Comparison

Starfall I'm Reading vs Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Starfall I'm Reading

This app helps young children transition from learning to read to reading to learn. It offers a selection of stories and activities designed to build comprehension and fluency using high-frequency words in context. An AutoRead feature models fluent reading and can be toggled off for independent readers.

Highlights
  • Stories and activities for reading comprehension
  • Controlled vocabulary with high-frequency words
  • AutoRead feature to model fluent reading
  • Plays, fiction, non-fiction, comics, and fables
  • Audio support for fluency practice
Features
Read full description

Starfall® I’m Reading is the fourth step of Starfall’s Learn to Read phonics sequence, which teaches the foundational skills for learning to read. Step 1: ABCs Step 2: Learn to Read Step 3: It’s Fun to Read Step 4: I’m Reading! Starfall I’m Reading is the final step of Starfall’s free early learn-to-read sequence. I’m Reading! focuses on bridging the gap between basic phonics and true reading mastery. The program expands fluency and comprehension through exercise with words from the Dolch and Fry sight word lists. These words are challenging to sound out phonetically, but represent the majority of words found in children’s texts. Familiarity with these words builds confidence and natural ease with reading. The texts cover a wide range of multicultural fiction and nonfiction stories, with clickable words and sentences for fluency assistance throughout. Travel-ready. No internet connection required. Find Starfall I’m Reading, along with 700+ additional activities and counting across reading, math, music, and more in the Starfall app. The Starfall website and applications are program services of Starfall Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) publicly supported nonprofit organization. Starfall® and Starfall.com® are registered trademarks in the US, the European Union, and various other countries. Copyright © 2002–2026 by Starfall Education. All rights reserved. Starfall apps are inclusively designed to support all children, including English Language Learners (ELLs). Starfall also 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.

About

Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite

Features
Read full description

"Learn to Read, Write and Spell" app is designed for the IOS platform iPad Users and made for "Made For Ages 5 and Above". This iPAD app teaches advanced reading and spelling skills to adults, adolescents and children, who * Are non-readers, or are reading below their expected level * Know many sight words but cannot decode or encode new words * Are learning disabled - LD * Have an attention deficit disorder - ADD/HD This iPAD app is Recommended for: * Public/private schools (resource rooms, special education classes, ESL programs) * Libraries /literacy centers * Home computers - Home schooling * Correctional, rehabilitation, youth detention centers and vocational facilities * Community colleges (LD resource centers) This multisensory reading, spelling and penmanship program builds an association between symbols and sounds in the English language through self-paced repetition. It utilizes the close association of visual, auditory and kinesthetic elements to help students improve their language skills. The beginning of the iPAD app assumes the student does not know the letters of the alphabet. The app then proceeds to teach all the skills one needs to read on a sixth grade level. This INTERACTIVE iPAD app uses graphics as a vehicle to teach: The sound & key word for each letter of the alphabet * Blending letters to form words * Reading Lessons * Writing Lessons * Spelling Skills * Language Skills * Dictionary Skills Extensive practice in reading, spelling and penmanship throughout the app Specific language skills taught include suffixes, prefixes, the six syllable types, consonant digraphs and blends, diphthongs, singular and plural nouns, apostrophe and contractions, punctuation, exceptional words (words to be memorized), sentence and paragraph structure, etc. Students and teachers can move to different lessons/modules in the program by utilizing the progress report. They can click on the "DOWN ARROW" after the short introduction. This will take them to a progress report. The names of the modules, in the program, are located on the left side of the screen (letter, reading, spelling, writing, language and dictionary lessons). When you "click" them, the voice will identify the name of the module. Next to each module are numbered buttons. These numbers correspond to the numbered lessons in the table of contents in the manual. One may click on the numbered button and go right to the lesson of their choice. Teachers can decide if they wish to have a student follow the sequence, as it is presented on the program, or may decide to use the program to reinforce a particular reading skill which was just introduced in class. The FREE version of "Learn to Read, Write and Spell" iPAD app contains the Introduction, History of English and First Lesson of each module.

Screenshots

Starfall I'm Reading4 screens
Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Starfall I'm Reading at every 10 months against Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite's every 32 months. Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starfall I'm Reading ships an update every 10 months, Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite every 32 months. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Starfall I'm Reading versus Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarfall I'm ReadingLearn to ReadWriteSpell Lite
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (46 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings46 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 months — betterEvery 32 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size102 MB586 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStarfall Education FoundationRogers Center for Learning

In-app purchases

None

Starfall I'm Reading

No in-app purchases

None

Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Starfall I'm Reading free?
Starfall I'm Reading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite free?
Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Starfall I'm Reading or Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite have ads?
Neither Starfall I'm Reading nor Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Starfall I'm Reading or Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite?
Starfall I'm Reading ships an update every 10 months, and Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite every 32 months. Most recently, Starfall I'm Reading was updated on November 13, 2026 and Learn to ReadWriteSpell Lite on November 11, 2026.

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