Comparison

Number Frames, by MLC vs PicCollage EDU Collage Maker

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

Head to head
About

Number Frames, by MLC

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
Read full description

Number Frames help students structure numbers to five, ten, twenty, and one hundred. Students use the frames to count, represent, compare, and compute with numbers in a particular range. The frames allow students see quantities as equal groups of other quantities and in relation to benchmark quantities. This helps primary students move away from one-by-one counting toward more efficient ways of counting and computing. As students advance, custom frames can be constructed to help visualize factors, products, fractional parts and more. These virtual versions of number frames are open-ended educational tools, ideal for elementary classrooms and other learning environments that use iPads. Number frames are a key model used in Bridges in Mathematics, second edition. Online preview available at: www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges FEATURES: • Use standard 5-, 10-, 20-, and 100-frames, or create custom frames up to 12 x 12. • Choose from a variety of counters and colors. Drag single counters — or stacks of 5 and 10 — into frames or on to the workspace. • Apply a 5s grid to frames to emphasize every 5th line and reinforce grouping by five. • Hide and reveal counters 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

PicCollage EDU Collage Maker

This app provides a safe and user-friendly platform for creating photo collages, ideal for young children and educational settings. It offers a variety of design elements like backgrounds, stickers, and fonts, with options to save or print creations.

Highlights
  • Safe for all ages and classrooms
  • Import photos from library
  • Clip photos with finger outlining
  • Doodle drawings on collages
  • Hundreds of free stickers and backgrounds
  • Variety of fun frames
  • Square and portrait layouts
Features
Read full description

From the creators of PicCollage, the hugely popular photo app with over 200 million downloads, PicCollage EDU is the SAFEST and most user-friendly collage app available. With no account required to use the app and no social sharing features, it's perfect for young children and for classroom use. PicCollage EDU also offers hundreds of free backgrounds, fun stickers, and fonts. Easily create amazing collages with PicCollage EDU and save them to your device or print them out! "PicCollage EDU is by far one of the easiest and safest apps I have run across for elementary learners. I love the option to turn off the image search in the settings and how social media sharing is not allowed. Everything is safe and secure!" Julie S., Elementary Instructional Technology Consultant Highlighted features: * Safe and fun for all ages and perfect for classrooms. * Import photos from your photo library. * Rotate, resize, and delete scraps with simple touch gestures. * Easily "clip" photos by outlining the area you want with your finger. * Doodle drawings on your collage with our new "Doodle" tool. * Access hundreds of stickers and backgrounds for FREE. * Choose from a variety of fun frames to create an instant collage. * Over 100 colorful backgrounds and fun stickers. * Square and portrait layouts. Privacy Policy: https://cardinalblue.com/privacy/piccollageedu Terms of Service: https://picc.co/tos/piccollageedu/

Screenshots

PicCollage EDU Collage Maker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Number Frames, by MLC at Free against PicCollage EDU Collage Maker's $1.99. Number Frames, by MLC also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (89% vs 79%). PicCollage EDU Collage Maker's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (155 vs 7). On 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

Number Frames, by MLC is free to download; PicCollage EDU Collage Maker costs $1.99 up front. PicCollage EDU Collage Maker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Number Frames, by MLC asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PicCollage EDU Collage Maker holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PicCollage EDU Collage Maker has 155 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of Number Frames, by MLC's written reviews are positive against 79% of PicCollage EDU Collage Maker's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Number Frames, by MLC ships an update every 13 months, PicCollage EDU Collage Maker every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Number Frames, by MLC versus PicCollage EDU Collage Maker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNumber Frames, by MLCPicCollage EDU Collage Maker
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.0 (7 ratings)4.5 (155 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.9% of reviews — better78.6% of reviews
Number of ratings7155 — better
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS15.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB218 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Math Learning CenterCardinal Blue

Customer experience

Number Frames, by MLC

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%

PicCollage EDU Collage Maker

All ratings155 ratings
Positive87.1%
Neutral5.2%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews168 reviews
Positive78.6%
Neutral7.1%
Negative14.3%

Bugs and requests

Number Frames, by MLC

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

PicCollage EDU Collage Maker

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Collages and data being lost or reset
  • Drawing/editing tools not working properly
  • Web search functionality not working as expected

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more backgrounds and stickers
  • Improve web search functionality with better filters
  • Restore camera access within the app
  • Provide more customization options

In-app purchases

None

Number Frames, by MLC

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

PicCollage EDU Collage Maker

One-time1
  • "Remove watermark" feature$1.99

Questions

Is Number Frames, by MLC free?
Number Frames, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PicCollage EDU Collage Maker free?
PicCollage EDU Collage Maker costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Number Frames, by MLC or PicCollage EDU Collage Maker?
PicCollage EDU Collage Maker is rated higher. Number Frames, by MLC averages 4.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while PicCollage EDU Collage Maker averages 4.5 from 155 ratings.
Do Number Frames, by MLC or PicCollage EDU Collage Maker have ads?
Neither Number Frames, by MLC nor PicCollage EDU Collage Maker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Number Frames, by MLC or PicCollage EDU Collage Maker?
Number Frames, by MLC ships an update every 13 months, and PicCollage EDU Collage Maker every 5 months. Most recently, Number Frames, by MLC was updated on September 16, 2026 and PicCollage EDU Collage Maker on September 22, 2026.

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