# 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 50% of Spelling Bee's. Spelling Notebook also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 270) and device support (3 vs 1). Spelling Bee's advantage is update cadence (monthly 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 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.5 for Spelling Bee. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spelling Notebook has 2.7K ratings behind it against 270, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Spelling Notebook's written reviews are positive against 50% of Spelling Bee's.

Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, Spelling Bee monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 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)** | [4.5 (270 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-bee-practice-and-games/id6477365365/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 270 |
| Positive reviews | **86.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ako Software Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431505822) | [Anthony Harvey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1478197285) |

## 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-practice-and-games/id6477365365)

Practice spelling with this app that offers adjustable difficulty, spoken words, definitions, and example sentences. Customize your learning with various pronouncers, track progress with charts, and set reminders for consistent practice.

**Highlights:** Adjustable difficulty levels, Hear words spoken, Word definitions and sentences, Multiple pronouncer options, Practice history and progress charts, Customizable word lists, Practice reminders

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learn More Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Learn More Yearly | $12.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great tool for spelling practice
- 👍 Highly recommended for spelling bees
- 👍 Good format for spelling bee simulator
- 👍 Offers harder spelling levels
- 👍 Uses real spelling bee regulations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 SOOO robotic voice
- 🤖 Annoying AI voice
- 🤖 Cheaply made app
- 🤖 Voice doesn't pronounce words correctly
- 🤖 Robotic pronunciation makes words fluctuate

**Reported bugs**

- Forces purchase after few practice words
- Screen shrinks to iPhone size on iPad
- Misclick locks and asks for subscription

**Requested features**

- Family sharing on paid subscription
- More sampling of audio for better pronunciation
- Record actual words on app's vocab lists


## 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 is rated higher. Spelling Notebook averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Spelling Bee averages 4.5 from 270 ratings.

### 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 monthly. Most recently, Spelling Notebook was updated on October 29, 2026 and Spelling Bee on October 30, 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.*