# Spelling Notebook vs Fry Words

The clearest difference is price: Spelling Notebook at Free against Fry Words's $0.99. Spelling Notebook also leads on rating (4.6 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 35 months). Fry Words's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#200 vs unranked). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Spelling Notebook is free to download; Fry Words costs $0.99 up front. Spelling Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Fry Words asks for nothing beyond the download.

Spelling Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spelling Notebook has 2.7K ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Spelling Notebook's written reviews are positive against 76% of Fry Words's.

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, Fry Words every 35 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spelling Notebook | Fry Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-notebook-learn-test/id461225509/reviews)** | [3.6 (44 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fry-words/id470926345/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 44 |
| Positive reviews | **86.3% of reviews** | 75.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 35 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#200** |
| Size | 24 MB | 43 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) | [Innovative Mobile Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/420345423) |

## 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


### Fry Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fry-words/id470926345)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

This app helps young children learn to read by providing flashcards for the most common words. It offers customizable lists, engaging audio, and multiple game modes to make learning fun and effective for ages 1-4.

**Highlights:** Customizable word lists, Record your own voice, Multiple game modes, Adjustable speed and font, Continuous looping, Infant mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Highly customizable word lists
- 👍 Excellent for learning Fry words
- 👍 Good variety of modes (flashcard, game)
- 👍 Useful for various age groups (kindergarten to adult)
- 👍 Offers spoken pronunciation of words

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sound issues (not working, low volume)
- 🐛 App freezes/crashes frequently
- 🐛 Recording feature doesn't work
- 🐛 Basic functionality, lacks instructions
- 🐛 Some words not capitalized correctly

**Reported bugs**

- Sound unavailable/not working
- Volume is too low
- App freezes often
- Recording option doesn't work
- Sound does not remain on in settings

**Requested features**

- Ability to mark mastered cards
- Option to create quick lists from all words
- Improvement to the recording section
- Update app for new iOS compatibility
- Correct capitalization of 'I'


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spelling Notebook free?

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

### Is Fry Words free?

Fry Words costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Spelling Notebook or Fry Words?

Spelling Notebook is rated higher. Spelling Notebook averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Fry Words averages 3.6 from 44 ratings.

### Do Spelling Notebook or Fry Words have ads?

Neither Spelling Notebook nor Fry Words shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spelling Notebook or Fry Words?

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, and Fry Words every 35 months. Most recently, Spelling Notebook was updated on October 29, 2026 and Fry Words on October 26, 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.*