Comparison

Starfall vs Reading Eggs

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

Reading Eggs

This program helps children aged 2-13 develop reading and math skills through interactive games, lessons, and e-books. It offers a comprehensive curriculum based on scientific research, designed by educators to foster phonics, comprehension, and numeracy.

Highlights
  • Interactive reading games
  • Guided reading lessons
  • Over 4,000 e-books
  • Phonics and comprehension focus
  • Early numeracy skills
  • Progress tracking dashboard
Features
Read full description

Reading Eggs is the multi-award winning learning program that helps children learn to read. Based on scientific research and designed by experienced elementary teachers, it’s proven to help kids learn to read using interactive reading games, guided reading lessons, fun activities, and over 4,000 e-books. Reading Eggs has already helped over 20 million children worldwide learn to read. Access all our premium learning programs for up to four children: • Reading Eggs Junior (ages 2–4): Toddlers build pre-reading skills such as phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge with fun activities, games, videos, and read-aloud books. • Reading Eggs (ages 3–7): Children take their first steps in learning to read, covering phonics, sight words, spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension. • Fast Phonics (ages 5–10): A systematic, synthetic phonics program to help emergent and struggling readers build key phonics skills. • Reading Eggspress (ages 7– 13): Continues the learning journey by helping children learn to read for meaning and enjoyment. • Mathseeds (ages 3–9): Develops essential early numeracy skills, covering numbers, measurement, shapes, patterns, and more. ABOUT THE READING EGGS LEARN TO READ APP • TRUSTED: used in over 12,000 schools and trusted by elementary educators. • SELF-PACED: children are matched to the perfect level and progress with self-paced, one-on-one lessons. • HIGHLY MOTIVATING: the reward system consists of golden eggs, collectable pets, and games, motivating children to keep learning. • RESEARCH-BASED: based on scientific research and the most up-to-date learning principles on the most effective way children learn to read. • COMPREHENSIVE: Reading Eggs is a complete learn to read system for children aged 2–13 and covers the five essential components of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. • PROVEN RESULTS: our hundreds of testimonials, multiple awards, 91% success rate AND money-back guarantee gives you the confidence in knowing that your child will learn to read using the most effective and results-driven online reading curriculum. • SEE REAL PROGRESS: see instant results in your very own parent dashboard and receive detailed progress reports, which show you exactly where your child is improving and where extra attention is needed. • LEARN TO READ ON THE GO! Your child can learn to read anytime, anywhere on a desktop or tablet device. Users must log in with their account details to access Reading Eggs. Min requirements: • Wireless internet connection • iPad (5th Generation), iPad Air 2, iPad Pro 1st Generation • iPad Mini 4 • iPhone - last 5 models of iPhone • OS Version - iOS 15.8+ • An active trial or subscription Recommended devices and iOS version: • Latest iPad, Latest iPad Air, Latest iPad Pro • Latest iPad Mini • Latest iPhone • Latest iOS Version Note: Teacher accounts are currently not supported For assistance or feedback email: info@readingeggs.com More Information: • Up to 4 children are covered under a single family subscription • Each Reading Eggs and Mathseeds subscription provides access to Reading Eggs Junior, Reading Eggs, Fast Phonics, Reading Eggspress and Mathseeds • Each Reading Eggs subscription provides access to Reading Eggs Junior, Reading Eggs, Fast Phonics and Reading Eggspress • The first month of a monthly subscription is free for new customers • Subscriptions renew automatically; your App Store account will be charged unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Cancel anytime in your App Store account settings Privacy Policy: http://readingeggs.com/privacy/ Terms and Conditions: http://readingeggs.com/terms/

Screenshots

Starfall4 screens
Reading Eggs4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Reading Eggs at 4.7 against Starfall's 4.1. Reading Eggs also leads on chart position (#99 vs unranked). Starfall's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 55%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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 Reading Eggs sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Reading Eggs holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.3K and 7.3K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Starfall's written reviews are positive against 55% of Reading Eggs's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starfall ships an update every 2 months, Reading Eggs every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Starfall versus Reading Eggs: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarfallReading Eggs
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (4.3K ratings)4.7 (7.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews74.7% of reviews — better54.8% of reviews
Number of ratings4.3K7.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#99 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size155 MB90 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStarfall Education FoundationBlake eLearning

Customer experience

Starfall

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

Reading Eggs

All ratings7,296 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.2%
Negative5.3%
Written reviews915 reviews
Positive54.8%
Neutral12.2%
Negative33.0%

User reviews

Starfall

From 4.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy and fun learning
  • 🎨 Engaging activities and games
  • 🧠 Helps with reading, math, and more
  • 🌟 Nostalgic childhood memories
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great for kids of all ages

Room to improve

  • 💰 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

Reading Eggs

From 7.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for learning
  • 👍 Fun and engaging
  • 💡 Helpful for homeschooling
  • 🚀 Effective for teaching reading
  • 👍 Motivating with rewards and progress tracking

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
  • 🐛 Sound cuts out randomly
  • 🐛 Glitchy performance on some devices
  • 🐛 Placement tests don't always accurately assess level
  • 🐛 Inability to correct mistakes in some activities

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

Reading Eggs

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login issues and account problems
  • Incompatibility with certain iOS versions
  • Lessons not saving progress properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to disable background music
  • More content for older kids
  • Improved multi-user management
  • Offline mode for lessons
  • Better integration with school curriculum

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Starfall

Subscriptions1
  • Starfall Monthly$5.991 Month
4 purchases

Reading Eggs

Subscriptions4
  • Reading Eggs Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Reading Eggs+Mathseeds Monthly1 Month trial$13.991 Month
  • Reading Eggs Yearly$69.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Reading Eggs+Mathseeds Yearly$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Starfall free?
Starfall is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Reading Eggs free?
Reading Eggs is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Starfall or Reading Eggs?
Reading Eggs is rated higher. Starfall averages 4.1 out of 5 from 4.3K ratings, while Reading Eggs averages 4.7 from 7.3K ratings.
Do Starfall or Reading Eggs have ads?
Neither Starfall nor Reading Eggs shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Starfall or Reading Eggs?
Starfall ships an update every 2 months, and Reading Eggs every 4 weeks. Most recently, Starfall was updated on September 24, 2026 and Reading Eggs on September 24, 2026.

Other comparisons