# Starfall vs Learn to Read

The clearest difference is rating: Learn to Read at 4.7 against Starfall's 4.1. Learn to Read also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (75K vs 4.3K). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Starfall sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month and Learn to Read sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Learn to Read holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 75K ratings behind it against 4.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Starfall's written reviews are positive against 81% of Learn to Read's.

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, Learn to Read every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall | Learn to Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889/reviews) | **[4.7 (75K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K | **75K** |
| Positive reviews | 74.7% of reviews | **81.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #199 | **#18** |
| Size | 155 MB | 263 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) |

## What reviewers say

### Starfall

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

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

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


### Learn to Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305)

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Education, #76 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a guided, co-play experience for parents and children aged 3-8 to learn reading skills. It uses research-backed phonics lessons, interactive storybooks, videos, and games to build foundational reading abilities.

**Highlights:** 99 step-by-step phonics lessons, 67 interactive digital storybooks, 42 educational videos, 3 expert-designed reading games, Printable offline activities, Family subscription with 3 profiles, Ad-free experience

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly (With Free Trial) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $17.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $66.99 | per year |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 🚀 Effective at teaching reading skills
- 💡 Structured, step-by-step approach
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Promotes parent-child bonding
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Expensive subscription model
- 🐢 Slow progression for more advanced learners
- 🤖 Lack of flexibility to customize or skip lessons
- 🤔 Placement assessment not accurate for all levels
- 🤯 Frustrating when app crashes or logs out

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes or freezes
- User data loss after app updates
- Inability to redeem promo codes

**Requested features**

- Option to learn cursive writing
- More independent practice games and activities
- Ability to jump to appropriate lesson level
- Support for multiple languages or accents
- Printable resources like flashcards or worksheets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starfall free?

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

### Is Learn to Read free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Starfall or Learn to Read?

Learn to Read is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Learn to Read averages 4.7 from 75K ratings.

### Do Starfall or Learn to Read have ads?

Neither Starfall nor Learn to Read shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall or Learn to Read?

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and Learn to Read every 5 days. Most recently, Starfall was updated on October 14, 2026 and Learn to Read on October 16, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Starfall or Learn to Read?

Starfall currently peaks at #199 in the App Store charts, and Learn to Read at #18. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*