Comparison

ABC SPELLING MAGIC vs Puzzle Pop HD

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

Puzzle Pop HD

This app features animated puzzles with moving characters and animals. It offers 27 levels designed to help children aged 3-8 develop problem-solving, sequencing, and spatial reasoning skills through colorful illustrations and engaging gameplay.

Highlights
  • Animated puzzles with moving characters
  • 27 levels for various ages and skills
  • Develops problem-solving skills
  • Enhances sequencing and spatial reasoning
  • Teaches shapes, patterns, and color recognition
  • Colorful illustrations and engaging gameplay
Read full description

The award-winning Puzzle Pop features unique animated puzzles with characters and animals that move between the different puzzle pieces. Puzzle Pop brings puzzles to life, with colorful illustrations and 27 levels for different ages and skills. Children will learn problem solving, sequencing, spatial reasoning, shapes, patterns and color recognition. AWARDS: Parents' Choice Silver Award; Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice Award. AGES 3-8. CATEGORY: Creative Expression ACTIVITIES - EXPLORE 27 levels of puzzles for different ages and skills - PLAY with colorful puzzle pieces featuring animated dancing animals, flying birds and more - LISTEN to lively jazz versions of popular children’s songs made exclusively for Puzzle Pop ABOUT DUCK DUCK MOOSE (A wholly-owned subsidiary of Khan Academy) Duck Duck Moose, an award-winning creator of educational mobile apps for families, is a passionate team of engineers, artists, designers, and educators. Founded in 2008, the company has created 21 top-selling titles and has received 21 Parents’ Choice Awards, 18 Children’s Technology Review Awards, 12 Tech with Kids’ Best Pick App Awards, and a KAPi award for “Best Children’s App” at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Khan Academy is a nonprofit with a mission to provide a world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Duck Duck Moose is now part of the Khan Academy family. We rely on our community of volunteers and donors. Get involved today at www.duckduckmoose.com/about. Check out the Khan Academy app to learn and practice all kinds of topics for elementary school through college and beyond. We’d love to hear from you! Visit us at www.duckduckmoose.com or drop us a line at support@duckduckmoose.com.

Screenshots

ABC SPELLING MAGIC4 screens

Verdict

The call

ABC SPELLING MAGIC and Puzzle Pop HD both sit at 3.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of ABC SPELLING MAGIC's written reviews are positive against 50% of Puzzle Pop HD's. ABC SPELLING MAGIC also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 6 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Puzzle Pop HD's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.4). On price, rating and ads 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. Puzzle Pop HD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ABC SPELLING MAGIC holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 42 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of ABC SPELLING MAGIC's written reviews are positive against 50% of Puzzle Pop HD's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, Puzzle Pop HD every 6 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
ABC SPELLING MAGIC versus Puzzle Pop HD: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterABC SPELLING MAGICPuzzle Pop HD
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (42 ratings) — better3.6 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews94.2% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings42 — better11
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS12.49.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITYDuck Duck Moose LLC

Customer experience

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

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

Puzzle Pop HD

All ratings10 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

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

Puzzle Pop HD

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99
None

Puzzle Pop HD

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ABC SPELLING MAGIC free?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Puzzle Pop HD free?
Puzzle Pop HD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Puzzle Pop HD?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is rated higher. ABC SPELLING MAGIC averages 3.8 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Puzzle Pop HD averages 3.6 from 11 ratings.
Do ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Puzzle Pop HD have ads?
Neither ABC SPELLING MAGIC nor Puzzle Pop HD shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Puzzle Pop HD?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, and Puzzle Pop HD every 6 months. Most recently, ABC SPELLING MAGIC was updated on November 1, 2026 and Puzzle Pop HD on November 1, 2026.

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