# Freckle by Renaissance vs Math Shelf

The clearest difference is rating: Math Shelf at 4.7 against Freckle by Renaissance's 3.3. Math Shelf also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 40%) and device support (3 vs 1). Freckle by Renaissance's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and ratings volume (522 vs 15). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Math Shelf sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Freckle by Renaissance asks for nothing beyond the download.

Math Shelf holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Freckle by Renaissance has 522 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Freckle by Renaissance's written reviews are positive against 80% of Math Shelf's.

Freckle by Renaissance ships an update every 3 months, Math Shelf every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Freckle by Renaissance | Math Shelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (522 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freckle-by-renaissance/id708421745/reviews) | **[4.7 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/math-shelf-early-math-mastery/id940278648/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **522** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | 39.8% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 380 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Freckle Education, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/668783523) | [John Schacter](https://appshunter.io/developer/940278647) |

## What reviewers say

### Freckle by Renaissance

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freckle-by-renaissance/id708421745)

This app provides personalized math, ELA, science, and social studies lessons for students. It adapts to each student's learning level, offering engaging content and real-world applications. Teachers benefit from a dashboard to track student progress and identify learning gaps.

**Highlights:** Personalized math lessons, ELA and science content, Social studies lessons, Adaptive learning engine, Diagnostic pre-tests, Teacher progress dashboard, Collaborative learning features

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Customizable characters
- 🚀 Wide range of educational content
- 👍 Fun and competitive learning experience
- 🚀 Accurate placement tests

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🐛 Keyboard issues
- 🐛 Inconsistent scoring and feedback
- 🐛 Laggy performance
- 👎 Boring and repetitive content for older students

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect answers marked wrong
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Keyboard and screen layout problems
- Inconsistent coin/progress tracking

**Requested features**

- Add more levels and content for each topic
- Allow placement tests for adaptive learning
- Improve save/login functionality to prevent data loss
- Optimize for mobile devices
- Hire human narrators for stories


### Math Shelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/math-shelf-early-math-mastery/id940278648)

This app provides an experimentally proven program to enhance early mathematics achievement for preschool and kindergarten students. It offers on-level instruction through adaptive learning and placement tests, aligning with Common Core Standards.

**Highlights:** Experimentally proven to increase math achievement, Common Core Aligned content, Adaptive learning and placement tests, Cloud-based syncing for school and home, Free 7-day trial, Supports iPhone, iPad, and iPod

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Access | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Access | $41.99 | per year |
| 1 Students Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1 Student Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | one-time |
| 2 Students Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | one-time |
| 3 Students Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | one-time |
| 2 Students Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | one-time |
| 3 Students Monthly Subscription | $8.99 | one-time |
| 3 Students Subscription | $9.99 | one-time |
| 4 Students Monthly Subscription | $11.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Freckle by Renaissance free?

Freckle by Renaissance is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Math Shelf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Freckle by Renaissance or Math Shelf?

Math Shelf is rated higher. Freckle by Renaissance averages 3.3 out of 5 from 522 ratings, while Math Shelf averages 4.7 from 15 ratings.

### Do Freckle by Renaissance or Math Shelf have ads?

Neither Freckle by Renaissance nor Math Shelf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Freckle by Renaissance or Math Shelf?

Freckle by Renaissance ships an update every 3 months, and Math Shelf every 4 months. Most recently, Freckle by Renaissance was updated on November 1, 2026 and Math Shelf on November 1, 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.*