Comparison

Frederick vs Phonics Cards

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

Head to head
About

Frederick

This app helps speakers of any language learn to read, spell, and pronounce English through interactive games and phonics-based lessons. It avoids translation and memorization, focusing on building confidence and fluency in English.

Highlights
  • Phonics-based learning
  • Sight word recognition
  • Interactive games
  • Pronunciation practice
  • Offline functionality
  • Progress tracking
  • Teacher mode
Features
Read full description

Frederick lets speakers of ANY language learn to read, spell and pronounce English through play, all in English! No translating or memorizing! Because traditional lessons can be boring, confusing and ineffective, many students struggle to become confident readers and speakers. So, Frederick lets learners teach themselves to read and speak English in two simple steps: First, you compare letter combinations to develop reading skills, pronunciation and listening. Even non-native English learners can understand with pictures instead of translations. Then, fun games let you review what you learn in different ways. So you build confidence and fluency, automatically. Frederick teaches PHONICS (the rules of pronunciation), and SIGHT WORDS (words that break pronunciation rules). All 44 sounds of English are covered across more than 2,000 words, from the alphabet to advanced words and full sentences. There’s a “Word Bank” where you can see all of the words you’ve found. You can also unlock all levels and modes with “Teacher Mode." This enables learners to start at the right level for their ability. Frederick works offline, and you can easily track progress with word counters and rewards! The first 3 levels are free: the alphabet (Aa, Ba, Cc…) short vowels and consonants (at, in, up…) three-letter words (cat, bug, pig…) Pay the one-time upgrade fee to get instant access to levels 4-35. (Upgrade within the first 30 minutes of using Frederick and get 75% off) consonant blends (CRab, STop, deSK…) consonant digraphs (CHip, SHip, loCK…) ng, nk (riNG, siNK, taNK…) al, all, el, ell, il, ill, ul, ull, le (bALL, mILk, jungLE…) magic/silent e (lakE, linE, modE…) long A (rAIn, mAIl, pAY, EIGHt...) long E (sEAl, mEAl, bE, fIEld, candY, kEY...) long I (pIE, tIE, hIGH, wIld, kInd, flY...) long O (bOAt, gOAt, lOW, gO, fOld, vOlt...) long U (news, boot, clue, fruit...) aPPle (eGG, PHone, QUit...) dOg (cAUGHt, bOUGHt, frOg, wALk...) brEAd (hEAd, rEAd, swEAt...) cOIn (bOIl, cOIl, bOY, jOY...) bOOk (cOOk, fOOt, pUll, pUsh...) clOUd (OUt, cOUch, cOW, dOWn...) cactUs (About, Alone, tokEn, pandA...) sYrup (crYstal, phYsics, sYstem...) City (Cell, Cobra, Gem, draGon...) cAR (bAR, cARd, shARp, tARt...) chAIr (hAIR, pAIR, cARE, shARE...) EAR (gEAR, fEAR, lEER, pIER...) bIRd (hER, pEARl, wORk, sURf...) fORk (fOR, bOAR, dOOR, fOUR...) sensitIVE (actIVE, elusIVE, negatIVE...) sWAn (sWAt, WAtch, QUAlity, sQUAt...) miX (fiX, EXam, EXcellent, EXpel...) likED (votED, callED, lookED...) canS (wishES, brickS, callS...) vulTURE (culTURE, sURE, meaSURE...) quesTION (convenTION, educaTION, equaTION...) siGN (GNat, KNee, coMB, WRap...) Frederick is perfect for: Adult English language learners who want to understand the rules of spelling and pronunciation so they can quickly reduce their accent and understand natives more easily. Beginning English learners who want to learn all in English so they become able to speak. Teachers and parents (even those with NO EXPERIENCE teaching reading) who want a simple, natural and fun way to teach kids or adults to read, spell and pronounce English. There are no confusing instructions in Frederick. There’s also no “system” to learn, so even a two-year-old can improve with Frederick! Learn more: http://frederickreadingapp.com/ Have questions or need support? Mail us: mailto:info@englishanyone.com Thanks so much for trying Frederick! We hope you like it. :) Praise for Frederick: “I really love the app because it can help the students to enjoy learning English, and I recommend it to my colleagues.” — Masashi, Jr. High Vice Principal, Japan

About

Phonics Cards

This app offers a distraction-free way to learn phonics rules and improve pronunciation. It includes extensive word examples and customizable phonics sets, supporting both English and British accents.

