Comparison

Simplex Spelling HD vs Phonology

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Teaches Dolch Sight words
  • Reverse phonics approach
  • Contextual spelling rules
  • Interactive word building
  • Phonics hint feature
  • Letter-by-letter feedback
  • Multiple user accounts
Features
Read full description

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/

About

Phonology

This app provides speech therapy exercises for children aged 3-5 with unintelligible speech. It uses auditory discrimination activities and colorful visuals to help children distinguish and produce sounds, based on the Hodson model of Phonological Processing.

Highlights
  • Auditory discrimination activities
  • Speech intelligibility practice
  • Colorful drawings
  • Hodson model based
  • Speech model imitation
  • Record and playback feature
  • Multiple scoring methods
Features
Read full description

Phonology lets you give more Speech Therapy for children with unintelligible speech! This app is an auditory discrimination activity that helps children hear the difference between words like “stop” and “top” and say words like “cap” and “spoon”. Colorful drawings to hold children’s interest as they practice their good speech. The app is based on the Hodson model of Phonological Processing. It is appropriate for children ages 3-5 with impaired speech intelligibility. A clear speech model is presented for the child to imitate and they can record and play back their own speech. The clinician can choose from three scoring methods. 1. Score each response as correct, distorted or incorrect. 2. Score responses as correct, distorted, substituted, or omitted. 3. Score productions based on whether they are spontaneously correct/incorrect or imitatively correct/incorrect. This app is based on the Word Practice game from LocuTour’s Phonology I CD.

Screenshots

Simplex Spelling HD4 screens
Phonology4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simplex Spelling HD at 90% against Phonology's 0%. Simplex Spelling HD also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months) and price ($4.99 vs $5.99). Phonology's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

Simplex Spelling HD costs $4.99 and Phonology $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simplex Spelling HD ships an update every 4 months, Phonology every 10 months. Both last shipped on October 1, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Simplex Spelling HD versus Phonology: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimplex Spelling HDPhonology
Price$4.99 — better$5.99
Rating3.2 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 months — betterEvery 10 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size162 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPyxwise Software Inc.Learning Fundamentals, Inc.

Customer experience

Simplex Spelling HD

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral40.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive90.0%
Neutral3.3%
Negative6.7%

Phonology

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral100.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Simplex Spelling HD

No in-app purchases

None

Phonology

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simplex Spelling HD free?
Simplex Spelling HD costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Phonology free?
Phonology costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Simplex Spelling HD or Phonology have ads?
Neither Simplex Spelling HD nor Phonology shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simplex Spelling HD or Phonology?
Simplex Spelling HD ships an update every 4 months, and Phonology every 10 months. Most recently, Simplex Spelling HD was updated on October 1, 2026 and Phonology on October 1, 2026.

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