# Secret Stories Phonics Reading — Brain Based Learning for Kids > Brain-based phonics learning app with stories and sound images for all ages. (iPhone/iPad app by Marenem Inc..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-stories-phonics-reading/id1526893160 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Marenem Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526893162) - Category: Education - Price: Free with in-app purchases (on sale, was $27.99) - Rating: 4.39/5 from 621 App Store ratings · 117 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 14.0.0 · 71 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2020-09-11 - Data updated: 2026-07-05 - Monetization: subscription - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-stories-phonics-reading/id1526893160/reviews.md ## What is Secret Stories Phonics Reading? UNLOCK THE POWER OF PHONICS WITH SECRET STORIES® – THE ONLY ESSA LEVEL 1 PHONICS TOOL WITH AN EFFECT SIZE OF 1.62! Secret Stories® is the only phonics resource backed by ESSA Level 1 “Strong Evidence,” boasting an average effect size of 1.62. This indicates significant, proven gains in literacy outcomes. While most competitors meet only Tier 2–4 standards, Secret Stories exceeds them—empowering children, struggling readers, and adults to not just catch up, but soar. ACCELERATE LITERACY AND SUCCESS Phonics breaks the English language into 44 sounds, allowing readers to decode instead of memorize. Secret Stories® makes phonics accessible with unique brain-based stories and sound images that simplify complex phonics rules into fun, memorable narratives. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or adult learner, it’s the fast-track to literacy success. PHONICS WITH THE BRAIN IN MIND Phonics works the same—whether you're 5 or 50. The Secret Stories® app pairs with any curriculum and accelerates access to the code by focusing on sound patterns over memorization. This allows learners to read faster and transition quickly from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” HOW SECRET STORIES® HELPS ALL AGES • BETTER ALPHABET® SONG: Fastest way to learn letter sounds using muscle memory—great for beginners. • SECRET STORIES® SOUND IMAGES: Engaging interactive stories for each phonics pattern. • FAST-TRACK LEARNING: Reinforce skills through structured and random play practice modes. WHAT PARENTS ARE SAYING: “One week in and my son’s reading words nonstop. A month ago he was crying under the bed. Now, he’s hunting for words to decode!” “My son is THRIVING. Five months ago, we considered him dyslexic. Now he’s decoding words with joy. Reading finally feels fun!” WHAT EDUCATORS ARE SAYING: “I added the Better Alphabet and my class learned more letters this month than all of last year!” “Secret Stories is my most prized resource. I always recommend it to parents—I’ve seen the difference it makes!” KEY FEATURES • Fast-Track the ABCs with the Better Alphabet® Song • Secret Stories® Sound Pictures for easy recall • Targeted drills + random play for reading and spelling reinforcement SUBSCRIPTION & BILLING • Monthly Plan: $14.99 (billed every 30 days) • Annual Plan: $149.99 (billed yearly) All payments are handled via the App Store. Subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled 24+ hours before the end of the billing cycle. Manage anytime via account settings. **By using this app, you agree to Apple's standard End User License Agreement (EULA), available at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ ** Yearly Subscription Full Year Access – Secret Stories® Phonics Get unlimited access for 12 months at $149.99. Ideal for committed users seeking long-term savings. Features: • BETTER ALPHABET® SONG – Master letter sounds quickly with proven muscle memory techniques. • SECRET STORIES® SOUND IMAGES – Engaging, interactive stories for every phonics pattern. • FAST-TRACK LEARNING – Switch between structured lessons and random play for retention. • BONUS – Exclusive videos of Katie Garner reading each story aloud. Monthly Subscription Monthly Access – Secret Stories® Phonics Flexible month-to-month access for $14.99. Perfect for trying out the full program without commitment. Features: • BETTER ALPHABET® SONG – Learn phonics basics fast with multi-sensory tools. • SECRET STORIES® SOUND IMAGES – Explore interactive stories covering key phonics rules. • FAST-TRACK LEARNING – Multiple play modes for skill reinforcement. • INCLUDES – Videos of Katie Garner reading each Secret Story. Join hundreds of thousands accelerating their literacy journey with Secret Stories®. Download the app today and unlock the code to confident reading! ## Key features - Brain-based phonics learning - Interactive sound stories - Better Alphabet song for letter sounds - Structured and random play practice - Accelerated literacy development ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Premium - 1 Year Access | $149.99 | per year | | Premium - 1 Month Access | $14.99 | per month | ## What do users think of Secret Stories Phonics Reading? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Great teaching resource - 👍 Helpful for reinforcing learning - 🚀 Game changer for teaching - 👍 Engaging for students **Cons** - 💰 Expensive subscription - 🔒 Restrictive copyright/sharing - 🐛 Glitches and bugs - 👎 Lack of additional features **Commonly reported bugs** - Better Alphabet Song stops abruptly - App not working/crashing **Most requested features** - Option to display stories/cards on screen - More comprehensive coverage of letter sounds - Ability to restore previous purchases ## Recent user reviews (10 of 117) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-stories-phonics-reading/id1526893160/reviews.md ### 1/5 — WAS my favorite app till I went to recommend it to others *2026-04-25, version 1.4.5* I am very shocked and disheartened to know an app I paid for, and had other families purchase too, all the sudden does not work. At all. Not an upgrade issue but a complete shut down of anything I purchased. Which was not a cheap $2 cost. How disappointing that Katie Garner would allow this to happen when she is creating other avenues of content she is selling. I would know as I have purchased many other items from her. Now I will have to see what else I have lost from my purchases of Secret Stories like TPT items. SMH. ### 1/5 — Not interactive, not a spelling “app” *2026-04-17, version 1.4.5* This “app” is not a tool, or interactive. There is no practice, it is literally just a series of videos. There is no interaction or practice within it. A complete waste of time and money. I canceled my subscription within five minutes and wish I could