Comparison

Number Line, by MLC vs Design Squad Maker

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

Head to head
About

Number Line, by MLC

This app allows students to visualize number sequences and demonstrate mathematical strategies. It supports various number types and offers tools for annotation, problem-solving, and sharing work. Ideal for elementary classrooms and iPad learning environments.

Highlights
  • Visualize number sequences
  • Demonstrate counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing
  • Use whole numbers, fractions, decimals, or negative numbers
  • Add custom tick marks and labels
  • Hide and reveal numbers and jumps
  • Annotation and drawing tools
  • Save and share work
Features
Read full description

Number Line helps students visualize number sequences and demonstrate strategies for counting, comparing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Choose number lines labelled with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, or negative numbers. Or use a blank number line, with or without tick marks. Describe intervals between points on the line using forward or backward jumps above and below the line. Jumps can be labelled with their values or left blank. Add custom tick marks to the number line to show equivalence or compare number values. Show strategies with drawing and annotation tools. Hide elements of the sequence shown on the number line, which challenges students to use what they know about number relationships and computation to identify those missing elements. This virtual number line is an open-ended educational tool, ideal for elementary classrooms and other learning environments that use iPads. For more Number Line resources and other apps, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps FEATURES • Mark the number line with multiples of whole numbers, fractions, or decimals. In addition, set the starting value of the line, including using negative values. • Add and manipulate forward and backward jumps, above or below the line. • Label jump bars, manually or automatically, to show intervals or hide labels altogether. • Add custom tick marks and values to blank number lines. • Hide and reveal numbers on the number line. • Hide and reveal jumps, numbers, and other elements with resizable covers to create your own problems and model strategies. • Use the drawing tools to annotate work and show understanding. • Add equations, expressions, and descriptions with the math text and writing tools. • Share your work by saving an image or providing a share code to others. MORE APPS For more Number Line resources and other apps, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/apps LEARN MORE To learn about Bridges in Mathematics, an elementary curriculum that employs visual models like number line, visit: www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges/overview ABOUT US This resource is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 education since 1976. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This app was crafted by Clarity Innovations. We help improve teaching and learning by creating solutions that match promising technologies with the needs of education. Visit us: www.clarity-innovations.com

About

Design Squad Maker

This app guides children through the engineering design process with interactive activities and explanations. It encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity through hands-on projects and family collaboration. Aligned with STEM curriculum, it offers a safe and engaging learning experience.

Highlights
  • Unlimited design projects
  • Add sketches, photos, and notes
  • Editable portfolio
  • Animated engineering videos
  • Step-by-step guidance
  • STEM curriculum alignment
Read full description

DESIGN SQUAD MAKER APP FEATURES - Create unlimited design projects - Add sketches, photos, and notes - Save progress in an editable portfolio - Watch animated videos explaining the engineering design process - Walk through each step of the design process with a friendly host - Use tips and reflection questions throughout to support children's learning - Check out example project ideas - Find ideas for families to work together - Try quick activities to supplement design projects at home - Use at home and as part of Design Squad Maker workshops around the country - Aligned with STEM curriculum concepts - Co-developed with researchers and families - No in-app purchases - No advertising The Design Squad Maker app was rigorously researched and developed for use at home and in maker space settings. Its open-ended, hands-on approach gives kids control over their own learning, encouraging them to identify problems that matter to them and develop solutions. In addition, when kids solve problems, they learn STEM concepts, practice thinking critically and creatively, gain experience using tools and materials, and learn perseverance when things don’t go as planned. ABOUT DESIGN SQUAD MAKER This app was created as part of Design Squad Maker, a program that engages children and their caregivers in the engineering design process in museums, community maker spaces, and at home. Together, kids ages 8–11 and their caregivers come up with problems that they want to solve, brainstorm solutions, build prototypes, and test them to see how they work. They experience the same steps that engineers use to solve real-world problems. PRIVACY GBH Kids and Design Squad Maker are committed to creating a safe and secure environment for children and families and to being transparent about what information is collected from users. The Design Squad Maker app collects anonymous, aggregated analytics data for the purpose of improving the app experience—for example, determining which features are more popular in general. No personally identifiable data is collected. Photos taken during the use of this app are stored locally on your device as part of the explicit functionality of the app. The app does not send or share these photos anywhere. GBH KIDS does not see any photos taken by this app. To learn more about Design Squad Maker's privacy policy, visit https://pbskids.org/designsquad/blog/design-squad-maker/ FUNDERS AND CREDITS © 2022 WGBH Educational Foundation. Design Squad Maker is produced by GBH Boston and the New York Hall of Science. Design Squad Maker and its logo are copyrights of WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1811457. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Screenshots

Design Squad Maker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Design Squad Maker at 5.0 against Number Line, by MLC's 4.4. Design Squad Maker also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and device support (3 vs 1). Number Line, by MLC's advantage is ratings volume (15 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Design Squad Maker holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Number Line, by MLC has 15 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Number Line, by MLC's written reviews are positive against 100% of Design Squad Maker's.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Number Line, by MLC versus Design Squad Maker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNumber Line, by MLCDesign Squad Maker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (15 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 13 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.111.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Math Learning CenterWGBH

Customer experience

Number Line, by MLC

All ratings15 ratings
Positive86.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.3%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%

Design Squad Maker

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Number Line, by MLC

No in-app purchases

None

Design Squad Maker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Number Line, by MLC free?
Number Line, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Design Squad Maker free?
Design Squad Maker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Number Line, by MLC or Design Squad Maker?
Design Squad Maker is rated higher. Number Line, by MLC averages 4.4 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Design Squad Maker averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Number Line, by MLC or Design Squad Maker have ads?
Neither Number Line, by MLC nor Design Squad Maker shows ads.

Other comparisons