ratings4,287 ratings
Positive74.9%
Neutral6.5%
Negative18.6%
Written reviews261 reviews
Positive74.7%
Neutral7.3%
Negative18.0%

Math Worlds AR

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Starfall

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Math Worlds AR

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Starfall

Subscriptions1
  • Starfall Monthly$5.991 Month
None

Math Worlds AR

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Starfall free?
Starfall is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Math Worlds AR free?
Math Worlds AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Starfall or Math Worlds AR?
Starfall is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Math Worlds AR averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Starfall or Math Worlds AR have ads?
Neither Starfall nor Math Worlds AR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Starfall or Math Worlds AR?
Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and Math Worlds AR every 13 months. Most recently, Starfall was updated on October 13, 2026 and Math Worlds AR on October 10, 2026.

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