# Number Frames, by MLC vs CHAT

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Number Frames, by MLC at 89% against CHAT's 50%. CHAT's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 13 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Number Frames, by MLC ships an update every 13 months, CHAT every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and June 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Number Frames, by MLC | CHAT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-frames-by-mlc/id873198123/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 12 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Math Learning Center](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542700905) | [Synergetx](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457801583) |

## What reviewers say

### Number Frames, by MLC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-frames-by-mlc/id873198123)

This app provides virtual number frames to help elementary students visualize and manipulate numbers up to one hundred. It supports counting, comparing, and computing, aiding the transition from one-by-one counting to more efficient strategies. Custom frames can be created for advanced visualization of factors and fractions.

**Highlights:** Standard and custom number frames, Variety of counters and colors, 5s grid for grouping emphasis, Resizable covers for problem modeling, Drawing and annotation tools, Math text and writing tools, Shareable work via image or code

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### CHAT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chat-e/id1482010930)

This interactive tool uses puppet-guided interviews to help researchers collect structured responses from young children. It's designed for early childhood research, improving data consistency and child engagement in developmental psychology and educational studies.

**Highlights:** Puppet-driven interactive interviews, Structured data collection, Enhanced child engagement, Improved data consistency, Reduced training overhead, Optimized for field studies

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Number Frames, by MLC free?

Number Frames, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CHAT free?

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

### Do Number Frames, by MLC or CHAT have ads?

Neither Number Frames, by MLC nor CHAT shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Number Frames, by MLC or CHAT?

Number Frames, by MLC ships an update every 13 months, and CHAT every 6 weeks. Most recently, Number Frames, by MLC was updated on September 16, 2026 and CHAT on June 25, 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.*