# READING MAGIC vs 26 Letters

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 26 Letters at 100% against READING MAGIC's 62%. 26 Letters also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). READING MAGIC's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 22 months) and ratings volume (41 vs 5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. READING MAGIC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 26 Letters asks for nothing beyond the download.

26 Letters holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: READING MAGIC has 41 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of READING MAGIC's written reviews are positive against 100% of 26 Letters's.

READING MAGIC ships an update every 6 months, 26 Letters every 22 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | READING MAGIC | 26 Letters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-learning-to-read/id416896853/reviews) | **[4.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/26-letters/id1330197062/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **41** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 22 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 208 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.7 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [Penny Sidik](https://appshunter.io/developer/1330197061) |

## 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 |


### 26 Letters

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/26-letters/id1330197062)

This app helps beginner readers learn letter shapes and sounds through interactive tracing and image association. It offers a structured learning path with tests and practice with everyday words, designed for all ages.

**Highlights:** Interactive letter tracing, Image-based sound association, Progressive lesson testing, Everyday word sound practice, Visually-focused design

**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 26 Letters free?

26 Letters is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, READING MAGIC or 26 Letters?

26 Letters is rated higher. READING MAGIC averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while 26 Letters averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do READING MAGIC or 26 Letters have ads?

Neither READING MAGIC nor 26 Letters shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC or 26 Letters?

READING MAGIC ships an update every 6 months, and 26 Letters every 22 months. Most recently, READING MAGIC was updated on October 15, 2026 and 26 Letters on October 12, 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.*