# ABC MAGIC PHONICS vs LetterSchool

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ABC MAGIC PHONICS at none against LetterSchool's 14. ABC MAGIC PHONICS also leads on review sentiment (79% vs 54%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). LetterSchool's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.3). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. LetterSchool sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ABC MAGIC PHONICS asks for nothing beyond the download.

LetterSchool holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 17K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of ABC MAGIC PHONICS's written reviews are positive against 54% of LetterSchool's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

ABC MAGIC PHONICS ships an update every 6 weeks, LetterSchool every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 18, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ABC MAGIC PHONICS | LetterSchool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-magic-phonics/id404048724/reviews) | **[4.5 (17K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/letterschool-learn-to-write/id481067676/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14K | **17K** |
| Positive reviews | **78.6% of reviews** | 54.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 147 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [Letterschool Enabling Learning B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1133082101) |

## What reviewers say

### ABC MAGIC PHONICS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-magic-phonics/id404048724)

This app teaches children the sounds of alphabet letters, crucial for developing reading skills. It uses visual and auditory methods, matching phonetic images to letters, and focuses on lowercase letters for a strong reading foundation. Developed with educators, it aims to help young learners associate letters with their sounds effectively.

**Highlights:** Teaches letter sounds for reading, Matches phonetic images to letters, Focuses on lowercase letters, Customizable letter selection, Uses rhythm and repetition, Visual and auditory learning, Distraction-free learning environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Engaging and fun for children
- 🚀 Straightforward and effective for learning letter sounds
- 💡 Focuses on lowercase letters and sounds, which is more useful for reading
- 👍 Simple and clean design without distractions
- 👍 Helpful for struggling readers and dyslexic individuals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Some letter sounds (like 'L') are mispronounced by the child voice
- 🔍 Lack of option to hear letter names along with sounds
- 🔍 No continuous mode to cycle through letters without swiping
- 🔍 Inconsistent pronunciations between male, female, and child voices

**Reported bugs**

- Sound not working on some devices
- Incorrect information for the letter 'X' sound

**Requested features**

- Add an option to hear letter names along with sounds
- Improve pronunciation of certain letter sounds
- Provide a continuous mode to cycle through letters without swiping
- Add more visual aids like pictures for each letter
- Include a British or Australian voice option


### 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 engaging animations. It offers progress tracking and is designed by educational professionals to be safe and fun for toddlers and preschoolers.

**Highlights:** Block and cursive letter tracing, Uppercase and lowercase letters, Numbers 1-10 tracing, Geometric shape tracing, Progress tracking for multiple players, Interactive animations and sound effects, CVC, CVCC, and long sound word practice

**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 ABC MAGIC PHONICS free?

ABC MAGIC PHONICS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is LetterSchool free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ABC MAGIC PHONICS or LetterSchool?

LetterSchool is rated higher. ABC MAGIC PHONICS averages 4.3 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while LetterSchool averages 4.5 from 17K ratings.

### Do ABC MAGIC PHONICS or LetterSchool have ads?

Neither ABC MAGIC PHONICS nor LetterSchool shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ABC MAGIC PHONICS or LetterSchool?

ABC MAGIC PHONICS ships an update every 6 weeks, and LetterSchool every 2 months. Most recently, ABC MAGIC PHONICS was updated on October 18, 2026 and LetterSchool on October 18, 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.*