Comparison

First Letters and Phonics Lite vs ABC SPELLING MAGIC

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

Head to head
About

First Letters and Phonics Lite

This app helps young children learn letters and phonics through interactive matching games and songs. It aims to develop pre-reading skills and fine motor control in toddlers.

Highlights
  • Letter recognition
  • Phonics sounds
  • Matching game
  • ABC Song (letter names)
  • ABC Song (phonics)
  • Fine motor skill development
Features
Read full description

Match the letters and listen to the song! First Letters teaches the youngest iPhone kids about letters and phonics, and includes two original renditions of the ABC Song by popular children's musician Debi Derryberry. Toddler tested and approved, First Letters keeps your toddlers entertained and engaged while developing important pre-reading skills. Educational: + learn to recognize letters + learn the names of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) + develop fine motor skills Entertaining: + includes a simple matching game + incudes two original versions of the ABC Song: one using letter names and one using phonics If your child is old enough to ask for your phone, they're old enough for First Letters! ====================================== If you like First Letters Lite, make sure to check out the full version: First Letters and Phonics. ======================================

About

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

This educational app helps children learn to spell CVC words using the principles of the Science of Reading. It focuses on letter sounds and word construction with two levels of challenge, aiding early literacy development.

Highlights
  • Teaches letter sounds
  • Word construction with CVC words
  • Two levels of challenge
  • Incorporates Science of Reading principles
  • Montessori-inspired learning
  • Customizable voice and font options (DELUXE)
Read full description

Introducing ABC Spelling Magic, where learning to spell is fun and engaging! ABC SPELLING MAGIC incorporates the main principles of the Science of Reading. This app is designed to teach children the sounds of the letters and how to construct words, aligning with the science of reading. With two levels of challenge, it indirectly imparts the essential reading skill of segmenting while focusing on the skill of learning to spell words with three phonetic sounds using short vowel words. Incorporating the science of reading, the app's comprehensive approach is tailored to assist children in learning the sounds of the alphabet and honing their blending and segmenting skills, essential for early literacy development based on the science of reading. SPELLING MAGIC 1 focuses on CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, such as cat, box, and pig, which are fundamental for phonics instruction based on the science of reading. The app categorizes words by middle vowel sounds in the first part and by categories in the second part, offering a well-rounded approach to phonics and word construction, rooted in the principles of the science of reading. The DELUXE version provides 245 words and offers a variety of options in the menu, including two types of voices, three types of fonts, two letter color styles, a special feature to connect the letters together, and over 185 additional words from the free version, enhancing the learning experience based on the principles of the science of reading. Developed by a team of educators utilizing accelerated learning techniques and Montessori principles, this app has been tested and approved by preschoolers, aligning with the science of reading and providing an enjoyable and beneficial experience in learning letter sounds. We welcome your feedback and suggestions as we strive to provide an enriching educational experience for young learners, rooted in the science of reading.

Screenshots

First Letters and Phonics Lite4 screens
ABC SPELLING MAGIC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Letters and Phonics Lite at none against ABC SPELLING MAGIC's 1. ABC SPELLING MAGIC's advantage is review sentiment (94% vs 63%) and rating (3.8 vs 3.4). On price, ratings volume, 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. ABC SPELLING MAGIC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. First Letters and Phonics Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ABC SPELLING MAGIC holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 42 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of First Letters and Phonics Lite's written reviews are positive against 94% of ABC SPELLING MAGIC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Letters and Phonics Lite ships an update every 21 months, ABC SPELLING MAGIC every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
First Letters and Phonics Lite versus ABC SPELLING MAGIC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst Letters and Phonics LiteABC SPELLING MAGIC
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (41 ratings)3.8 (42 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews94.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4142 — better
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.2 — better12.4
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB132 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLearning Touch LLCPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY

Customer experience

First Letters and Phonics Lite

All ratings41 ratings
Positive51.2%
Neutral19.5%
Negative29.3%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral4.2%
Negative33.3%

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

All ratings42 ratings
Positive69.0%
Neutral11.9%
Negative19.0%
Written reviews52 reviews
Positive94.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative1.9%

Bugs and requests

First Letters and Phonics Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Letters will not move to be dragged into place
  • Screen freezing

Requested features

8 requests
  • Ability to hear the full word, slowly articulated
  • Option for English accent
  • Vowels in red and consonants in blue
  • More advanced content
  • Animated graphics for interactivity
Show 3 more
  • Option to pick letters from the full alphabet
  • Improve sound quality
  • Improve graphics and sounds

In-app purchases

None

First Letters and Phonics Lite

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99

Questions

Is First Letters and Phonics Lite free?
First Letters and Phonics Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ABC SPELLING MAGIC free?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, First Letters and Phonics Lite or ABC SPELLING MAGIC?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is rated higher. First Letters and Phonics Lite averages 3.4 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while ABC SPELLING MAGIC averages 3.8 from 42 ratings.
Do First Letters and Phonics Lite or ABC SPELLING MAGIC have ads?
Neither First Letters and Phonics Lite nor ABC SPELLING MAGIC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, First Letters and Phonics Lite or ABC SPELLING MAGIC?
First Letters and Phonics Lite ships an update every 21 months, and ABC SPELLING MAGIC every 6 weeks. Most recently, First Letters and Phonics Lite was updated on November 1, 2026 and ABC SPELLING MAGIC on November 1, 2026.

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