Highlights
  • 23 phonics sets
  • ~5000 word examples
  • English and British accent pronunciation
  • Customizable phonics sets
  • Add custom words and notes
  • Distraction-free interface
Features
Read full description

Phonics Cards — Systematic English Phonics & Pronunciation Phonics Cards is a focused, distraction-free tool designed to help you master English letter sounds, spelling patterns, and pronunciation. Whether you are helping students learn phonics rules, practicing correct sound articulation, or improving your English pronunciation, Phonics Cards provides a clear, systematic reference tool. Phonics Cards consists of 23 comprehensive phonics sets ranging from basic to advanced, featuring over 5,000 carefully curated word examples. Check the pronunciation of any word in American and British English accents, adjust speech speeds, and explore word meanings with 4 world-class dictionaries. KEY FEATURES Tap to Listen: Tap any card on the grid to hear clear, natural pronunciation aloud. Instant Dictionary Lookup: Press and hold any word to look up definitions, phonetic transcriptions, and word origins across 4 dictionaries (Merriam-Webster, Oxford, Cambridge, and Longman). Adjustable Speech Speed: Select Normal, Slow, or Very Slow speeds to catch subtle vowel sounds, blend transitions, and consonant articulations. Custom Word Lists & Notes: Create personal phonics lists, add new words, attach custom notes, and manage cards with Edit mode. Distraction-Free Interface: Clean, modern flashcard grid designed for focused practice and easy navigation. 23 COMPREHENSIVE PHONICS SETS Short Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) Long Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) Silent E (a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e) Bossy R (ar, er, ir, or, ur) Vowel Teams I (ai, au, aw, ay, ea, ee, ei, ew, ey) Vowel Teams II (ie, oa, oe, ow, ue) Vowel Diphthongs (oi, ou, ow, oy) Double O Sounds (long oo, short oo, other) R-Controlled Vowels I (air, are, ear, eer, eir, ere) R-Controlled Vowels II (ire, oar, oor, ore, our, ure) Y Rules (consonant y, long-e sound, long-i sound, short-i sound) Schwa (unstressed vowel reductions) Initial Blends I (bl, br, cl, cr, dr, gr, pl, pr, tr) Initial Blends II (sc, scr, sk, sn, sp, spl, spr, st, sw) Initial Blends III (dw, fl, fr, gl, shr, sl, str, thr, tw) Final Blends I (-ct, -ld, -lf, -lm, -lp, -lt, -ft, -lk) Final Blends II (-mp, -nch, -nd, -nk, -nt) Final Blends III (-pt, -rd, -rt, -sk, -sp, -st) Consonant Digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, gh, ph, ng) Soft C and G Silent Letters (gn, kn, mb, mn, wr) GH Letter Patterns (aigh, augh, eigh, igh, ough) Suffixes (cian, cien, sion, tion, tious, tial, ture) DESIGNED FOR: Parents and Educators teaching letter sounds, digraphs, and phonics patterns. ESL / EFL Students mastering English pronunciation, phonemic awareness, and spelling. Speech Practice and Study focusing on accurate sound recognition and vocabulary review. If you enjoy Phonics Cards, please take a moment to leave a rating and review on the App Store. Thank you for your support!

Screenshots

Frederick4 screens
Phonics Cards4 screens

Verdict

The call

Frederick and Phonics Cards both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Phonics Cards's written reviews are positive against 71% of Frederick's. Frederick's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Frederick sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Phonics Cards sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Phonics Cards holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 51 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Frederick's written reviews are positive against 100% of Phonics Cards's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Frederick ships an update every 2 months, Phonics Cards every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Frederick versus Phonics Cards: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFrederickPhonics Cards
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (68 ratings)4.6 (51 ratings) — better
Positive reviews71.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings68 — better51
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size559 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDrew BadgerFlorithm LLC

Customer experience

Frederick

All ratings68 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral4.4%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

Phonics Cards

All ratings51 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Frederick

One-time3
  • 50 indirim!$19.99
  • Unlock Game 25% off$59.99
  • Unlock Game$79.99
1 purchases

Phonics Cards

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$5.99

Questions

Is Frederick free?
Frederick is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Phonics Cards free?
Phonics Cards is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Frederick or Phonics Cards?
Phonics Cards is rated higher. Frederick averages 4.4 out of 5 from 68 ratings, while Phonics Cards averages 4.6 from 51 ratings.
Do Frederick or Phonics Cards have ads?
Neither Frederick nor Phonics Cards shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Frederick or Phonics Cards?
Frederick ships an update every 2 months, and Phonics Cards every 5 weeks. Most recently, Frederick was updated on September 22, 2026 and Phonics Cards on September 19, 2026.

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