# Main Idea vs Make the Number!

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Make the Number! at none against Main Idea's 3. Make the Number! also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 22 months). Main Idea's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 17.6). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Main Idea sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Make the Number! asks for nothing beyond the download.

Main Idea ships an update every 22 months, Make the Number! every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Main Idea | Make the Number! |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/main-idea-short-texts/id916386000/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 28 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Janine Toole](https://appshunter.io/developer/839832427) | [Tanaka Mikihisa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1778448960) |

## What reviewers say

### Main Idea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/main-idea-short-texts/id916386000)

This app helps children in grades 2-5 improve their reading comprehension by teaching them to identify the main idea of a text. It uses a step-by-step, errorless learning approach with a reward system to keep kids motivated. Content is designed by educators and researchers, with reporting features for parents and teachers.

**Highlights:** Step-by-step skill building, Errorless learning approach, Engaging reward center, Parental review and reporting, Teacher and researcher-designed content, Timed levels for fluency

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to 2 Players | $1.99 | one-time |
| Purchase All Levels | $2.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to 10 Players | $2.99 | one-time |


### Make the Number!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/make-the-number-reverse/id6754251967)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Main Idea free?

Main Idea is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Make the Number! free?

Make the Number! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Main Idea or Make the Number! have ads?

Neither Main Idea nor Make the Number! shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Main Idea or Make the Number!?

Main Idea ships an update every 22 months, and Make the Number! every 4 days. Most recently, Main Idea was updated on November 2, 2026 and Make the Number! on November 5, 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.*