# Spelling Notebook vs Spelling Star

The clearest difference is rating: Spelling Notebook at 4.6 against Spelling Star's 1.0. Spelling Notebook also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 40 months) and ratings volume (2.7K vs 1). Spelling Star's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spelling Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spelling Star sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Spelling Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spelling Notebook has 2.7K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, Spelling Star every 40 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spelling Notebook | Spelling Star |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-notebook-learn-test/id461225509/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-star-sight-words/id1211860939/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 86.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 40 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ako Software Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431505822) | [BrainTrain Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/584469134) |

## What reviewers say

### Spelling Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-notebook-learn-test/id461225509)

Create personalized spelling lists, practice words with audio pronunciation, and test your knowledge. Earn stars for correct answers and focus on words you need to master. Ideal for students and anyone looking to improve their spelling skills.

**Highlights:** Create personalized word lists, Audio pronunciation for words, Test spelling knowledge, Earn stars for correct words, Practice words needing mastery, Record your own voice, Extensive searchable dictionary

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Premium | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helps improve spelling
- 💡 Ability to record own voice
- 👍 Customizable word lists
- 👍 Tracks progress and mistakes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Pronunciation issues with some words
- 💰 Limited free version, need to pay for more features
- 🔍 Difficult to manage long word lists in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Word lists disappearing after device change
- Keyboard issues causing app crashes

**Requested features**

- Add dictionary definitions
- Improve pronunciation quality
- Allow more words in free version
- Implement a dark mode
- Add ability to share/sync word lists


### Spelling Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-star-sight-words/id1211860939)

This educational game offers three engaging spelling practice activities for children aged 9-12. It features adaptive difficulty, colorful graphics, and a two-player option to foster learning and cognitive skills. Scores are saved to track progress and can be emailed for record-keeping.

**Highlights:** Three engaging spelling games, Adaptive difficulty levels, Two-player option, Automatic score saving, Progress tracking via email, Kid-safe, no ads or tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spelling Notebook free?

Spelling Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Spelling Star free?

Spelling Star is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Spelling Notebook or Spelling Star?

Spelling Notebook is rated higher. Spelling Notebook averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Spelling Star averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Spelling Notebook or Spelling Star have ads?

Neither Spelling Notebook nor Spelling Star shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spelling Notebook or Spelling Star?

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, and Spelling Star every 40 months. Most recently, Spelling Notebook was updated on November 1, 2026 and Spelling Star on October 29, 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.*