Comparison

Starfall I'm Reading vs SplashLearn

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

SplashLearn

This app allows parents to monitor their child's real-time progress in a math learning program. Receive instant notifications about achievements and areas needing improvement, track daily activity, and view overall scores to support their child's educational journey.

Highlights
  • Real-time progress monitoring
  • Instant achievement notifications
  • Track weak areas
  • View last week's progress
  • Overall math score tracking
  • Daily activity timeline
Read full description

SplashLearn Parent Connect App is a companion app for parents of children subscribed to the SplashLearn Program. Parents can see how their child is doing in real-time, and get instant notifications about the child's achievements and/or weak areas. SplashLearn is a fun and engaging math practice program which is used by over 30M kids to improve their math learning. *Features in this app* - Instant notifications on mastery of skills - Last week's progress - Overall Math Score and improvement in the grade - Track trouble spots to take corrective actions in real-time - See child's daily math activity using our activity timeline Unlike most math programs, SplashLearn provides ways to stay connected easily with their child's progress. Try our SplashLearn Parent Connect App and stay on top of your child's math learning. *Privacy Policy* Your privacy is paramount to us. We will never disclose your personal information to independent third parties or combine it with any other personal information collected from your child. We encourage you to read our privacy policy here (https://www.spalshlearn.com/privacy) and write to us if you have any questions. *Terms of Use* You can read up our terms of use here (https://www.splashlearn.com/terms-of-use)

Screenshots

Starfall I'm Reading4 screens
SplashLearn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Starfall I'm Reading at 100% against SplashLearn's 20%. Starfall I'm Reading also leads on rating (4.2 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). SplashLearn's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 10 months). On price, ratings volume, ads 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. SplashLearn sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Starfall I'm Reading asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Starfall I'm Reading holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 72 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Starfall I'm Reading's written reviews are positive against 20% of SplashLearn's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Starfall I'm Reading ships an update every 10 months, SplashLearn every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Starfall I'm Reading versus SplashLearn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarfall I'm ReadingSplashLearn
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (46 ratings) — better2.7 (72 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better19.6% of reviews
Number of ratings4672 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size102 MB117 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStarfall Education FoundationStudyPad, Inc.

Customer experience

Starfall I'm Reading

All ratings46 ratings
Positive82.6%
Neutral2.2%
Negative15.2%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

SplashLearn

All ratings72 ratings
Positive36.1%
Neutral9.7%
Negative54.2%
Written reviews51 reviews
Positive19.6%
Neutral15.7%
Negative64.7%

Bugs and requests

Starfall I'm Reading

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

SplashLearn

Reported bugs

49 issues
  • Updated version does not sync progress
  • App does not show any information or has a never-ending loading screen
  • Subscription continues after cancellation
  • App is not updating progress
  • Shows zero activity and zero progress
Show 44 more
  • No way to log out or reset the app
  • Subscription is difficult to cancel
  • App is very buggy and renders useless
  • Problems switching between children and subjects
  • Activity not updating, cannot check kids' work
  • App constantly freezes and closes
  • No notice on renewal
  • App is buggy and doesn't sync correctly
  • Accurate count for activities completed changes randomly
  • Does not show the full screen
  • App allows password reset but not app usage
  • App is a scam
  • App is not tracking child's time on the app
  • Report shows no time played despite child using app
  • App is incorrect, shows no activity when lessons are completed
  • App does not update, progress reports inaccurate
  • Math work not showing up on progress reports
  • App is useless, does not sync with actual app
  • No response to help requests
  • App does not match pictures and reports incomplete data
  • Work does not register on parent app
  • App is not updating/syncing information
  • Syncing date is incorrect
  • Children's advancement not being updated
  • Parent app loading incorrect information or not loading information
  • No support or email to resolve issues
  • App is slow to update
  • Shows child has done nothing on parent app
  • Subscription did not connect to login after update
  • No resolution after multiple attempts and emails to support
  • App version too low
  • Customer service is the worst
  • No way of canceling subscription
  • Fundamental tracking/sync issue
  • No response from the team
  • App won't sync since February
  • No updates visible
  • No info on how to resolve sync issues
  • No customer service
  • Games lock up iPad
  • Parent app stopped working/synching
  • Notifications of no practice while child is using app
  • Cannot login with Gmail
  • Forced to use different email

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to print or save reports as PDF
  • Easier way to scroll back to view past lessons
  • More quality games, fewer buggy ones
  • Fix app crashing when reviewing reports
  • Ability to reset account password
Show 1 more
  • Fix login issues with Google email

In-app purchases

None

Starfall I'm Reading

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

SplashLearn

Subscriptions3
  • Splash Math7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Splash Math7 Days trial$23.993 Months
  • Splash Math7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Starfall I'm Reading free?
Starfall I'm Reading is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SplashLearn free?
SplashLearn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Starfall I'm Reading or SplashLearn?
Starfall I'm Reading is rated higher. Starfall I'm Reading averages 4.2 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while SplashLearn averages 2.7 from 72 ratings.
Do Starfall I'm Reading or SplashLearn have ads?
Neither Starfall I'm Reading nor SplashLearn shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Starfall I'm Reading or SplashLearn?
Starfall I'm Reading ships an update every 10 months, and SplashLearn every 2 months. Most recently, Starfall I'm Reading was updated on September 24, 2026 and SplashLearn on September 22, 2026.

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