MathTappers vs ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MathTappers
This game helps learners master addition and subtraction facts through engaging visual and symbolic models. It offers two modes to support both younger and older learners in building accuracy and speed with basic math concepts.
- Addition and subtraction fact mastery
- Visual grid mode for younger learners
- Symbolic part-part-whole model
- Focus on sense-making and accuracy
- Develops fluency and recall speed
- Supports understanding of fact families
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MathTappers: Find Sums – learn basic facts for addition and subtraction Version 2.0 Description MathTappers: Find Sums is a simple game designed to help learners to make sense of addition (and subtraction), and then to support them in developing accuracy and improving their speed. Please go to MathTappers.com for additional information on all of our apps. For Parents: There are two modes provided to support your child as they play the game. The first mode is designed for younger learners and uses a picture of a grid in which apples are placed and both apples and blank spaces can easily be counted. The goal is to choose a pair of numbers that cause all of the un-shaded spaces to be filled with apples. The second mode uses a symbolic part-part-whole model designed to help older learners to efficiently and accurately recognize addition and subtraction facts. In this mode the goal is to pick two numbers that when placed in the top spaces add together to equal the value in the bottom space. The focus should always be on sense-making and accuracy before speed. Ask your child to explain how they know what the other number should be and what strategies they are using. Remember that this game is not intended to replace instruction – but rather to supplement it with a self-paced activity to support mastery and fluency. Mastering the concepts of addition and subtraction and building fluency in recalling the basic associations presented in this game are essential to success in later mathematics. Fluency is an individual attribute – challenge yourself with the game to get a sense of what levels of fluency you might expect your child to achieve. For Educators: MathTappers: Find Sums is designed to help learners to master basic addition and subtraction facts with understanding and then to encourage them to continue playing to develop efficient strategies and eventually improve their recall speed (fluency). This app doesn’t rely on the ‘magic’ of flash cards but rather presents useful models to support learners as they make sense of addition and subtraction. Although the game appears to be focused only on addition – subtraction is an inherent part of their activity and learning. Learners using this app are developing a sense of the relationship between two addends and a sum - providing them with opportunities to master both addition and subtraction facts concurrently. You cannot really understand that 7+3=10 or 3+7=10 without also understanding the rest of the fact family – i.e., that 10-7=3 and 10-3=7. It is expected that working with groups of fact families that share a common sum (e.g., sum to 10) will help learners to make connections between these families and synergistically enhance their mastery process. About: Design: Tim Pelton & Leslee Francis Pelton Programming: Mike Anderson, Joshua E Smith, Chris Rail & Garrett Reimer The designers of the MathTappers Apps are math educators and researchers seeking to create simple games that will help learners to make sense of mathematics one concept at a time. In each App we try to present at least one useful visual model to support learners as they strive to master the challenges presented. The regular version of each app is provided to users for free and is designed to be useful as-is. In addition, most MathTappers Apps offer an option to expand the feature set for a minimal fee. Revenues received from these upgrades will be used to support research on the educational utility of MathTappers Apps and further refinement and expansion of the MathTappers App collection. Play, Explore and Understand! Tim Pelton Web Site MathTappers: Find Sums – a math game to help children learn basic facts for addition and subtraction Support
ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2
This app teaches early readers the essential sounds of lowercase letters, a foundational skill for reading success. It uses science-backed phonics, engaging visuals, and multi-sensory learning to help children decode words and build a strong reading foundation.
- Master lowercase letter sounds
- Science of Reading based
- Engaging phonetic visuals
- Multi-sensory learning
- Repetition and rhythm
- Distraction-free environment
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ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 - Learn Letter Sounds the Right Way! Science-Backed Phonics for Early Reading Success! Unlock your child's reading journey with ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2! Built on the foundational Science of Reading, this engaging app focuses on the crucial alphabetic principle, teaching your child the essential sounds of lowercase letters – the key to unlocking reading success. Give your child the fundamental tools they need to become a confident reader. Just as numbers form the basis of math, understanding letter sounds is the cornerstone of reading. By mastering these sounds, your child gains the power to decode words and build a strong reading foundation. ABC Magic Phonics 2 directly addresses the alphabetic principle – the understanding that letters represent sounds and that these sounds can be blended together to form words. Grounded in the Science of Reading, our app prioritizes teaching letter sounds, the most effective way to initiate reading skills. *Master Letter Sounds: Learn the primary sounds of all lowercase letters – the building blocks of 95% of printed text. *Scientifically Sound: Based on the Science of Reading, focusing on the proven method of teaching letter sounds first. *Engaging Visuals: Each letter is paired with four phonetic photo images that clearly represent its sound. *Multi-Sensory Learning: Combines visual (colored letters, photos), auditory (letter sounds, photo names), and kinesthetic (touching to hear) learning. *Repetition & Rhythm: The app's design incorporates repetition and rhythm to aid memorization of letter sounds. *Lowercase Focus: Smartly prioritizes lowercase letters, which make up the vast majority of written words. *Distraction-Free Learning: All unnecessary elements are removed, allowing your child to concentrate on letter-sound associations. *Builds on Prior Learning: A natural progression for children who may have used previous apps in the series. *Prepares for Future Reading: Lays a solid foundation for more advanced phonics skills and reading fluency. Give your child a smart start! Unlike traditional methods, ABC Magic Phonics 2 focuses on lowercase letters first. Why? Because 95% of the words in books and periodicals are in lowercase. By prioritizing these essential letters, you're maximizing your child's learning efficiency. Children actively engage by touching letters to hear their sounds and touching photos to hear their names. This auditory reinforcement, combined with clear visual associations, makes learning fun and effective. Young learners will enjoy repeating the sounds they hear, solidifying their understanding. Created by a team of experienced educators using accelerated learning techniques and Montessori principles, ABC Magic Phonics 2 has been rigorously tested and loved by preschool children. Help us make learning even better! Please share your feedback and suggestions as we continue to improve ABC Magic Phonics 2. Give your child the magic of phonics! Download ABC Magic Phonics 2 today and set them on the path to reading success!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 at 4.3 against MathTappers's 3.7. ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 also leads on ratings volume (707 vs 52). MathTappers's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (83% vs 72%). 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
Both are free to download. ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MathTappers asks for nothing beyond the download.
ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 has 707 ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of MathTappers's written reviews are positive against 72% of ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
MathTappers ships an update every 18 months, ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on June 10, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MathTappers | ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (52 ratings) | 4.3 (707 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better | 72.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 52 | 707 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | Every 12 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 109 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joshua Smith | PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY |
Customer experience
MathTappers
ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2
Bugs and requests
MathTappers
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2
Reported bugs
2 issues- App crashes immediately when tapping on letters
- App crashes upon opening and selecting content
Requested features
3 requests- Display both uppercase and lowercase letters
- Correct the color of the letter 'h' to red
- Ensure letter pronunciation audio is clear and functional
In-app purchases
MathTappers
No in-app purchases
ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2
- Full Version$1.99
Questions
Is MathTappers free?
Is ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 free?
Which has better reviews, MathTappers or ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2?
Do MathTappers or ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2 have ads?
Which is updated more often, MathTappers or ABC MAGIC PHONICS 2?
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