Comparison

Number Explosion vs Essential Learning System

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

Head to head
About

Number Explosion

Practice multiplication tables with a fun, arcade-style game. Target equations by entering the correct product, earning points for hits and losing them if equations reach your city. Features adjustable difficulty and bonus points for challenging targets.

Highlights
  • Multiplication table practice (1x-12x)
  • Selectable difficulty levels
  • Target equations by entering products
  • Score points for correct answers
  • Lose points if equations reach the city
  • Bonus points for horizontal equations
Features
Read full description

A simple and fun way to practice your multiplication tables (1x-12x)! In this game you select a difficulty level that corresponds to the maximum Multiplier of random equations falling from the sky. Target an equation by entering its Product using the game's numeric key pad. If you are correct a missile will be launched which will explode the targeted equation upon impact earning you points equal to its Product. Any equation reaching your City below will cause you to lose points equal to that equation's Product. Equations moving horizontally test your skills by slightly exceeding the difficulty level you selected. Hitting these equations will earn you bonus points by exploding every other equation in the view.

About

Essential Learning System

This program accelerates learning for students facing reading and language challenges. It uses multisensory, interactive lessons to build foundational skills, offering individualized instruction for at-risk learners and those with learning disadvantages.

Highlights
  • Accelerated learning for at-risk students
  • Multisensory learning pathways
  • Individualized and differentiated instruction
  • Interactive learning with feedback
  • Systematic phonics instruction
  • Language and vocabulary enrichment
  • Practice and repetition activities
Features
Read full description

After 25+ years of helping millions of students learn to read in schools all across the U.S., CEI is excited to offer a version of our flagship product designed specifically for use in the comfort of your own home. ELSO accelerates learning by focusing on the core of learning problems. “It’s like physical therapy for the brain.” – Parent of CEI student WHY IS ELSO FOR ME? See if any of the following describes the learning challenges that you or your family have been facing: - My child has a distinct learning disadvantage … maybe more than one. - My child is shy, bashful and withdrawn in a classroom setting. - My child is easily distracted by the actions of other students in the classroom. - My child is learning at a level far below that of fellow classmates. - My child is falling further and further behind in school. - English is a second language for my family. - Our hectic family schedule prevents me from helping in our children’s learning. - I need extra help in home-schooling my child. - Tutoring is not available through my child’s school. - Transportation costs and scheduling prevent me from traveling to tutoring centers. - Effective tutoring with proven results costs too much. - Being older than the other students who are being tutored embarrasses my child. - I, as an adult learner, personally experience some of the above. If you relate to even one of these statements, ELSO is the answer! HOW DOES ELSO WORK? The overwhelming strength of CEI programs is the ability to accelerate learning among the most at-risk students — those with the strongest of learning disadvantages. Just as our school-based learning solutions do, ELSO accelerates learning by focusing on the very core of learning problems … faulty sensory processing. All CEI products include activities that link visual, auditory, and motor, or “hands-on,” pathways in the brain, and ELSO is no exception. ELSO capitalizes on the brain’s ability to develop more fluid pathways for automatic recognition, retention, comprehension, and application of information. Throughout over 200 lessons, the program accelerates student learning by delivering automated, individualized, and differentiated instruction that addresses the most critical instructional processes:  INDIVIDUALIZATION — Self-paced instruction to meet the individual needs and skill level of each student  MULTISENSORY LEARNING — A series of exercises that stimulate the visual, auditory, and motor-kinesthetic pathways in the brain.  INTERACTIVE LEARNING — Five steps (external stimulation, mental processing, response, immediate feedback, and reinforcement) to keep learners engaged in activities SYSTEMATIC PHONICS INSTRUCTION — Focused instruction on how to link letters and sounds to form sound-symbol relationships and spelling patterns  LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT — Words, definitions, and sentences to aid in vocabulary development and retention and to provide background knowledge. PRACTICE AND REPETITION — A wide variety of activities to provide practice in several different contexts MASTERY — Instruction, practice, and review learners need to master the program’s content. HOW IS ELSO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ONLINE READING PROGRAMS? * ELSO adheres to educational research regarding presentation, and CEI designs its programs to limit distractions. There are no busy screens, music, or animation. Exercises present simple illustrations that reinforce instructional goals. As a result, ELSO users can focus on the information presented. * Exercise introductions and feedback are available in English and Spanish, so learners with limited English skills can use the program immediately. * Nine fonts — including one designed for users with dyslexia — are available so learners may select the one that provides the best readability for their needs. We share in your goal of achieving remarkable results, and we are committed to helping you achieve academic, social and professional success! Learn more at www.ceilearning.com.

Screenshots

Number Explosion4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Number Explosion at 5.0 against Essential Learning System's 1.0. Number Explosion also leads on ratings volume (4 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). Essential Learning System's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Number Explosion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Number Explosion ships an update every 12 months, Essential Learning System every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Number Explosion versus Essential Learning System: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNumber ExplosionEssential Learning System
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 12 months — betterEvery 16 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB398 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNJAW4Creative Education Institute

Customer experience

Number Explosion

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Essential Learning System

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Number Explosion

No in-app purchases

None

Essential Learning System

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Number Explosion free?
Number Explosion is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Essential Learning System free?
Essential Learning System is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Number Explosion or Essential Learning System?
Number Explosion is rated higher. Number Explosion averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Essential Learning System averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Number Explosion or Essential Learning System have ads?
Neither Number Explosion nor Essential Learning System shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Number Explosion or Essential Learning System?
Number Explosion ships an update every 12 months, and Essential Learning System every 16 months. Most recently, Number Explosion was updated on September 15, 2026 and Essential Learning System on September 9, 2026.

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