# READING MAGIC vs Bob Books Sight Words Lite

READING MAGIC and Bob Books Sight Words Lite both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Bob Books Sight Words Lite's written reviews are positive against 62% of READING MAGIC's. Bob Books Sight Words Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (310 vs 42). READING MAGIC's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 17 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. READING MAGIC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bob Books Sight Words Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for READING MAGIC against 4.7 for Bob Books Sight Words Lite. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bob Books Sight Words Lite has 310 ratings behind it against 42, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 62% of READING MAGIC's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bob Books Sight Words Lite's.

READING MAGIC ships an update every 6 months, Bob Books Sight Words Lite every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | READING MAGIC | Bob Books Sight Words Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-learning-to-read/id416896853/reviews) | **[4.7 (310 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bob-books-sight-words-lite/id1069454090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 42 | **310** |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 17 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 208 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.7 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [Bob Books Publications LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/706044387) |

## What reviewers say

### READING MAGIC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-learning-to-read/id416896853)

This app makes learning to read an exciting adventure for young children. It focuses on CVC words and uses science-based phonics principles to build essential reading skills like blending and segmenting.

**Highlights:** CVC word focus, Blending and segmenting practice, Phonemic awareness building, Phonological processing improvement, Engaging games and activities, Discourages picture guessing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deluxe Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


### Bob Books Sight Words Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bob-books-sight-words-lite/id1069454090)

This app uses fun, interactive games to help young children aged 3-5 build essential sight word reading and spelling skills. It follows the proven methods of a popular learn-to-read program, making learning engaging with animations and rewards.

**Highlights:** Sight word reading games, Spelling practice, Letter tracing, Word completion games, Sentence building, Animated rewards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is READING MAGIC free?

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

### Is Bob Books Sight Words Lite free?

Bob Books Sight Words Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, READING MAGIC or Bob Books Sight Words Lite?

Bob Books Sight Words Lite is rated higher. READING MAGIC averages 4.6 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Bob Books Sight Words Lite averages 4.7 from 310 ratings.

### Do READING MAGIC or Bob Books Sight Words Lite have ads?

Neither READING MAGIC nor Bob Books Sight Words Lite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC or Bob Books Sight Words Lite?

READING MAGIC ships an update every 6 months, and Bob Books Sight Words Lite every 17 months. Most recently, READING MAGIC was updated on October 23, 2026 and Bob Books Sight Words Lite on October 24, 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.*