# Spelling Notebook vs Spelling Bee

Spelling Notebook and Spelling Bee both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of Spelling Notebook's written reviews are positive against 40% of Spelling Bee's. Spelling Notebook also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 746) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Spelling Bee's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spelling Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spelling Bee sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Spelling Notebook against 4.6 for Spelling Bee. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.7K and 746 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Spelling Notebook's written reviews are positive against 40% of Spelling Bee's.

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, Spelling Bee weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spelling Notebook | Spelling Bee |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-notebook-learn-test/id461225509/reviews) | [4.6 (746 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-bee-beezone/id1670107104/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 746 |
| Positive reviews | **86.0% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 130 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ako Software Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431505822) | [Metronome Software Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/341054329) |

## 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 Bee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-bee-beezone/id1670107104)

Enhance your spelling skills with interactive exercises and fun quizzes. Track your progress, master challenging words with spaced repetition, and create multiple profiles for family or class learning.

**Highlights:** Interactive spelling exercises, Progress monitoring, Spaced repetition learning, Multiple user profiles, Vocabulary boost

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Weekly | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Yearly | $27.99 | per year |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🎯 Multiple interactive exercise types for reinforced learning
- 🎤 Clear, unaccented voice pronunciation
- 🔧 Customizable word lists and exercise selection
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Multiple child profiles with individual progression tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 AI voice glitching or mispronouncing words
- 🐛 App freezing and crashing
- 🐛 Custom word lists cannot be edited after creation
- 🐛 Letters disappearing during gameplay
- 😕 Confusing level progression organization

**Reported bugs**

- AI voice mispronounces certain words (e.g., 'wolves')
- App freezes during gameplay
- Level button doesn't display but remains clickable
- Custom word lists disappear or become inaccessible
- Cannot create additional child profiles

**Requested features**

- Return to Main Menu button after completing exercises
- Exit button to cancel exercises without saving progress
- Words used in sentences for context and definition
- Varied praise responses with different pitches
- Disable microphone option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spelling Notebook free?

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

### Is Spelling Bee free?

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

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

Spelling Notebook and Spelling Bee are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.7K and 746 ratings respectively.

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

Neither Spelling Notebook nor Spelling Bee shows ads.

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

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, and Spelling Bee weekly. Most recently, Spelling Notebook was updated on September 26, 2026 and Spelling Bee on September 24, 2026.

---

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