Comparison

Starfall vs MathDistract

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

MathDistract

Engage in quick, focused mental math practice with short games designed to fit into your daily routine. Improve your skills with instant feedback, progress tracking, and leaderboards.

Highlights
  • Short, focused math sessions
  • Fast math games
  • Instant feedback
  • Progress tracking
  • Leaderboards
  • Minimalist design
Features
Read full description

MathDistract is a mental math app built for quick, focused brain training. Practice mental math with short math games designed to fit into your day. Complete fast math quizzes, get instant feedback, build streaks, and track your progress over time. Each session is designed to be quick and flexible, making MathDistract perfect for improving mental math skills in small moments throughout the day. Whether you’re waiting in line, taking a break, or looking for a simple way to stay sharp, MathDistract helps you turn spare time into consistent brain training. Why MathDistract • Short, focused mental math sessions • Fast math games for daily brain training • Instant feedback after every math quiz • Streaks and progress tracking • Leaderboards to compete and improve • Clean, minimalist design Designed for Real Life MathDistract is built for adults, professionals, and students who want quick mental math practice without long sessions. No fluff. No endless scrolling. Just simple brain training that adds up. How It Works Choose a mental math quiz, answer quickly, and get immediate feedback. Track your math progress, build your streak, and see how you rank on the leaderboard. Small sessions. Real brain training. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://app.termly.io/policy-viewer/policy.html?policyUUID=6960b377-2986-4da4-9151-d12ea5b05752

Screenshots

Starfall4 screens
MathDistract4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MathDistract at 5.0 against Starfall's 4.1. MathDistract also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). Starfall's advantage is ratings volume (4.3K vs 7) and chart position (#197 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 and MathDistract sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MathDistract holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starfall has 4.3K ratings behind it against 7, 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 100% of MathDistract's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, MathDistract every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Starfall versus MathDistract: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarfallMathDistract
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (4.3K ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4.3K — better7
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#197 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size155 MB70 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStarfall Education FoundationSevenSix LLC

Customer experience

Starfall

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

MathDistract

Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

MathDistract

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Starfall

Subscriptions1
  • Starfall Monthly$5.991 Month
2 purchases

MathDistract

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Starfall free?
Starfall is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MathDistract free?
MathDistract is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Starfall or MathDistract?
MathDistract is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while MathDistract averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do Starfall or MathDistract have ads?
Neither Starfall nor MathDistract shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Starfall or MathDistract?
Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and MathDistract every 10 days. Most recently, Starfall was updated on October 13, 2026 and MathDistract on September 23, 2026.

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