Simplex Spelling HD vs Shape Coding
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Simplex Spelling HD
This app enhances English spelling and reading skills using a unique "reverse phonics" approach and contextually relevant spelling rules. It acts as a personal spelling coach, teaching foundational Dolch sight words through interactive word building and immediate feedback.
- Teaches Dolch Sight words
- Reverse phonics approach
- Contextual spelling rules
- Interactive word building
- Phonics hint feature
- Letter-by-letter feedback
- Multiple user accounts
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Simplex Spelling improves English spelling and reading skills in a fun and interactive way by combining a unique “reverse phonics” approach with contextually relevant spelling rules that explain why words are spelled in a particular manner. It works like a personal spelling coach with every word. Simplex Spelling HD teaches the Dolch sight words to establish a base foundation in spelling and reading fluency. Please check out the word lists on our website before purchasing to ensure they meet your learning requirements https://pyxwise.com/sight-words-description/#Word-Lists Rather than using flash cards, Simplex Spelling enables the student to build each word. Students gain skills above and beyond the sheer memorization of words. Simplex Spelling is great tool to have for kids learning to spell and read, remedial students, or those learning English as a second language. Recommended for ages 5+. Note: You can not create your own spelling lists in Simplex Spelling HD. Features: - All of the more than 300 Dolch Sight words to help build literacy. - Words are spoken and used in a sentence to establish context. - Introduction seamlessly leads a student through the application’s features by providing spoken information while having the student spell new words. - Powerful phonics hint feature sounds out each word and provides a list of possible phonograms for each sound. - A full “reverse phonics” approach that includes sounds made by all the different letter combinations. - Contextually relevant spelling rule hints that help explain “how to spell” English words. - Unique letter by letter feedback system that provides immediate feedback. - Guaranteed success on every word. - Support for multiple user accounts. - User stats screen that allows you to see words that have been mastered and words that require further practice. - Export & email student progress reports. - Remembers each user’s position and progress. - Supports both upper and lower case letters. - Supports both alphabetic and QWERTY keyboard layouts. - Supports US, UK and Canadian English spelling. - An approach that appeals to audio, visual and tactile learners. Privacy Disclosure: - No 3rd party ads - Does not share any data - No In-App purchases - Contains child protected links in app to developer's website for additional information, support and teaching tips. - Contains child protected link to developer email support. COPPA Compliant https://pyxwise.com/privacy-policy/
Shape Coding
This app uses a visual coding system to help children and young people improve their understanding and production of English sentence structure and grammar. It's designed for educators and therapists to personalize learning for individual students.
- Visual coding system for grammar
- Color-coded word classes
- Arrow indicators for tense
- Shape indicators for syntax
- Personalized student profiles
- Customizable word lists
- Text-to-speech functionality
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Please try the free Lite version before purchase to ensure all functionality will work on your device. SHAPE CODING® by Susan Ebbels is a flexible app designed for teachers and speech and language therapists / pathologists to use with children and young people who are having difficulties producing and understanding English sentence structure and grammar. It uses the SHAPE CODING® system which has been shown in several research projects to help children and young people with language disorders increase the length and complexity of sentences they can understand and use and to improve the accuracy of their sentence production. The SHAPE CODING® system uses a visual coding system to show the rules for how words are put together in sentences, to develop the child’s understanding of spoken and written grammar and to develop their ability to use grammar successfully to express themselves. The system includes use of colours (word classes), arrows (tense and aspect), lines (singular and plural) and shapes (syntactic structure). These are all included in the app, but the professional controlling the app can choose which features display for individual students. Multiple “teachers” can use the app and each “teacher” can have multiple students. The app is personalised for each student. The app is designed to be flexible so that professionals can adapt the levels and information displayed to suit the current levels and targets of individual students. The default first setting for each new student includes only basic sentence structures. Further complexity can be turned on (and off) by the “teacher” and individual settings are preserved for each student between uses. The app is equipped with a basic set of words which can be inserted into the shapes to make sentences. However, additional words can be added for individual students, or indeed for all students working with a particular “teacher” (this can be useful for names and topics which are common across a class of students for example). These can either be added before a session with a student, or during a session and can be saved for future use if desired. The app uses text-to-speech, so that students who struggle to read can also use the app. This app assumes a certain degree of familiarity with the SHAPE CODING® system. For more information see www.shapecoding.com. Training on how to use the SHAPE CODING® system is available from https://training.moorhouseinstitute.co.uk/. For a demonstration of some of the features of the app see https://shapecoding.com/demo-videos/, and for Frequently Asked Questions see: https://shapecoding.com/app-info/faqs/. Follow us on Twitter @ShapeCoding, Facebook @ShapeCoding and Instagram @shape_coding or if you have any problems or feedback, please contact us at training@moorhouseschool.co.uk Please review our privacy policy https://shapecoding.com/privacy-policy-apple/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simplex Spelling HD at 90% against Shape Coding's 44%. Simplex Spelling HD also leads on price ($4.99 vs $19.99) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). Shape Coding's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 3.2) and chart position (#187 vs unranked). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Simplex Spelling HD costs $4.99 and Shape Coding $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Shape Coding holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simplex Spelling HD has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of Simplex Spelling HD's written reviews are positive against 44% of Shape Coding's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Simplex Spelling HD ships an update every 3 months, Shape Coding every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simplex Spelling HD | Shape Coding |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 3.2 (5 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews — better | 44.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | #187 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 134 MB | 357 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pyxwise Software Inc. | Moor House School & College |
Customer experience
Simplex Spelling HD
Shape Coding
In-app purchases
Simplex Spelling HD
No in-app purchases
Shape Coding
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Simplex Spelling HD free?
Is Shape Coding free?
Which has better reviews, Simplex Spelling HD or Shape Coding?
Do Simplex Spelling HD or Shape Coding have ads?
Which is updated more often, Simplex Spelling HD or Shape Coding?
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