Comparison

ABC SPELLING MAGIC vs Bob Books Sight Words Lite

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

Head to head
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.

About

Bob Books Sight Words Lite

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
Read full description

Bob Books, America’s #1 learn to read program, is proud to present Bob Books Reading Magic - Sight Words, the newest addition to our popular series of apps for 3-5 year olds. Simple and fun games help kids build their sight word reading and spelling skills. WHY SIGHT WORDS? Sight Words can be a stumbling block for early readers because so many of them cannot easily be sounded out or illustrated. Bob Books Reading Magic - Sight Words was developed to assist young readers in acquiring sight word vocabulary through engaging, interactive games that capture a child’s imagination. WHY BOB BOOKS? Bob Books Reading Magic follows the same method and principles as the #1 best-selling Bob Books series. Bob Books were created to lead children to the ah-ha moment when letters first turn into words. Our Sight Words app continues Bob Books’ commitment to bringing children a satisfying, successful first reading experience, with easy first steps, wholesome values, authentic hand-drawn illustrations, and beautiful full-color animations. FEATURES Includes four different games with 30 of the most common Kindergarten sight words - plus animated rewards for each new word to engage children just starting to read. Game 1: Drag letters to spell a word Game 2: Trace each letter in a word Game 3: Spin letter dials to complete a word Game 4: Read and drag sight words to complete a sentence. Bob Books Reading Magic - Sight Words will show your child how to: -Make the connection between letter shapes, words and sounds. -Read and sound out simple words. -Spell the words they’ve read. By slowly introducing new words in context, using consistency, repetition and stories that fit short attention spans, your child will quickly find his or her own ah-ha moment. This is the reading magic of Bob Books. Soon your child will join millions of children who can proudly say, “I read the whole book!”® For more information about Bob Books, visit http://bobbooks.com Bob Books respects your privacy! We do not collect, store, or share any personal information or location data. All our apps are ad free, without in-app purchases and are safe for young children. Read more at: http://bobbooks.com/privacy-policy *** We love getting feedback from our users. If you have questions or comments, please send them to info@bobbooks.com. If you love our app, please help spread the word by leaving us a nice review in the app store. ***

Screenshots

ABC SPELLING MAGIC4 screens
Bob Books Sight Words Lite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bob Books Sight Words Lite at 4.7 against ABC SPELLING MAGIC's 3.8. Bob Books Sight Words Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (310 vs 42). ABC SPELLING MAGIC's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 17 months). On price, review sentiment, 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. Bob Books Sight Words Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bob Books Sight Words Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.8. 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 point the same way: 94% of ABC SPELLING MAGIC's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bob Books Sight Words Lite's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, Bob Books Sight Words Lite every 17 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
ABC SPELLING MAGIC versus Bob Books Sight Words Lite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterABC SPELLING MAGICBob Books Sight Words Lite
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (42 ratings)4.7 (310 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings42310 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 17 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.411.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB159 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITYBob Books Publications LLC

Customer experience

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

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

Bob Books Sight Words Lite

All ratings310 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and 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

Bob Books Sight Words Lite

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99
None

Bob Books Sight Words Lite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ABC SPELLING MAGIC free?
ABC SPELLING 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, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Bob Books Sight Words Lite?
Bob Books Sight Words Lite is rated higher. ABC SPELLING MAGIC averages 3.8 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Bob Books Sight Words Lite averages 4.7 from 310 ratings.
Do ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Bob Books Sight Words Lite have ads?
Neither ABC SPELLING MAGIC nor Bob Books Sight Words Lite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Bob Books Sight Words Lite?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, and Bob Books Sight Words Lite every 17 months. Most recently, ABC SPELLING MAGIC was updated on October 23, 2026 and Bob Books Sight Words Lite on November 2, 2026.

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