Comparison

ABC SPELLING MAGIC vs Read Live

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

Read Live

This app provides a structured, audio-supported system to improve reading fluency, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension for learners of all ages. It offers access to four distinct curriculum options, including support for Spanish readers, and tracks student progress across devices. A Read Live account is required to use the program.

Highlights
  • Four curriculum options
  • Audio-supported system
  • Develops reading fluency
  • Improves comprehension
  • Tracks student progress
  • Spanish reading support
Read full description

Read Live delivers measurable results for struggling and developing readers of all ages. With this app, your students can access their Read Live student stories and exercises in an experience designed to take advantage of the iPad’s capabilities. Improve fluency and phonics skills while supporting vocabulary and comprehension development with Read Naturally Live. Build mastery and automaticity in phonics and decoding with systematic phonics instruction with Word Warm-ups Live. Enable structured, engaging, and independent reading practice with One Minute Reader Live. Help native Spanish speakers or others to learn to read Spanish text fluently with Read Naturally Live–Español. Visit our website to learn more about Read Live: readnaturally.com/go-read-live *** A Read Live account and internet connection are required to use this app. Don’t have an account yet? Don't worry: you can create a free account and start using the program within 1 business day! Read Live was designed by teachers for use in schools. Here's what some teachers are saying: “A great program. Kids enjoy using it. They see their progress in fluency and comprehension skills.” – Special Education Teacher, VT “Love, Love, Love this program to help build our students' fluency. All of the stories are engaging for the students. The technology is easy for both students and teachers to use.” – First-Grade Teacher, WI “This program has dramatically increased the fluency, comprehension and writing abilities of my ELL students. Their MAP scores have risen as much as 15 points in a trimester. It provides great individualization.” – ELL/ESL Teacher, IL KEY FEATURES • Full access to all four curriculum options: Read Naturally Live, Word Warm-ups Live, One Minute Reader Live, and Read Naturally Live–Español. • Structured, audio-supported system keeps students motivated and holds them accountable for their own success. • Develops reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and phonics. • Excellent for Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). • Student progress syncs across computer and iPad. • Free iPad app for Read Live account holders. ________________________________________ Need support? We’re here to help. Email us at support@readnaturally.com *** IMPORTANT!! You must have a Read Live account to use this app.

Screenshots

ABC SPELLING MAGIC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ABC SPELLING MAGIC at 94% against Read Live's 29%. ABC SPELLING MAGIC also leads on ratings volume (42 vs 1) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). Read Live's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price 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. Read Live asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Read Live 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 complicate that: 94% of ABC SPELLING MAGIC's written reviews are positive against 29% of Read Live's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, Read Live every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
ABC SPELLING MAGIC versus Read Live: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterABC SPELLING MAGICRead Live
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (42 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.2% of reviews — better28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings42 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS12.4 — better14.3
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITYRead Naturally, Inc.

Customer experience

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

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

Read Live

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative71.4%

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

Read Live

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ABC SPELLING MAGIC

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99
None

Read Live

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ABC SPELLING MAGIC free?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Read Live free?
Read Live is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Read Live?
Read Live is rated higher. ABC SPELLING MAGIC averages 3.8 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Read Live averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Read Live have ads?
Neither ABC SPELLING MAGIC nor Read Live shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ABC SPELLING MAGIC or Read Live?
ABC SPELLING MAGIC ships an update every 6 weeks, and Read Live every 4 months. Most recently, ABC SPELLING MAGIC was updated on November 1, 2026 and Read Live on November 1, 2026.

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