Comparison

First Phrases Lite vs Shape Match & Learn

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

Head to head
About

First Phrases Lite

This app helps toddlers and children learning basic English phrases to develop language skills. It uses interactive animations and audio to teach verb-noun combinations, encouraging both listening and speaking practice.

Highlights
  • Interactive animations
  • Audio and visual learning
  • Record and playback speech
  • Verb + noun phrase practice
  • Speech therapy support
  • Early literacy development
Features
Read full description

This interactive, beautifully illustrated and animated app for the iPad, iPhone and Mac is perfect for the toddler or speech-delayed child who is learning how to put two-three words together or any child who is learning basic English phrases. Developed by an experienced speech-language pathologist, this app provides many opportunities to both hear (receptive), see, and say/record (expressive) 10 different verb + noun combinations, such as: eat the carrot, drive the train, close the door, drink the juice, sleep on the bed, turn on the light, and more. A delightful cat performs them, with 28 possible animation combinations. It is also a great way to teach the article “the” in a meaningful phrase context. **For more verb and character choices, we suggest upgrading to the full version of this app. First Phrases Lite includes user settings for 1 child and 1 guest player. Only one user can keep data. Hamaguchi Apps is dedicated to the mission of bringing high-quality apps to the general public and professionals for affordable prices. We do not have subscriptions for our apps--you download them and they are yours. How you play: Tell the cat what to do! By touching the illustrated parts of the phrases in order (verb+ object forms: “eat the carrot”) the child hears the pre-recorded spoken phrase modeled. The user has the option to repeat this action once, twice or three times in the settings for maximum auditory input. The child then watches an animation of the cat performing the command to help the child associate the words and their meaning. Now it’s the child’s turn to say it and tell the cat what to do! Touch the microphone and record, listen again, and watch the animal follow your direction. Use the optional visual support by tapping on the shapes above the microphone. An adult can score the parts of the phrases. All correct? The cat gives a thumbs up and we hear a praise phrase such as "Awesome!". Tap on End Session to see the data and replay any missed items. This format is especially powerful for children with speech delays and autism spectrum disorders who need strong visual support with as little background clutter as possible, and for use in speech therapy sessions. The format also is a terrific way to support early literacy for left to right orientation, reading (with text on feature) and word boundaries. Options include text on/text off, recording feature on/off, presentation of the phrase in 3 segments (verb + the + object) or 2 segments (verb + the object). Developed by noted speech-language pathologist Patti Hamaguchi, who is the author of several books in the speech-language pathology field including, "Childhood Speech, Language & Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know". Patti is also the author or co-author of several standardized tests including the RESCA-E, the TAPS4, the ELCI and upcoming tests the RESCA-ELD, RESCA-A and the Hamaguchi Speech-Language Screening Test. PRIVACY POLICY: We do NOT collect personal data from our users and have no ads! Personal data regarding user performance on the tasks on this app are self-contained and not transmitted in any way to any third parties including us. It is on your device only. *Please contact our tech support at info@hamaguchiapps.com if you are experiencing any technical issues with our apps. We will always help you troubleshoot it and get back to you generally within one business day. To find out more about this app and our other upcoming projects, visit our website: www.hamaguchiapps.com

About

Shape Match & Learn

Features
Read full description

Shape Match & Learn turns first words into a game a small child can play alone. Every round is three simple steps: 1. Match the shape — drag the emoji onto its turned-around shadow. 2. Learn the word — tap the right word out of a few choices, said out loud. 3. Keep it — the emoji comes to life and moves into your child's own world. 27 WORLDS, 540 WORDS Farm, Ocean, Sky, Picnic, Feelings, Safari, Space, Weather, Sports, Fantasy, Kitchen and more. Each world adds twenty new emoji friends to a scene your child fills up over time. The first seven worlds are free, in every language. THREE LANGUAGES TO LEARN IN English, Spanish and French — each with its own complete 540-word catalogue, said aloud in that language's voice. You choose the learning language in Settings, and the menus follow whichever language you prefer, chosen separately. An English-speaking parent can set their child to learn Spanish without a single menu changing. MADE FOR SMALL HANDS • No timers, no scores, no way to lose. Nothing to fail. • Big drag targets and forgiving hit areas. • Silhouettes, colouring-book outlines and peekaboo reveals keep shape-reading fresh across the worlds. • Sound and voice can each be switched off. • Works completely offline. No account, no sign-up. SAFE BY DESIGN No ads. No tracking. No analytics. Nothing leaves the device — progress lives on your iPad or iPhone and nowhere else. Purchases and outside links sit behind a parental gate. ONE-TIME PURCHASES, NO SUBSCRIPTION Play the first seven worlds free for as long as you like. Unlock all 27 worlds in one language, or unlock every language at once for less than two on their own. Family Sharing included. For iPad and iPhone, including iPhone Duo.

Screenshots

First Phrases Lite4 screens
Shape Match & Learn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Phrases Lite at none against Shape Match & Learn's 1. Shape Match & Learn's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Shape Match & Learn sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. First Phrases Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Phrases Lite ships an update every 4 months, Shape Match & Learn every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
First Phrases Lite versus Shape Match & Learn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst Phrases LiteShape Match & Learn
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews86.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size612 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHamaguchi Learning & Development, LLCTheano Bertsia

In-app purchases

None

First Phrases Lite

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Shape Match & Learn

One-time1
  • Unlock All 27 Worlds$4.99

Questions

Is First Phrases Lite free?
First Phrases Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shape Match & Learn free?
Shape Match & Learn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do First Phrases Lite or Shape Match & Learn have ads?
Neither First Phrases Lite nor Shape Match & Learn shows ads.
Which is updated more often, First Phrases Lite or Shape Match & Learn?
First Phrases Lite ships an update every 4 months, and Shape Match & Learn every 6 weeks. Most recently, First Phrases Lite was updated on October 23, 2026 and Shape Match & Learn on October 24, 2026.

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