Comparison

ABC SPELLING MAGIC vs Howtosmile

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

Howtosmile

Discover and perform fun, hands-on STEM activities for all ages. Explore a vast collection of experiments, games, and projects created by leading science centers. Search by keyword, topic, cost, or age to find your next engaging learning experience.

Highlights
  • Hands-on STEM activities
  • Searchable activity collection
  • Filter by topic, cost, and age
  • Created by science centers
  • Blog with fresh ideas
  • Suitable for all ages
Features
Read full description

howtosmile —the best science fun anywhere, any time, any age! Find and DO fun hands-on science, math, engineering and technology (STEM) activities created by the country’s top science centers and out-of-school educators. Explore for FREE the entire howtosmile collection of over 3,500 activities, games, experiments, and more. Search the whole collection by word—like sound or planet; by topic—like Cooking, Chemistry, or Climate; by cost to do the activity—from free to over $20; and by age—from 4 to adult. Read the howtosmile blog for fresh ideas and approaches, plus profiles of out-of-school educators who make science learning cool and exciting, whether they teach in a museum, classroom, an afterschool program, or a kitchen at home. Discover your new favorite hands-on activities to do with your friends, family, or students. Get inspired! Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation, and Oracle. Brought to you by the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley.

Screenshots

ABC SPELLING MAGIC4 screens
Howtosmile3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Howtosmile at 5.0 against ABC SPELLING MAGIC's 3.8. Howtosmile also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 12.4). ABC SPELLING MAGIC's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 21 months) and ratings volume (42 vs 1). 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. Howtosmile asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Howtosmile holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ABC SPELLING MAGIC has 42 ratings behind it against 1, 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 Howtosmile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, Howtosmile every 21 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ABC SPELLING MAGIC versus Howtosmile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterABC SPELLING MAGICHowtosmile
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (42 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings42 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 21 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.47.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITYThe Lawrence Hall of Science

Customer experience

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

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

Howtosmile

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 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

Howtosmile

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99
None

Howtosmile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ABC SPELLING MAGIC free?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Howtosmile free?
Howtosmile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Howtosmile?
Howtosmile is rated higher. ABC SPELLING MAGIC averages 3.8 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Howtosmile averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Howtosmile have ads?
Neither ABC SPELLING MAGIC nor Howtosmile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Howtosmile?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, and Howtosmile every 21 months. Most recently, ABC SPELLING MAGIC was updated on November 1, 2026 and Howtosmile on November 1, 2026.

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