# READING MAGIC 3 vs Friendly Shapes

The clearest difference is rating: READING MAGIC 3 at 4.9 against Friendly Shapes's 3.6. READING MAGIC 3 also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 75%). Friendly Shapes's advantage is update cadence (every 9 months vs every 22 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.7). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. READING MAGIC 3 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Friendly Shapes sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

READING MAGIC 3 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of READING MAGIC 3's written reviews are positive against 75% of Friendly Shapes's.

READING MAGIC 3 ships an update every 22 months, Friendly Shapes every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | READING MAGIC 3 | Friendly Shapes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-3/id446469837/reviews)** | [3.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friendly-shapes/id562847602/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **89.5% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 22 months | **Every 9 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 250 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.7 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [Kids Games Club by TabTale](https://appshunter.io/developer/770179244) |

## What reviewers say

### READING MAGIC 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-3/id446469837)

This app makes learning to read an exciting adventure for children. It uses interactive activities and science-backed methods to help master words with two or more syllables, building essential literacy skills.

**Highlights:** Science of Reading methodology, Focus on multi-syllable words, Blending and segmenting skills, Phonemic awareness development, Three engaging learning modes, Interactive reading games, Progress tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deluxe Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


### Friendly Shapes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/friendly-shapes/id562847602)

This interactive storybook app teaches young children about shapes and music through a festive Christmas adventure. Kids can engage with characters, build toys, and play mini-games, all within a winter wonderland setting.

**Highlights:** Teaches multiple shapes and instruments, Interactive Christmas storybook, Jigsaw puzzles and coloring pages, Memory and placement games, Counting and find-the-item activities, Read-to-me and read-it-myself modes

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock 12 Jigsaw Puzzles | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock 4 Match It Games | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock 12 Coloring Pages | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full Version | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is READING MAGIC 3 free?

READING MAGIC 3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Friendly Shapes free?

Friendly Shapes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, READING MAGIC 3 or Friendly Shapes?

READING MAGIC 3 is rated higher. READING MAGIC 3 averages 4.9 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Friendly Shapes averages 3.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do READING MAGIC 3 or Friendly Shapes have ads?

Neither READING MAGIC 3 nor Friendly Shapes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC 3 or Friendly Shapes?

READING MAGIC 3 ships an update every 22 months, and Friendly Shapes every 9 months. Most recently, READING MAGIC 3 was updated on November 6, 2026 and Friendly Shapes on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*