# ScratchJr vs Read for School

The clearest difference is rating: Read for School at 5.0 against ScratchJr's 3.9. Read for School also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months). ScratchJr's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 33%) and ratings volume (1.8K 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.

Read for School holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ScratchJr has 1.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of ScratchJr's written reviews are positive against 33% of Read for School's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, Read for School every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ScratchJr | Read for School |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratchjr/id895485086/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-for-school/id6469688204/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **66.8% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 51 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scratch Foundation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1066012912) | [VisualCamp](https://appshunter.io/developer/1410567346) |

## What reviewers say

### ScratchJr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratchjr/id895485086)

This app allows young children to create their own interactive stories and games by snapping together graphical programming blocks. It fosters problem-solving, creative expression, and develops early numeracy and literacy skills in a fun, motivating context.

**Highlights:** Program interactive stories, Create games, Snap-together programming blocks, Develop problem-solving skills, Foster creative expression, Learn coding fundamentals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for kids
- 🚀 Great for coding and creating animations
- 💡 Allows customization of characters and backgrounds
- ⭐ Fun and engaging for young users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy drawing/editing tools
- 🔧 Limited number of frames/scenes per project
- 🎨 Lack of color options and customization
- 🔊 Poor audio quality and limited sound options

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues
- Incorrect character movements and positioning
- Saving and loading problems
- Microphone and recording bugs

**Requested features**

- Add more frames/scenes per project
- Improve drawing/editing tools
- Expand color and customization options
- Enhance audio features and sound library
- Integrate with the full Scratch platform


### Read for School

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-for-school/id6469688204)

This educational tool uses AI eye-tracking technology to diagnose and improve reading habits for students. It provides personalized course assignments based on reading level and tracks progress through data-driven analysis.

**Highlights:** AI eye-tracking for reading diagnosis, Personalized course assignment, Visualizes eye movement patterns, Quantifies reading abilities, Tracks student progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ScratchJr free?

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

### Is Read for School free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ScratchJr or Read for School?

Read for School is rated higher. ScratchJr averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Read for School averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do ScratchJr or Read for School have ads?

Neither ScratchJr nor Read for School shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ScratchJr or Read for School?

ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, and Read for School every 3 weeks. Most recently, ScratchJr was updated on October 14, 2026 and Read for School on October 8, 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.*