# AlphaBaby Play vs LetterSchool

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AlphaBaby Play at 89% against LetterSchool's 55%. AlphaBaby Play also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). LetterSchool's advantage is ratings volume (17K vs 36) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AlphaBaby Play sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and LetterSchool sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

LetterSchool holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LetterSchool has 17K ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of AlphaBaby Play's written reviews are positive against 55% of LetterSchool's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

AlphaBaby Play ships an update every 4 months, LetterSchool every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AlphaBaby Play | LetterSchool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphababy-play/id333177252/reviews) | **[4.5 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letterschool-learn-to-write/id481067676/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 36 | **17K** |
| Positive reviews | **89.1% of reviews** | 54.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Little Potato Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/321916103) | [Letterschool Enabling Learning B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133082101) |

## What reviewers say

### AlphaBaby Play

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphababy-play/id333177252)

This app introduces toddlers to letters and shapes through interactive touch and sound. Users can personalize the experience by recording their own voices and adding custom images and captions, fostering early learning and engagement.

**Highlights:** Interactive letters and shapes, Voice recording for customization, Add custom images and captions, Shrink and grow letter animations, Flick and fly animations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Full AlphaBaby | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👶 Excellent for babies and toddlers (ages 8 months to 4 years)
- 🎓 Educational tool teaching letters, numbers, shapes, and colors
- 🎤 Ability to record custom voice and add personal photos
- 🆓 Free version available with quality features
- 🛡️ Child-proof design prevents accidental app store clicks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Random presentation lacks structured learning approach
- 📚 Uses letter names instead of phonetic sounds
- 🔊 Volume control not available
- 💾 In-app purchases not persisting across device changes
- 🎙️ Custom sound recording feature unreliable for some users

**Reported bugs**

- In-app purchases lost when changing iOS devices
- Custom sound recording not working reliably
- In-app upgrade icon not updating after purchase
- Same objects appearing consecutively in random mode
- Settings menu difficult to access and discover

**Requested features**

- Phonetic sound options instead of letter names
- Extended number range (up to 50+)
- Sound/volume level control
- Delay option to discourage button mashing
- Multiple voice recordings per object for multilingual families


### LetterSchool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letterschool-learn-to-write/id481067676)

This app helps young children learn to write letters, numbers, and shapes through interactive tracing and spelling games. It offers progress tracking and engaging animations to make learning fun and effective for toddlers and preschoolers.

**Highlights:** Block and cursive letter tracing, Uppercase and lowercase letters, Number tracing (1-10), Geometric shape tracing, Word spelling and phonics, Progress tracking for multiple players, Interactive animations and sound effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Access Pass | $4.99 | per month |
| LetterSchool - Monthly Pass | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Access Pass | $9.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Access Pass | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| LetterSchool - Monthly Pass | $14.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Access Pass | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Access Pass | $44.99 | per year |
| LetterSchool - Annual Pass | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Access Pass | $59.99 | per year |
| LetterSchool - Annual Pass | $74.99 | per year |
| Unlock All Shapes | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Full Block Alphabet | $6.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Full Cursive Alphabet | $6.99 | one-time |
| All-in-one Package | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and interactive
- 🚀 Helps improve handwriting
- 💡 Supports multiple writing styles (print, cursive, d'nealian)
- 👍 Motivating with rewards and animations
- 👍 Useful for children with learning challenges

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Subscription issues (app reverts to lite version, need to restore purchases)
- 🐛 Glitches and crashes (especially with Dari letters)
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔍 Limited free version
- 🔍 Inconsistent letter formation (not aligned with school standards)

**Reported bugs**

- Dari letter (پ) keeps glitching
- Subscription issues (app reverts to lite version, need to restore purchases)
- Incompatibility with older devices
- Login screen freezes

**Requested features**

- Add more languages (Russian, Serbian, Thai, Korean, Hebrew, Hindi, etc.)
- Allow creating custom words/names to practice
- Improve letter sound pronunciations
- Add more visual options (fonts, themes, etc.)
- Integrate with International Phonetic Alphabet


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AlphaBaby Play free?

AlphaBaby Play is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is LetterSchool free?

LetterSchool is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, AlphaBaby Play or LetterSchool?

LetterSchool is rated higher. AlphaBaby Play averages 4.2 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while LetterSchool averages 4.5 from 17K ratings.

### Do AlphaBaby Play or LetterSchool have ads?

Neither AlphaBaby Play nor LetterSchool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AlphaBaby Play or LetterSchool?

AlphaBaby Play ships an update every 4 months, and LetterSchool every 2 months. Most recently, AlphaBaby Play was updated on October 23, 2026 and LetterSchool on October 31, 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.*