get a refund. ### 1/5 — Poor company ethics *2026-02-25, version 1.4.5* I bought a “lifetime subscription” on the App Store several years ago and absolutely loved it. I can now no longer use it as it’s asking for a purchase order #, which I obviously do not have since it was not ordered from the Secret Stories website directly. This is obviously a money grab to force former users to a paid by month subscription service. ### 1/5 — Too expensive *2026-02-21, version 1.4.5* $15 a month for such little content. It offers a short video (30 seconds) for each secret story, then sings the better alphabet song. You can find the same stuff on YouTube. Don’t waste your money! ### 1/5 — SCAM. ZERO STARS *2026-02-20, version 1.4.5* I paid $25 for this app, which is already a lot for an app. And now I went back in and they want me to pay $15 a month or a yearly subscription over $100. Why would I pay for the app and then have to pay to use the app? Make it make sense? It’s not like you can use a basic version and then upgrade. You literally can’t use the app at all unless you get the subscription now. So dumb. ### 1/5 — Stealing from customers *2026-02-03, version 1.4.5* I bought this app (several times actually on different Apple accounts/devices) for like $30 several years ago and now they have locked me out and are trying to get me to subscribe!! It’s a good system but has always been overpriced. Now they’re getting downright greedy. So gross ### 1/5 — Preying on educators for cash *2025-12-23, version 1.4.5* Very disappointed in this company. They prey on teachers and parents to pay $14.99 a month for an app that doesn’t do much. It works better with standalone one-time pricing (like they have in the past) as there are no meaningful monthly updates. They are relentless in trying to scrape money away from you. They also do not abide by normal app subscriptions on Apple. Instead, gatekeeping access on their end. If you end your subscription early, they cut off access for what you already bought. DO NOT TRUST THIS COMPANY. They made their own bed by doing this pricing structure. I like the curriculum but their business ethics are predatory and I cannot recommend them. ### 1/5 — Trust Issue After Policy Change *2025-12-20, version 1.4.5* I’m very disappointed by the switch to a monthly subscription. I originally purchased the app years ago as a one-time purchase through the App Store (it wasn’t cheap and wasn’t worth the cost), and now I no longer even have access to it. I paid for the app in good faith, and it’s frustrating to be locked out unless I subscribe again. This change makes me hesitant to trust the company. ### 1/5 — Scam *2025-12-02, version 1.4.5* Bought it a few years ago and it’s forever price and now it’s saying I need to buy it again but yearly at $150. This is a joke! So upset! ### 1/5 — Buyer Beware *2025-11-22, version 1.4.5* I paid over $30 dollars for this app, and enjoyed using it with my class. However, the app suddenly has switched to a subscription and turned off access to content I purchased on a one time basis. It feels like the company has stolen back content I paid for. The price was unreasonable before for content I had already memorized, but $15 per month is insane. I won’t ever make another purchase from Secret Stories, and you should think seriously before you buy from them as well. ## Frequently asked questions about Secret Stories Phonics Reading ### What is Secret Stories Phonics Reading? Secret Stories Phonics Reading is an educational app that utilizes brain-based learning techniques, including unique stories and sound images, to teach phonics. It aims to help users of all ages accelerate their literacy skills by focusing on decoding sounds rather than memorization. ### What are the key features of the app? The app features the Better Alphabet® Song for fast letter sound learning using muscle memory, Secret Stories® Sound Images which are engaging interactive stories for each phonics pattern, and targeted drills plus random play modes for reading and spelling reinforcement. ### How much does Secret Stories Phonics Reading cost? The app offers a monthly subscription plan for $14.99 and an annual plan for $149.99. Payments are handled through the App Store, and subscriptions auto-renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing cycle. ### Who can benefit from using this app? This app is beneficial for children, struggling readers, and adult learners. Its brain-based approach and focus on sound patterns make phonics accessible and accelerate the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. ### Is this app compatible with any curriculum? Yes, the Secret Stories® app is designed to pair with any curriculum. It accelerates access to the English language code by focusing on sound patterns, making it a versatile tool for various educational settings. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.4.5 — 2025-06-15 UI Fixes ### 1.3.8 — 2025-06-12 UI Fixes ### 1.3.7 — 2025-06-11 UI Fixes ### 1.3.6 — 2025-06-09 In the version we have added videos and improved the user experience. ### 1.3.5 — 2025-06-03 We've updated the app to require a subscription for access to premium features. Enjoy the full experience with our subscription plan! ## Apps similar to Secret Stories Phonics Reading | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Sight Words & Phonics Reading](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sight-words-and-phonics-reading/id878724595) | 4.6 (24,035) | Free | Education | | [Learn to Read - Reading.com](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-to-read-readingcom/id1534938305) | 4.7 (56,562) | Free | Education | | [Read-Along: Books For Kids App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/read-along-books-for-kids-app/id1459753862) | 4.6 (1,743) | Free | Education | | [Sight Words Reading Games ABC](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sight-words-reading-games-abc/id518258478) | 4.8 (68,007) | Free | Education | | [Splash Reading: Games for Kids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/splash-reading-games-for-kids/id492885924) | 4.3 (2,410) | Free | Education | | [ABC Animal Games for Toddlers](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-animal-games-for-toddlers/id500099457) | 4.7 (22,793) | Free | Education | ## Related topics [sound literacy](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/sound-literacy) · [the secret stories](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-secret-stories) · [phonics sense](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/phonics-sense) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-05.*