Comparison

Pattern Shapes, by MLC vs Quick Math Jr.

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

Head to head
About

Pattern Shapes, by MLC

This app allows students to explore geometry and fractions through interactive shape manipulation. Users can create designs, fill outlines, measure angles, and annotate their work. It's an open-ended educational tool for learning mathematical concepts.

Highlights
  • Explore geometry and fractions
  • Create custom designs
  • Measure angles with protractor
  • Duplicate, resize, and recolor shapes
  • Fill built-in outlines
  • Annotate work with drawing tools
  • Share creations via image or code
Features
Read full description

Students use Pattern Shapes to explore geometry and fractions, creating their own designs, or filling in outlines. As they work with the shapes students explore geometric relationships, think about angles, investigate symmetry, and compose and decompose larger shapes. Many of these explorations lead naturally to thinking about fractions as parts of a whole. This virtual version of pattern blocks is an open-ended educational tool, ideal for elementary classrooms and other learning environments that use iPads. Pattern blocks are a key model used in Bridges in Mathematics, second edition. Online preview available at: www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges FEATURES • Rotate shapes in increments of 15 degrees. • Measure angles with the protractor tool. • Duplicate and change the color and size of shapes. • Fill the built-in outlines with shapes or create your own to share with others. • Choose between a triangular or square grid, or a blank background. • Hide and reveal work 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. ABOUT US This resource is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 education since 1976. Our mission is to inspire and enable individuals to discover and develop their mathematical confidence and ability. www.mathlearningcenter.org 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

Quick Math Jr.

This app offers engaging math games for young children aged 3-7, covering essential foundational skills like counting, addition, subtraction, and number writing. It features adaptive difficulty to suit individual learning paces and allows for personalized monster character creation.

Highlights
  • Twelve curriculum-aligned math games
  • Adaptive difficulty
  • Handwritten number input
  • Monster character customization
  • Unlimited player profiles
  • Progress reports
Features
Read full description

*Featured on the App Store* *Children’s Tech Review Parents’ Choice Award* *Top Rated by Balefire Labs* *REVERE Awards Finalist* Loved by teachers... and kids! Quick Math Jr. is an award winning app that covers the essential foundations of mathematics, including counting, addition and subtraction, place value, writing numbers and much more! “...excellent for teaching kids about number sense.” - Graphite by Common Sense Media Perfect for children aged 3 - 7, Quick Math Jr learns as kids play and adjusts the difficulty of the questions to make sure each individual player is always at a level that is just right for them! From the creators of the award-winning Quick Math series, Quick Math Jr. is a fun way to develop mathematics skills and confidence. FEATURES • Twelve games aligned with international maths curriculums, including US Common Core and the Australian National Curriculum • Adaptive difficulty to quickly place each player at their appropriate level • Write answers directly on-screen! Progress from multiple-choice to handwritten answers. • Create your own monster characters by winning new features, then see your creations appear in the game! • Unlimited player profiles for easy device sharing • View your child’s report card and see their progress through the app or on your Apple Watch EDUCATIONAL CONTENT • Develop number sense • Name numbers • Practice number sequence up to 100 • Connect number names, numerals and quantities up to 30, including zero • Model numbers up to 20 • Subitize small collections of objects in dice patterns, ten-frames and random patterns • Conceptually subitize larger collections of objects in two or more dice patterns or ten frames • Start counting from numbers other than one • Count on and back • Skip count by twos, threes, fives and tens • Count and skip-count forwards and backwards • Practice place value by composing numbers to 99 using tens and ones • Create equality using balance • Add to and subtract from a hidden total to practice mental arithmetic and counting on and back • Solve simple addition and subtraction questions up to 20 • Practice writing numerals • Continue two, three and four-part patterns • Fill in missing elements in two, three and four part patterns • Practise number bonds within twenty • Practise greater than and less than on a number line • Solve addition and subtraction story problems within 10 • Practise counting and arithmetic using both continuous and discrete quantities • Locate hidden numbers on a number line • Estimate the position of numbers on a number line

Screenshots

Quick Math Jr.4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pattern Shapes, by MLC at 4.2 against Quick Math Jr.'s 3.6. Pattern Shapes, by MLC also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (70% vs 43%). Quick Math Jr.'s advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 26 months) and ratings volume (338 vs 17). On price and ads 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. Quick Math Jr. sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Pattern Shapes, by MLC asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pattern Shapes, by MLC holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Quick Math Jr. has 338 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Pattern Shapes, by MLC's written reviews are positive against 43% of Quick Math Jr.'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pattern Shapes, by MLC ships an update every 26 months, Quick Math Jr. every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Pattern Shapes, by MLC versus Quick Math Jr.: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPattern Shapes, by MLCQuick Math Jr.
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (17 ratings) — better3.6 (338 ratings)
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews — better43.0% of reviews
Number of ratings17338 — better
Update frequencyEvery 26 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS14.77.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB132 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Math Learning CenterShiny Things

Customer experience

Pattern Shapes, by MLC

All ratings17 ratings
Positive82.4%
Neutral5.9%
Negative11.8%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative10.0%

Quick Math Jr.

All ratings338 ratings
Positive63.3%
Neutral4.4%
Negative32.2%
Written reviews370 reviews
Positive43.0%
Neutral6.2%
Negative50.8%

Bugs and requests

Pattern Shapes, by MLC

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Quick Math Jr.

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Audio not working
  • Inability to restore in-app purchases

Requested features

3 requests
  • More advanced math levels and content
  • Ability to sync progress across devices
  • Better parental controls and account management

In-app purchases

None

Pattern Shapes, by MLC

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Quick Math Jr.

One-time4
  • Spooky Town$4.99
  • Mad Science Island$4.99
  • Medieval Island$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Unlock All Islands$9.99

Questions

Is Pattern Shapes, by MLC free?
Pattern Shapes, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Quick Math Jr. free?
Quick Math Jr. is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pattern Shapes, by MLC or Quick Math Jr.?
Pattern Shapes, by MLC is rated higher. Pattern Shapes, by MLC averages 4.2 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Quick Math Jr. averages 3.6 from 338 ratings.
Do Pattern Shapes, by MLC or Quick Math Jr. have ads?
Neither Pattern Shapes, by MLC nor Quick Math Jr. shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pattern Shapes, by MLC or Quick Math Jr.?
Pattern Shapes, by MLC ships an update every 26 months, and Quick Math Jr. every 3 weeks. Most recently, Pattern Shapes, by MLC was updated on June 2, 2026 and Quick Math Jr. on September 22, 2026.

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