Comparison

Jolly Phonics vs Early Learning Library

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

Head to head
About

Jolly Phonics

This interactive app teaches children to read and write using a systematic synthetic phonics approach. It offers engaging lessons, songs, and games to build phonemic awareness and handwriting skills, aligned with the Science of Reading.

Highlights
  • Explore 42 letter sounds with songs and audio
  • Interactive tools for reading practice
  • Step-by-step handwriting animations
  • Phonics learning games
  • Progress tracking and assessments
Features
Read full description

Teach Your Children to Read and Write with Jolly Phonics! Unlock reading and writing potential with the literacy programme designed for kids and trusted by teachers worldwide. Aligned with the Science of Reading, this interactive app makes learning to read and write and building phonemic awareness fun and engaging! What is Jolly Phonics? Jolly Phonics is a programme for teaching reading and writing. It is based on a systematic synthetic phonics approach, and was developed by teachers Sue Lloyd and Sara Wernham. It is the first stage in teaching children to read and write using the 5 key skills. It focuses on direct, explicit instruction of phonemic awareness and phonics for both reading (decoding) and writing (encoding). Scientific research has consistently shown phonemic awareness to be essential for building strong reading, spelling and writing skills. Why Choose Jolly Phonics? 1. Proven Success: Used in schools globally for over 30 years with proven literacy outcomes. 2. Science-Based Approach: Aligned with the Science of Reading to ensure kids build effective foundational reading and spelling skills. 3. Engaging and Multi-Sensory: Songs, actions and interactive learning games bring phonics learning to life! Key Features That Make Learning Easy and Fun: 1. Explore All 42 Letter Sounds: Go beyond ABC with free songs and audio to help kids learn every sound. 2. Learn to Read: Build phonemic awareness with our interactive learning tools such as flashcards, wordbank and action images to enhance and support every lesson. 3. Learn to Write: Develop strong handwriting skills with step-by-step visual animations. 4. Learning Games: Learn to read and write with fun phonics learning games that reinforce kids' learning. 5. Progress Tracking: Built-in assessments to monitor children's progress and celebrate achievements. Who Is Jolly Phonics For? 1. Kids: From preschoolers learning their first words and ABC, to confident young readers building their phonics skills. 2. Parents: Support your children's early reading, writing, and spelling journey at home with our guided lessons. 3. Teachers: A valuable classroom resource for phonics instruction. Start Your Kids' Phonics Journey Today! Join the millions of families and educators who have embraced the Jolly Phonics programme of learning for confident readers and writers. Whether at home or in the classroom, this app makes literacy learning simple, effective and enjoyable! Why Phonics Instead of ABC? 1. Phonics focuses on letter-sound relationships and how sounds (phonemes) make up words. It teaches kids the valuable skill of decoding, which is essential for reading and spelling fluency. 2. ABC refers to learning letters and their names rather than their sounds. Knowing the alphabet may be a precursor to phonics but doesn't directly teach reading skills. Learning Beyond ABC! Jolly Phonics doesn't stop at just ABC or phonemic awareness. The app offers: 1. Advanced learning strategies 2. Comprehensive handwriting exercises 3. Fun learning games designed for children to reinforce spelling and letter sounds knowledge Start Your Kids' Phonics Journey Today! Join the millions of families and educators who have embraced the Jolly Phonics programme of learning for confident readers and writers. Whether at home or in the classroom, with our structured lessons, interactive tools, and a focus on foundational phonemic awareness, your kids will learn to read, write and spell confidently. Download now and see how Jolly Phonics can transform your children's literacy learning! https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Early Learning Library

This teacher-directed digital library enhances early English language literacy and school readiness through read-aloud stories and interactive games. It offers a distraction-free reading experience with expressive narration and word highlighting, fostering parent-child engagement and language development.

Highlights
  • Teacher-directed read-aloud digital library
  • Enhances early English language literacy
  • Age-appropriate texts with read-aloud features
  • Distraction-free reading experience
  • Interactive learning games
  • Progress tracking for teachers and parents
Features
Read full description

Introducing our teacher-directed read-aloud digital library, designed to boost parent-child reading hours, enhance early English language literacy, and improve school readiness. Our app employs age-appropriate texts, read-aloud features, and evidence-based strategies to nurture early language and literacy development. Within our library, you'll find "just right" narrated and illustrated ebooks—featuring audio narration and static pictures, free from distractions like ads or animations. We prioritize an authentic, distraction-free reading experience. Each book includes a "Read To Me" mode, with human expressive narration and word highlighting, fostering engaging learning moments. Dialogic prompts encourage parent-child conversations, bolstering language skills. Plus, interactive learning games after each book enhance phonological awareness, academic vocabulary, and STEM concepts. Our platform connects teachers and parents to a vast array of read-aloud stories. Teachers can access lesson plans, assign home readings, and monitor progress effortlessly, while kids enjoy the freedom to choose their reads. The app simplifies home-based reading with a one-click 'Assign/Suggest' feature, empowering teachers to guide parents and children seamlessly. Track consistency, continuity, and increased reading time with ease—both teachers and parents can monitor progress. Regular assessments in the classroom gauge literacy skills, phonological awareness, and vocabulary growth with enhanced usage at home. Our app is designed with children in mind, ensuring a user-friendly experience that fosters a love for reading and learning.

Screenshots

Jolly Phonics4 screens
Early Learning Library4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Early Learning Library at none against Jolly Phonics's 7. Early Learning Library also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Jolly Phonics's advantage is ratings volume (4.8K vs 29) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Jolly Phonics sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Early Learning Library asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Early Learning Library holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Jolly Phonics has 4.8K ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Jolly Phonics versus Early Learning Library: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJolly PhonicsEarly Learning Library
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (4.8K ratings)4.8 (29 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings4.8K — better29
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size227 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJolly LearningSmart Kidz Club Inc.

Customer experience

Jolly Phonics

All ratings4,773 ratings
Positive83.4%
Neutral6.2%
Negative10.4%
Written reviews247 reviews
Positive42.1%
Neutral10.1%
Negative47.8%

Early Learning Library

All ratings29 ratings
Positive96.6%
Neutral3.4%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Jolly Phonics

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Account login issues
  • Inability to restore purchases
  • Blank/white screen problems
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • More games and interactive activities
  • Print letter option instead of pre-cursive
  • Ability to share purchases across devices
  • Improved customer support and bug fixes

Early Learning Library

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Jolly Phonics

Subscriptions1
  • Full access (monthly)$4.991 Month
One-time6
  • Writing$0.99
  • Sounding$1.99
  • Alternatives$1.99
Show 3 more
  • Tricky Words$1.99
  • Sound Groups 2 to 7$7.99
  • Unlock Everything$9.99
None

Early Learning Library

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Jolly Phonics free?
Jolly Phonics is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Early Learning Library free?
Early Learning Library is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Jolly Phonics or Early Learning Library?
Early Learning Library is rated higher. Jolly Phonics averages 4.4 out of 5 from 4.8K ratings, while Early Learning Library averages 4.8 from 29 ratings.
Do Jolly Phonics or Early Learning Library have ads?
Neither Jolly Phonics nor Early Learning Library shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Jolly Phonics or Early Learning Library?
Jolly Phonics ships an update every 5 weeks, and Early Learning Library every 5 weeks. Most recently, Jolly Phonics was updated on November 8, 2026 and Early Learning Library on November 3, 2026.

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