How we rate history apps
Short answer
Every app gets 0 to 10 points on seven criteria, weighted: learning design 22%, chronological path 22%, sources and accuracy 17%, history depth 12%, price and clarity 10%, platforms 10%, ratings and track record 7%. Each point comes from the app's own App Store or Google Play listing, read on October 20, 2026; if the listing doesn't mention something, the app gets no point for it. We make Aurelius; it scores 9.2/10 and gets the lowest possible mark on ratings, because it has none yet.
Why these criteria
We asked what decides whether you actually learn history from an app and remember it: lessons short enough to do every day, recall right after each lesson, a path in time order so facts connect, sources you can trust, enough history to go through, a price you can understand, and an app that runs on your phone. Store ratings show how established an app is, so they count too, with a small weight.
| Criterion | Weight | How we measure it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning design | 22% | Short lessons (3 points), a quiz after every lesson (3; quizzes elsewhere in the app 2), habit features such as streaks, XP, levels or badges (2), and a way to compete with others: leaderboards, battles or challenges (2). | App Store and Google Play listings, read Oct 20, 2026 |
| Chronological path | 22% | A path or course you follow in order (4), coverage the listing states from the ancient world to the modern era (3), and lessons that link causes and consequences, so you learn why, not only when (3). | Listing descriptions, read Oct 20, 2026 |
| Sources and accuracy | 17% | Sources or image credits shown to you (3), fact-checking or expert review stated (3), a stated way to report and fix errors (2), and AI use: no AI-written lessons 2, AI only for a chat or search tool 1, lessons generated by AI 0. | Listing descriptions, read Oct 20, 2026 |
| History depth | 12% | A history-only app (5; history as one subject among many 2), a stated number of lessons or topics (100 or more 3, any number 2), and 10 or more eras or regions named (2). | Listing descriptions, read Oct 20, 2026 |
| Price and clarity | 10% | Free to learn scores 10. Otherwise: lowest monthly price of $9.99 or less, or no subscription at all (4; up to $14.99 2), one price per plan length on the listing (3), and a free trial or free lessons stated (3). | US App Store in-app purchases, read Oct 20, 2026 |
| Platforms | 10% | iPhone and iPad (4), Android (4), a web version (2). | App Store, Google Play (US) and official websites, Oct 20, 2026 |
| Ratings and track record | 7% | US App Store average (4.5 or more 5, 4.0 or more 3, any 1) plus number of ratings (10,000 or more 5, 1,000 or more 4, 100 or more 3, 10 or more 2, any 1). An app with no ratings yet scores 1. This is where a new app like Aurelius scores lowest. | US App Store, read Oct 20, 2026 |
The rules, point by point
- Learning design: short lessons 3; a quiz after every lesson 3 (quizzes elsewhere 2); streaks, XP, levels or badges 2; leaderboards, battles or challenges with others 2.
- Chronological path: a path or course in order 4; coverage stated from the ancient world to the modern era 3; lessons that link causes and consequences 3.
- Sources and accuracy: sources or image credits shown 3; fact-checking or expert review stated 3; a way to report and fix errors 2; no AI-written lessons 2 (AI only for chat or search 1; AI-generated lessons 0).
- History depth: history-only app 5 (history as one subject among many 2); number of lessons or topics stated, 100 or more 3, any 2; 10 or more eras or regions named 2.
- Price and clarity: free to learn 10. Otherwise lowest monthly price of $9.99 or less, or no subscription, 4 (up to $14.99 2); one price per plan length 3; a free trial or free lessons stated 3.
- Platforms: iPhone and iPad 4, Android 4, web 2.
- Ratings and track record: US App Store average 4.5+ 5, 4.0+ 3, any 1; ratings 10,000+ 5, 1,000+ 4, 100+ 3, 10+ 2, any 1. No ratings yet scores 1.
Each criterion is scored 0 to 10 (at least 1 where the rule says so), multiplied by its weight, and added up; the total is rounded to one decimal. Ties are broken by number of US App Store ratings.
Every app's points
| # | App | Score | Design 22% | Path 22% | Sources 17% | Depth 12% | Price 10% | Platforms 10% | Ratings 7% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurelius Our app | 9.2 Excellent | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
| 2 | Historo | 6.4 Fair | 9 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| 3 | Histopia | 6.3 Fair | 9 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| 4 | Learn History: Timeline Quiz | 6.0 Fair | 4 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| 5 | Khan Academy | 5.6 Average | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 | Paladin | 4.6 Limited | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| 7 | HistoryDays | 4.6 Limited | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| 8 | Clio | 4.5 Limited | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
| 9 | World History Encyclopedia | 4.5 Limited | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
| 10 | Histia | 4.3 Limited | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| 11 | Nibble | 4.1 Limited | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 |
| 12 | History Master | 4.1 Limited | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 |
The listing wording behind the points
Every point above comes from a line of the app's listing; all the quotes are in one table on compare all history apps.
Limits of this method
- We score what listings say. An app may do more than its listing describes; tell us and we will re-read it.
- Prices are US App Store prices on October 20, 2026 and vary by country and over time.
- We chose the criteria and we make Aurelius. Aurelius does well because the criteria reward what it was built to do (order, recall, sources); it scores lowest of all on ratings. You can recompute every score from the tables above.
Which apps we include
Apps whose listing is about learning history, available on the US App Store on October 20, 2026, with enough on the listing to score. We left out Imprint (general knowledge) and MyHistory (too little on its listing). Changes are in the change log on the ranking.