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Head-to-head · Reading Apps

Starfall vs Scholastic RISE

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Starfall #3 in Reading Apps 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Starfall
Scholastic RISE #7 in Reading Apps 8.8/10 Pricing on request ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Scholastic

Starfall leads on 0 checks, Scholastic RISE on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreStarfall · 9.2/10
  • Free planonly Starfall
  • Most featuresStarfall · 4 of 4

Starfall scores higher on our rubric for reading apps: 9.2 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.

Starfall is the better fit for affordable early-literacy practice at home or school. Scholastic RISE is the better fit for small-group reading intervention programs.

  • Starfall fits best

    Affordable early-literacy practice at home or school

  • Scholastic RISE fits best

    Small-group reading intervention programs

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Side by side

Feature Starfall 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Scholastic RISE 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.8
Ranking #3 in Reading Apps #7 in Reading Apps
Best for Affordable early-literacy practice at home or school Small-group reading intervention programs
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price $35/yr Pricing on request
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web
Integrations 2 integrations 5 integrations
Features Starfall 4/4 · Scholastic RISE 3/4
Phonics instruction ✓ ✓
Comprehension practice ✓ ✓
Fluency practice ✓ ✓
Offline access ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Age range Pre-K through 5th grade Grade PreK–6
Content format Mixed Mixed
Supported platforms web, ios, android web
Our review
Pros
  • Systematic phonics covers CVC words, sight words, and vowel teams
  • Reading practice includes fluency, comprehension, fiction, and nonfiction
  • Offline standalone mobile apps and memberships for families and schools
  • Combines phonics, comprehension, fluency, word study, and guided writing
  • Includes leveled texts from Levels C–Z and instructional station resources
  • Offers text assignment, digital bookshelf, progress reports, and monitoring tools
Cons
  • The main Starfall app requires internet access
  • The lowest paid in-app plan is limited to app access
  • Advanced school access costs more than home membership
  • Web-only delivery limits platform flexibility
  • Pricing requires contacting Scholastic
  • Purchase page currently shows the item as out of stock
Our verdict

Starfall is a reading platform for children from Pre-K through fifth grade, combining alphabet activities, systematic phonics, sight words, books, games, songs, poetry, and reading practice. It is designed for families, teachers,…

Read the review →

Scholastic RISE is a short-term, small-group reading intervention program for PreK–6 educators and students. It is designed for learners reading below grade-level benchmarks and combines leveled books or short texts with structured…

Read the review →
  1. StarfallReading Apps 9.2Free plan
  2. Scholastic RISEReading Apps 8.8Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Starfall — where it wins

    • Systematic phonics covers CVC words, sight words, and vowel teams
    • Reading practice includes fluency, comprehension, fiction, and nonfiction
    • Offline standalone mobile apps and memberships for families and schools

    Where it doesn't

    • The main Starfall app requires internet access
    • The lowest paid in-app plan is limited to app access
    • Advanced school access costs more than home membership

  • Scholastic RISE — where it wins

    • Combines phonics, comprehension, fluency, word study, and guided writing
    • Includes leveled texts from Levels C–Z and instructional station resources
    • Offers text assignment, digital bookshelf, progress reports, and monitoring tools

    Where it doesn't

    • Web-only delivery limits platform flexibility
    • Pricing requires contacting Scholastic
    • Purchase page currently shows the item as out of stock

More comparisons

All reading apps comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update