ABC SPELLING MAGIC vs Dolch.
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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)
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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.
Dolch.
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Dolch. is an easy reading app that teaches pre-readers to read. No ads. No subscription. No logins. No trackers. No "Unlocks." Works fully offline. COPPA-aware. WHAT'S INCLUDED • All 220 Dolch sight words (Pre-K through Grade 3) • Pattern-recognition gameplay with automated learning-based training wheels • Per-word adaptive motion • Rolling-window mastery tracking • Unlimited Readers for families • Parent progress dashboard Game complexity increases based on verifiable milestones. Your kid sees a word at the top of the screen. Their job is to tap the matching word below. A simple mechanic with milestones unlocking below the surface, five training wheels come off at different paces — invisible to the child, legible to the parent. HOW IT WORKS For the first interaction of correct taps, your child plays a color-matching game — which a three-year-old can do — while hearing each word spoken and seeing its shape through repeated exposure. This color-cue fades away on its own when the app verifies a child's recognition. By the time it's gone, they're matching word shapes, not colors. They never notice the transition. As they learn, Dolch. adapts: • Every word moves at its own speed, calibrated to how well your kid knows it. Struggling words drift slowly. Mastered words zip by as review challenge. • The field grows with them. One clickable word match at first. Two words after their first correct tap. Three after ten. Four at five 'mastered' words. Five at fifteen. Difficulty scales with earned progress. • Mastery tracks recent accuracy, not lifetime counts. Old mistakes age out. Words demote if accuracy drops. The way teachers actually assess. • Confusable pairs like "was/saw" never appear together until each is individually learned. • The frontier opens automatically. Master 80% of a grade and the next grade's words start showing up. GROUNDED IN ESTABLISHED METHODS Dolch. draws on Vygotsky's scaffolded learning (the color hint that fades), Leitner spaced repetition (words cycle based on mastery), Marie Clay's Reading Recovery program (confusable-pair isolation), and rolling-window formative assessment (recent accuracy, not lifetime tallies). A PARENT DASHBOARD THAT TELLS THE TRUTH Reading-level label. Per-grade mastery. Confident words. Still learning. The trickiest word and its exact recent accuracy. Real data. No charts that lie. Parent-gated — your kid can't wander in. FAMILIES WELCOME Add a Reader for every kid in your household. Each one gets their own progress, their own pace, their own dashboard. When their little sibling is ready years later, add another Reader. Same app. Same purchase.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: ABC SPELLING MAGIC at Free against Dolch.'s $4.99. ABC SPELLING MAGIC also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16.6). Dolch.'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On 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
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is free to download; Dolch. costs $4.99 up front. ABC SPELLING MAGIC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Dolch. asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | ABC SPELLING MAGIC | Dolch. |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 3.8 (42 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.1% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 42 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 132 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY | Sean Matthew Weinert |
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 moreShow fewer
- Option to pick letters from the full alphabet
- Improve sound quality
- Improve graphics and sounds
Dolch.
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ABC SPELLING MAGIC
- Deluxe Upgrade$1.99
Dolch.
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ABC SPELLING MAGIC free?
Is Dolch. free?
Do ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Dolch. have ads?
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