# Number Explosion vs Main Idea

The clearest difference is price: Number Explosion at Free against Main Idea's $6.99. Number Explosion also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). Main Idea's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 12 months) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 15.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Number Explosion is free to download; Main Idea costs $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Number Explosion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Number Explosion's written reviews are positive against 85% of Main Idea's.

Number Explosion ships an update every 12 months, Main Idea every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Number Explosion | Main Idea |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $6.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-explosion/id883267880/reviews)** | [4.3 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/main-ideasentences/id895686005/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **6** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 84.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 13 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NJAW4](https://appshunter.io/developer/655125750) | [Janine Toole](https://appshunter.io/developer/839832427) |

## What reviewers say

### Number Explosion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-explosion/id883267880)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Main Idea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/main-ideasentences/id895686005)

This app helps children in grades 2-5 improve their reading comprehension by teaching them to identify the main idea of sentences. It uses a fun, game-like environment with step-by-step learning and a reward system to keep kids motivated.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step skill building, Incremental learning with unlocked levels, Frustration-free guided learning, Engaging reward center, Parental review and reporting, Over 600 examples, Timed levels for fluency

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Number Explosion free?

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

### Is Main Idea free?

Main Idea costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Number Explosion or Main Idea?

Number Explosion is rated higher. Number Explosion averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Main Idea averages 4.3 from 6 ratings.

### Do Number Explosion or Main Idea have ads?

Neither Number Explosion nor Main Idea shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Number Explosion or Main Idea?

Number Explosion ships an update every 12 months, and Main Idea every 3 months. Most recently, Number Explosion was updated on October 3, 2026 and Main Idea on October 16, 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.*