# Starfall I'm Reading vs Hairy Phonics 3

The clearest difference is price: Starfall I'm Reading at Free against Hairy Phonics 3's $2.99. Starfall I'm Reading also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.6) and review sentiment (67% vs 50%). Hairy Phonics 3's advantage is iOS requirement (9.3 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Starfall I'm Reading is free to download; Hairy Phonics 3 costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Starfall I'm Reading holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starfall I'm Reading has 47 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Starfall I'm Reading's written reviews are positive against 50% of Hairy Phonics 3's.

Starfall I'm Reading ships an update every 10 months, Hairy Phonics 3 every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starfall I'm Reading | Hairy Phonics 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.2 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall-im-reading/id723107920/reviews)** | [3.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hairy-phonics-3/id938109519/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **47** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 months** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 102 MB | 270 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.3** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Starfall Education Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1771099820) | [Nessy Learning Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/410276291) |

## What reviewers say

### Starfall I'm Reading

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starfall-im-reading/id723107920)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hairy Phonics 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hairy-phonics-3/id938109519)

This educational app teaches children phonics, focusing on vowel-r and magic 'e' sounds. It uses animations, tracing activities, and games to help kids blend sounds into words and improve reading and spelling skills.

**Highlights:** Teaches vowel-r sounds, Teaches magic 'e' rules, Phonic animations, Letter tracing, Word blending games, Structured learning sequence

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starfall I'm Reading free?

Starfall I'm Reading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hairy Phonics 3 free?

Hairy Phonics 3 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Starfall I'm Reading or Hairy Phonics 3?

Starfall I'm Reading is rated higher. Starfall I'm Reading averages 4.2 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Hairy Phonics 3 averages 3.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Starfall I'm Reading or Hairy Phonics 3 have ads?

Neither Starfall I'm Reading nor Hairy Phonics 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starfall I'm Reading or Hairy Phonics 3?

Starfall I'm Reading ships an update every 10 months, and Hairy Phonics 3 every 12 months. Most recently, Starfall I'm Reading was updated on November 8, 2026 and Hairy Phonics 3 on November 6, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*