READING MAGIC 2 vs Number ID PLUS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
READING MAGIC 2
This app helps children master consonant blends, a key skill for reading success. It offers interactive modes for blending sounds, segmenting words, and independent reading practice with over 300 words and engaging themes.
- Blending Mode for sound practice
- Segmenting Mode for word breakdown
- Reading Mode for independent word reading
- Focus on CCVC and CVCC words
- Advanced consonant blend practice
- Over 300 words with male/female voices
- Themed lessons for engagement
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Unlock the Magic of Reading with READING MAGIC 2! Transform your child into a confident reader with READING MAGIC 2! This app makes learning to read an exciting adventure with interactive activities focused on CCVC (Consonant-Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) and CVCC short-vowel blend words. Meticulously designed to provide an advanced boost to your child’s phonemic awareness, this app combines three foundational pillars of literacy science into one powerful, interactive ecosystem: Blending (Listening), Segmenting (Speaking), and Decoding (Reading). Grounded firmly in Science of Reading principles and utilizing University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) guidelines, READING MAGIC provides specific, precise training with extensive repetitions to help young brains bridge the gap between spoken sound units and complete words. IDEAL FOR BOTH BEGINNING PRE-READERS AND STRUGGLING READERS For Beginning Pre-Readers: A stress-free launchpad. By practicing words through pure sound sequences first, your child masters the internal mechanics of reading without cognitive overload. This keeps them from being frustrated by trying to learn separate, difficult skills at the same time. For Struggling or Remedial Readers: If your child's reading is hesitant or choppy, or if they guess at words, this app provides the targeted intervention recommended by modern reading science to help young brains bridge the gap. THREE CRITICAL SKILL-BUILDING PILLARS While many phonics programs completely overlook the auditory mechanics of reading, our program systematically guides your child through the complete progression of decoding: Skill 1: Blending (Listening): Interactive listening activities train your child’s neural processing ability to hear isolated sounds in words and join them together mentally. This builds the vital auditory runway required for future fluency. Skill 2: Segmenting (Speaking): True spelling and reading independence require the ability to pull spoken words apart into their individual sound units. These exercises build explicit awareness of the acoustic structure of language. Skill 3: Decoding (Reading): The ultimate bridge to literacy. Your child applies their mastery of blending and segmenting directly to text, smoothly moving from spoken sounds to visual words. STRUCTURAL SPACING & INSTRUCTION (Science-Backed Layout) Our app builds the actual findings of reading science directly into the user interface for maximum visual clarity: Anti-Crowding Design: Peer-reviewed research, including Marinus et al. (2016) and Wery & Diliberto (2017), demonstrates that generous letter spacing is critical for early decoding. By placing each letter on its own isolated card with distinct physical gaps, our layout eliminates visual crowding, allowing your child to isolate each sound unit cleanly. True Comprehension: The app strictly discourages picture guessing, forcing children to rely purely on their decoding skills to foster true comprehension and build lasting confidence. INDEPENDENT LEARNING & AESTHETIC SIMPLICITY Distraction-Free: Our minimalist design eliminates overstimulating audio-visual clutter, excessive sound effects, and animations to keep your child entirely focused on the mechanics of reading. Stress-Free Growth: Built-in natural feedback loops offer gentle corrections, nurturing self-discovery and independent learning at your child's own pace. EXPERT RESEARCH BACKING "Before a child can read fluently with their eyes, they must be able to blend fluently with their ears. Weakness in auditory blending is one of the strongest early predictors of later reading failure." — Dr. Joseph Torgesen, Florida State University. "Teaching students to blend and segment benefited their reading much more than did a multiple-skills approach... and teaching phonemic awareness with letters created effect sizes almost twice as large as teaching children without letters." — The National Reading Panel (NRP) Meta-Analysis
Number ID PLUS
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There are 6 Activity Options: 1) Match numerals with the number word -- A set of numerals in circles will appear spread out on the screen and you'll be shown a number word. -- Match the numeral to the number word by tapping on a numeral in a circle. 2) Tracing Numerals -- set of chips is displayed on the left side of the screen and an outline of the numeral is displayed on the White Board. 3) Flash cards -- A numeral is displayed on the left of the screen and the White Board is displayed. 4) 10 Frames -- A set of chips is displayed in 10 Frames. The White Board is displayed. Chips may be dragged. 5) Domino -- A set of chips is displayed as a Domino. The White Board is displayed. 6) Randomly -- A set of chips is randomly displayed. The White Board is displayed. Chips may be dragged. Options include practicing with numbers 1-10; 1-15; 11-20, and 1-20. You can also select to show a number line or ordered set of number tiles as a tool for matching number word with numeral. Tapping the number word will speak the word and tapping a number in the number line or tiles will speak the number. Designed as part of the Number Sense project at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Number ID PLUS at none against READING MAGIC 2's 1. Number ID PLUS also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 19 months) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.7). READING MAGIC 2's advantage is device support (3 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
Both are free to download. READING MAGIC 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Number ID PLUS asks for nothing beyond the download.
READING MAGIC 2 ships an update every 19 months, Number ID PLUS every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | READING MAGIC 2 | Number ID PLUS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (21 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 81.3% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 21 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.7 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 258 MB | 39 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY | Classroom Focused Software |
In-app purchases
READING MAGIC 2
- Deluxe Upgrade$3.99
Number ID PLUS
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is READING MAGIC 2 free?
Is Number ID PLUS free?
Do READING MAGIC 2 or Number ID PLUS have ads?
Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC 2 or Number ID PLUS?
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