Comparison

SPELLING MAGIC 2 vs Sound Boxes for Word Study

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SPELLING MAGIC 2

This app teaches children to read by focusing on consonant blend words. It uses interactive activities to help build words and understand letter sounds, aligning with Science of Reading principles. Two versions are available, offering different word counts and customization options.

Highlights
  • Teaches CVCC and CCVC words
  • Focuses on letter sounds and word construction
  • Word Building section
  • Moveable Alphabet section
  • Two levels of challenge
  • Developed with educators and Montessori principles
Read full description

Introducing SPELLING MAGIC 2, a key to your child's future reading success. SPELLING MAGIC 2 incorporates the main principles of the Science of Reading. SPELLING MAGIC 2 is tailored to focus on CVCC (consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant) words like "hand," "sent," and "gift," as well as CCVC (consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant) words such as "spin," "flap," and "stop." These types of words are also known as "consonant blend words" and are categorized into themes for enhanced learning. This app is designed to teach children the sounds of letters and how to construct words. It emphasizes the skill of building CCVC/CVCC words with four phonemes using short vowel words, indirectly imparting the essential reading skill of segmenting. With two levels of challenge, it offers a comprehensive learning experience. In the "Word Building" section of the app, only the components (letters) of the word are used for building, while the "Moveable Alphabet" section utilizes the entire alphabet for word construction. Please note that the purpose of this app is to provide ample opportunities for practicing building CCVC & CVCC words, presenting a chance to expand vocabulary. When tapped, the pictures always pronounce the sound of the word that the app prompts the child to build. The free version of SPELLING MAGIC 2 includes 72 words, while the DELUXE version offers 235 words and provides several choices in the options menu, including two types of voices, three font styles, two letter color options, a special feature to connect letters, and over 160 additional words from the free version. Developed by a team of educators using accelerated learning techniques and Montessori principles, this app has been tested and approved by preschoolers, who found it enjoyable and beneficial for learning letter sounds. We eagerly await your feedback and suggestions as we strive to provide a rewarding educational experience for young learners.

About

Sound Boxes for Word Study

This educational app helps children develop foundational literacy skills by teaching them how letters and sounds combine to form words. It uses sound boxes to aid in segmenting word sounds, supporting both reading and writing development.

Highlights
  • Letter-sound association
  • Word segmentation
  • Supports reading skills
  • Supports writing skills
  • Foundational literacy development
Features
Read full description

Children must develop the fundamental understanding that letters and sounds work together in systematic ways to form words. This understanding provides the foundation for the development of decoding skills. Word work is an essential component of literacy development. Utilizing sound boxes can help children segment sounds in words, which supports reading and writing.

Screenshots

SPELLING MAGIC 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SPELLING MAGIC 2 at 4.3 against Sound Boxes for Word Study's 3.1. SPELLING MAGIC 2 also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Sound Boxes for Word Study's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 12.4). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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. SPELLING MAGIC 2 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sound Boxes for Word Study asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SPELLING MAGIC 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of SPELLING MAGIC 2's written reviews are positive against 60% of Sound Boxes for Word Study's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SPELLING MAGIC 2 ships an update every 4 months, Sound Boxes for Word Study every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SPELLING MAGIC 2 versus Sound Boxes for Word Study: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSPELLING MAGIC 2Sound Boxes for Word Study
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (16 ratings) — better3.1 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings16 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS12.410.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size185 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITYClassroom Focused Software

Customer experience

SPELLING MAGIC 2

All ratings16 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%

Sound Boxes for Word Study

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SPELLING MAGIC 2

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99
None

Sound Boxes for Word Study

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SPELLING MAGIC 2 free?
SPELLING MAGIC 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sound Boxes for Word Study free?
Sound Boxes for Word Study is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SPELLING MAGIC 2 or Sound Boxes for Word Study?
SPELLING MAGIC 2 is rated higher. SPELLING MAGIC 2 averages 4.3 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Sound Boxes for Word Study averages 3.1 from 7 ratings.
Do SPELLING MAGIC 2 or Sound Boxes for Word Study have ads?
Neither SPELLING MAGIC 2 nor Sound Boxes for Word Study shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SPELLING MAGIC 2 or Sound Boxes for Word Study?
SPELLING MAGIC 2 ships an update every 4 months, and Sound Boxes for Word Study every 6 months. Most recently, SPELLING MAGIC 2 was updated on November 1, 2026 and Sound Boxes for Word Study on November 2, 2026.

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