# Shakespeare Pro vs iPA Phonetics

The clearest difference is rating: Shakespeare Pro at 4.8 against iPA Phonetics's 4.2. Shakespeare Pro also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (1.7K vs 64). iPA Phonetics's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $12.99) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Shakespeare Pro costs $12.99 and iPA Phonetics $3.99 up front. Shakespeare Pro sells 24 one-off in-app purchases and iPA Phonetics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shakespeare Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shakespeare Pro has 1.7K ratings behind it against 64, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Shakespeare Pro's written reviews are positive against 83% of iPA Phonetics's.

Shakespeare Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, iPA Phonetics every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shakespeare Pro | iPA Phonetics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $12.99 | **$3.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare-pro/id341392367/reviews)** | [4.2 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetics/id869642260/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 64 |
| Positive reviews | **86.7% of reviews** | 83.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#198** |
| Size | 416 MB | 900 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PlayShakespeare.com](https://appshunter.io/developer/809094812) | [John Esling](https://appshunter.io/developer/926141478) |

## What reviewers say

### Shakespeare Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shakespeare-pro/id341392367)

Access the complete works of Shakespeare, including plays, sonnets, and poems. Features include a searchable concordance, integrated glossary, note-taking and sharing capabilities, and customizable reading options. Explore character details, historical context, and original spellings.

**Highlights:** Complete works of Shakespeare, Searchable concordance, Integrated glossary with definitions, Add and share personal notes, Customizable reading experience, Character descriptions and arcs, Original First Folios and Quartos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Modern translation: AYLI | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (M4M) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Much Ado) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Tempest) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (2GV) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern translation: A&C | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Henry 5) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (JC) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern translation: COE | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Pericles) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Othello) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (TN) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Macbeth) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (RJ) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (Hamlet) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Schmidt's Lexicon | $3.99 | one-time |
| Glossary by C. T. Onions | $3.99 | one-time |
| Glossary by Alexander Dyce | $3.99 | one-time |
| All Apocrypha Plays | $7.99 | one-time |
| All Lexicons | $9.99 | one-time |
| Course: Intro to Shakespeare | $9.99 | one-time |
| Course: Shakespeare for Kids | $9.99 | one-time |
| Modern Translation (All) | $17.99 | one-time |
| Shakespeare Ultimate | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Comprehensive Shakespeare collection
- 📚 Helpful features like glossary, character summaries, and search
- 💻 Convenient to have all works in one app
- 🎨 Well-designed and easy to use
- 🤓 Invaluable resource for students and Shakespeare enthusiasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficulty searching Folio texts
- 📝 Lack of note-taking functionality
- 🔔 Persistent requests for reviews can be annoying
- 🔤 Some inaccuracies in modern language translations

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch after recent update
- Glossary feature not working as expected
- Quote of the day widget not functioning properly
- Formatting issues when reading in certain orientations

**Requested features**

- Add ability to take notes and highlight text
- Improve search functionality, especially for Folio texts
- Provide more detailed character and plot summaries
- Include links to video/audio performances of the plays
- Offer more language options (e.g., original spelling, modern translations)


### iPA Phonetics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetics/id869642260)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Explore the International Phonetic Alphabet and voice production with an intuitive touch interface. Hear and see accurate examples of symbols and articulations, enhanced by real-life laryngoscopic and ultrasound videos. Adjust playback speed for detailed study.

**Highlights:** Interactive IPA chart, Voice quality exploration, Articulations demonstration, Laryngoscopic videos, Ultrasound videos, Adjustable playback speed, Full-screen video viewing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Voice Qualities Plus | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shakespeare Pro free?

Shakespeare Pro costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is iPA Phonetics free?

iPA Phonetics costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shakespeare Pro or iPA Phonetics?

Shakespeare Pro is rated higher. Shakespeare Pro averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while iPA Phonetics averages 4.2 from 64 ratings.

### Do Shakespeare Pro or iPA Phonetics have ads?

Neither Shakespeare Pro nor iPA Phonetics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shakespeare Pro or iPA Phonetics?

Shakespeare Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and iPA Phonetics every 6 months. Most recently, Shakespeare Pro was updated on October 21, 2026 and iPA Phonetics on October 22, 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.*