# Starfall vs Rugs alive™ Plus

The clearest difference is rating: Rugs alive™ Plus at 5.0 against Starfall's 4.1. Rugs alive™ Plus also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months). Starfall's advantage is ratings volume (4.4K vs 3). 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. Rugs alive™ Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Rugs alive™ Plus 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 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Starfall's written reviews are positive against 100% of Rugs alive™ Plus's.

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, Rugs alive™ Plus every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall | Rugs alive™ Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (4.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall/id707189889/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rugs-alive-plus/id6566193516/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.4K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 74.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 155 MB | 326 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [Alive Studios, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/856124778) |

## 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


### Rugs alive™ Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rugs-alive-plus/id6566193516)

This app uses augmented reality to bring educational rugs to life in 3D. Students can interact with zoo animals, practice letter and animal identification, and engage in collaborative learning activities. It's designed to enhance classroom engagement and introduce early STEM concepts.

**Highlights:** 3D Augmented Reality animal animations, Alphabet and animal identification, Habitat matching games, Virtual animal placement, Photo capture of AR animals, Supports collaboration and communication

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starfall free?

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

### Is Rugs alive™ Plus free?

Rugs alive™ Plus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starfall or Rugs alive™ Plus?

Rugs alive™ Plus is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.4K ratings, while Rugs alive™ Plus averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Starfall or Rugs alive™ Plus have ads?

Neither Starfall nor Rugs alive™ Plus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall or Rugs alive™ Plus?

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and Rugs alive™ Plus every 3 days. Most recently, Starfall was updated on October 22, 2026 and Rugs alive™ Plus on October 9, 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.*