# BabySparks vs Solid Starts

The clearest difference is ads: Solid Starts at none against BabySparks's shown. Solid Starts also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks). BabySparks's advantage is review sentiment (56% vs 46%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BabySparks sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Solid Starts sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Solid Starts holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13K and 47K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of BabySparks's written reviews are positive against 46% of Solid Starts's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BabySparks ships an update every 3 weeks, Solid Starts every 8 days. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BabySparks | Solid Starts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babysparks-development-app/id794574199/reviews) | **[4.9 (47K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solid-starts-baby-first-foods/id1564189151/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 13K | **47K** |
| Positive reviews | **56.3% of reviews** | 46.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#39** |
| Size | 180 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BabySparks Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/794574202) | [SolidStarts LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1564189153) |

## What reviewers say

### BabySparks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/babysparks-development-app/id794574199)

This app provides parents with daily activities, expert classes, and AI-powered support for children aged 0-3 and beyond. It offers personalized programs, milestone tracking, and a vast library of parenting resources to foster optimal child development.

**Highlights:** Personalized daily activity program for ages 0-3, Video tutorials for parent-led activities, Smart adaptive technology for child needs, Milestone tracking and progress reports, Expert-led online parenting classes, AI-powered parenting expert (Ava)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Subscription | $18.99 | per year |
| Subscription | $23.99 | per year |
| Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $119.99 | per year |
| Months 0 - 12 | $7.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $37.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for premature baby development
- 👍 Great app for tracking and progressing towards milestones
- 👍 Excellent for finding activities to do and bond with baby
- 👍 Easy to follow and well-explained exercises
- 👍 Provides daily exercises to support baby's growth

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Videos don't always play properly
- 🐛 App has logged users out unexpectedly
- 🐛 Randomly offers activity suggestions not tailored to milestones
- 🐛 Unable to backdate baby's milestones
- 💰 Subscription required to access full content

**Reported bugs**

- Videos not playing properly
- Unexpected app logout issues
- Milestones not updating correctly
- Content not loading consistently
- Ads disrupting the user experience

**Requested features**

- Allow backdating of baby's milestones
- Provide more personalized activity recommendations based on baby's progress
- Add more customization options to tailor the app experience
- Improve stability and reduce technical issues
- Offer a free version with limited features


### Solid Starts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solid-starts-baby-first-foods/id1564189151)

**Currently charting:** #39 Top Grossing · Education, #63 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app guides parents through introducing solid foods to babies using baby-led weaning or transitioning from purees. It offers a comprehensive food database, meal plans, recipes, and tracking tools developed by pediatric experts.

**Highlights:** Baby-led weaning guidance, Extensive first foods database, Personalized meal plans, Baby food tracker, BLW recipes and meal ideas, Expert pediatric advice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Tracker | $19.99 | per month |
| Compass | $19.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Anniversary Compass Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Compass Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Seasonal Premium Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Yearly | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Extremely helpful for starting solids
- 🚀 Comprehensive food database
- 💡 Provides evidence-based guidance
- 👍 Builds confidence in feeding baby
- 👍 Useful for tracking foods and reactions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and glitches reported
- 🔒 Concerns over recent paywall changes
- 💰 Subscription cost seen as too high
- 🔍 Search function could be improved
- 💡 Desire for more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to access certain features
- Search function not working as expected
- Data loss when updating or reinstalling the app

**Requested features**

- Add ability to share/sync data between accounts
- Improve food logging/tracking experience
- Provide more filtering and sorting options
- Include more international/cultural foods


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BabySparks free?

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

### Is Solid Starts free?

Solid Starts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BabySparks or Solid Starts?

Solid Starts is rated higher. BabySparks averages 4.7 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Solid Starts averages 4.9 from 47K ratings.

### Do BabySparks or Solid Starts have ads?

BabySparks shows ads; Solid Starts does not.

### Which is updated more often, BabySparks or Solid Starts?

BabySparks ships an update every 3 weeks, and Solid Starts every 8 days. Most recently, BabySparks was updated on November 8, 2026 and Solid Starts on November 8, 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.*