Starfall vs Upgradors
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Reading phonics and fluency
- Math concepts and operations
- Interactive games and songs
- Accessibility features
- Sequential learning objectives
- Holiday activities and sing-alongs
Read full descriptionHide 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.
Upgradors
This app offers a K-6 math and reading curriculum through engaging songs, games, and adventures. It aims to make learning fun and exciting for children, supporting homeschool, classroom, and after-school use. A free trial or subscription is required for full access.
- K-6 Math & Reading Curriculum
- Educational Songs
- Interactive Learning Games
- Adventure-based Learning
- Progress Tracking
- Animated Characters
- Rewards System
Read full descriptionHide full description
Upgradors: Kids Math & Reading Games Learn math and reading through songs, games, and adventure. Upgradors requires a free trial or active subscription to access the app and its complete K–6 math and reading curriculum described below. Start today with a 7-day free trial! Join the Upgradors on an epic quest to defeat the Bandits, restore the stolen Keystones of Knowledge, and save the Land of Learning. Designed as a full math and reading curriculum for children in Kindergarten through 6th Grade, Upgradors combines educational songs, interactive games, and engaging challenges to make learning fun and exciting. Perfect for: • Homeschool learning • Classroom support • After-school practice • Summer learning • Kids who love music, games, and adventure Learn Through Music & Games Children build real academic skills with: • Educational songs • Interactive learning games • Practice challenges • Animated characters • Rewards and progression Learning feels like an adventure instead of homework. Subjects Included: Math Skills • Addition & subtraction • Multiplication & division • Fractions • Geometry • Measurement • Word problems • Skip counting • Times tables Reading & English Skills • Phonics • Sight words • Letter sounds • Rhyming • Short & long vowels • Reading fluency • Vocabulary • Word families Save the Land of Learning The Bandits have stolen the magical Keystones of Knowledge. Travel through exciting worlds, complete lessons and games, and help the Upgradors restore learning across the kingdom. Every activity helps players unlock progress and become learning heroes. Companion to the Upgradors Show The Upgradors app connects with the Upgradors YouTube series, giving kids even more songs, characters, lessons, and educational adventures to enjoy. Free Trial & Subscription A free trial or active subscription is required to access the Upgradors app. Your subscription includes unlimited access to all learning games, lessons, songs, and educational adventures across the complete K–6 math and reading curriculum. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time in your App Store Account Settings. Built for Kids. Loved by Parents & Teachers. • Standards-aligned learning • Fun educational songs • Engaging gameplay • Builds confidence and fluency • Great for homeschool and classrooms • Encourages independent learning Download Upgradors today and turn learning into an adventure. Privacy Policy: https://upgradors.com/privacypolicy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Upgradors at 5.0 against Starfall's 4.1. Upgradors also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 73%). Starfall's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and ratings volume (4.4K vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Starfall sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month and Upgradors sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Upgradors 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 4, 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 Upgradors's.
Starfall ships an update every 2 months, Upgradors every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Starfall | Upgradors |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.1 (4.4K ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 72.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4.4K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 155 MB | 192 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Starfall Education Foundation | Learning Upgrade |
Customer experience
Starfall
Upgradors
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
Upgradors
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Starfall
- Starfall Monthly$5.991 Month
Upgradors
- Monthly Subscription Upgradors7 Days trial$5.991 Month









