# R21 vs Top Phonics

The clearest difference is update cadence: R21 at every 3 months against Top Phonics's every 19 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

R21 ships an update every 3 months, Top Phonics every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | R21 | Top Phonics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 19 months |
| Size | 114 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CAVES BOOKS LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/547924599) | [Seed Learning, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1444502373) |

## What reviewers say

### R21

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/r21/id1197252445)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Top Phonics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/top-phonics/id1444502374)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is R21 free?

R21 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Top Phonics free?

Top Phonics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do R21 or Top Phonics have ads?

Neither R21 nor Top Phonics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, R21 or Top Phonics?

R21 ships an update every 3 months, and Top Phonics every 19 months. Most recently, R21 was updated on October 26, 2026 and Top Phonics on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*