# READING MAGIC vs Phonics Stars

The clearest difference is update cadence: Phonics Stars at daily against READING MAGIC's every 6 months. READING MAGIC's advantage is iOS requirement (13.7 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. READING MAGIC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Phonics Stars sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

READING MAGIC ships an update every 6 months, Phonics Stars daily. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | READING MAGIC | Phonics Stars |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-learning-to-read/id416896853/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **42** | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 208 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.7** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [MAURENE PRANADA TROTTER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1858798064) |

## 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 |


### Phonics Stars

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonics-stars/id6756245119)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phonics Stars | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is READING MAGIC free?

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

### Is Phonics Stars free?

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

### Do READING MAGIC or Phonics Stars have ads?

Neither READING MAGIC nor Phonics Stars shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC or Phonics Stars?

READING MAGIC ships an update every 6 months, and Phonics Stars daily. Most recently, READING MAGIC was updated on November 1, 2026 and Phonics Stars on October 28, 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.*