# Read Live vs Learn to Read

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Learn to Read at 81% against Read Live's 29%. Learn to Read also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (71K vs 1). Read Live's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn to Read sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $12.49 per month. Read Live asks for nothing beyond the download.

Read Live holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Learn to Read has 71K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Read Live's written reviews are positive against 81% of Learn to Read's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Read Live ships an update every 4 months, Learn to Read every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Read Live | Learn to Read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-live/id821028327/reviews)** | [4.7 (71K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **71K** |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | **81.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#13** |
| Size | 11 MB | 252 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Read Naturally, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/465317542) | [Teaching.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526854604) |

## What reviewers say

### Read Live

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-live/id821028327)

This app provides a structured, audio-supported system to improve reading fluency, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension for learners of all ages. It offers access to four distinct curriculum options, including support for Spanish readers, and tracks student progress across devices. A Read Live account is required to use the program.

**Highlights:** Four curriculum options, Audio-supported system, Develops reading fluency, Improves comprehension, Tracks student progress, Spanish reading support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Learn to Read

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Grossing · Education, #58 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a guided, co-play experience for parents and children aged 3-8 to learn reading skills. It uses research-backed phonics lessons, interactive storybooks, videos, and games to build foundational reading abilities.

**Highlights:** 99 step-by-step phonics lessons, 67 interactive digital storybooks, 42 educational videos, 3 expert-designed reading games, Printable offline activities, Family subscription with 3 profiles, Ad-free experience

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly (With Free Trial) | $12.49 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $12.49 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $12.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Monthly) | $17.99 | per month |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $66.99 | per year |
| Learn to Read (Yearly) | $74.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 🚀 Effective at teaching reading skills
- 💡 Structured, step-by-step approach
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Promotes parent-child bonding
- 🎨 Colorful and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤑 Expensive subscription model
- 🐢 Slow progression for more advanced learners
- 🤖 Lack of flexibility to customize or skip lessons
- 🤔 Placement assessment not accurate for all levels
- 🤯 Frustrating when app crashes or logs out

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes or freezes
- User data loss after app updates
- Inability to redeem promo codes

**Requested features**

- Option to learn cursive writing
- More independent practice games and activities
- Ability to jump to appropriate lesson level
- Support for multiple languages or accents
- Printable resources like flashcards or worksheets


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Read Live free?

Read Live is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Learn to Read free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Read Live or Learn to Read?

Read Live is rated higher. Read Live averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Learn to Read averages 4.7 from 71K ratings.

### Do Read Live or Learn to Read have ads?

Neither Read Live nor Learn to Read shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Read Live or Learn to Read?

Read Live ships an update every 4 months, and Learn to Read every 5 days. Most recently, Read Live was updated on June 4, 2026 and Learn to Read on September 26, 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.*