Simplex Spelling Light vs Planet Lettra
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Simplex Spelling Light
This app enhances spelling and reading skills with a unique "reverse phonics" approach and contextually relevant spelling rules. It offers interactive learning for various student types, providing immediate feedback and explanations for word construction.
- Reverse phonics approach
- Contextual spelling rule hints
- Letter-by-letter feedback
- Over 50 high-frequency words
- Spoken words in sentences
- User stats and reporting
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Simplex Spelling Light improves spelling and reading skills in a fun and interactive way using a unique “reverse phonics” approach in combination with contextually relevant spelling rules. It has the same critically acclaimed design and features as the full versions of Simplex Spelling but comes with its own new high frequency word spelling lists. This Light version has been made available so that customers can evaluate the Simplex Spelling software to decide if they want to purchase a full version of Simplex Spelling Sight Words, CVC Words, Phonics1, Phonics2, or Phonics3. Simplex Spelling Light contains the main features of the full versions, while targeting more than 50 all new high frequency words in the English language. This makes the Light version a beautiful compliment to the full versions of Simplex Spelling. The Light version also includes placement tests in the Phonics1, Phonics2, and Phonics 3 classrooms to help customers determine which app is the best fit. In contrast with many of the current approaches that use flash cards, Simplex Spelling enables the student to build each word. Students gain skills above and beyond the sheer memorization of words, as the informative spelling rule hint feature explains why words are spelled in a particular manner. Simplex Spelling's unique, immediate letter by letter feedback system is designed with clues and hints that will enable every student to spell each word successfully. Simplex Spelling enhances understanding in a variety of students as it appeals to audio, visual and tactile learners. It is great tool to have for kids learning to spell, remedial students, or those learning English as a second language. Recommended for ages 5+. Note: You can not create your own spelling lists in Simplex Spelling Light. Features: - Over 50 high frequency spelling words to help build literacy. - Spelling words are spoken and used in a sentence to establish context. - The introduction spelling list seamlessly leads a student through all of the application’s features by providing spoken information while having the student spell new words. - A powerful phonics hint feature sounds out each word and provides a list of possible phonograms for each sound. - Features a full “reverse phonics” approach that includes sounds made by all the different letter combinations. This is in addition to the basic “single letter” phonics that most applications are limited to. - Contextually relevant spelling rule hints that help explain “how to spell” English words. - Unique letter by letter feedback system that provides feedback while the student is in the process of spelling each word. - Guaranteed success on every word. - Support for 40 user accounts. - User stats screen that allows you to see at a glance words that have been mastered and words that require further practice. - Ability to export & email student reports. - Remembers each user’s position in every list, so that you can immediately resume from where you last left off. - Supports both upper and lower case letters. - Supports both alphabetic and QWERTY keyboard layouts. - Supports both US, UK and Canadian English spelling of words. - An approach that appeals to audio, visual and tactile learners. Privacy Disclosure: - No 3rd party ads - Does not share any data - No In-App purchases - Contains child protected links to Apple App Store. - Contains child protected links in app to developer's website for additional information, support and teaching tips. - Contains child protected link to developer email support. COPPA Compliant https://pyxwise.com/privacy-policy/
Planet Lettra
This app provides a playful environment for children to experiment with building words. It uses interactive letter bubbles to help young learners develop reading fluency and phonics skills in a stress-free, musical setting.
- Interactive letter bubbles for word creation
- Supports English, French, and Spanish
- Recognizes over 100,000 words per language
- Focuses on sight words and letter blends
- Musical and soothing sound environment
- No time limits, levels, or points
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"an outstanding app that will help young readers...in a playful, encouraging environment." --- 5/5 "Best of the Best" Sandra Fleming, BestAppsForKids.com Bumping bubbles magically build words or invent your own to feed the silly creatures on Planet Lettra. Kids love this app for experimenting with word building and hearing what they've made. Imagine a set of letter blocks that your child can arrange any way they want and hear what they've built, blocks that guide your child in building the most important sight words for reading fluency and give him or her lots of exposure to important letter blends, blocks that even form words all by themselves. That's Planet Lettra. You can even go below the planet surface, into the belly of Lettra, to see the real words you've already fed to the Munchers, hear them read aloud individually or one after the other. Or rearrange the word bubbles to make silly sentence. Whatever your child or student's age or reading ability, this app has plenty to discover and play with: green and purple Munchers that love to eat words, silly costumes, musical patterns, creatures with other special powers and more. In classrooms and special ed settings, educators use Planet Lettra to scaffold student learning in spelling and phonics. Special pink bubbles can be assigned values in the Settings area and used to work on building words with specific parts (practice specific blends or rhymes). Features: • Play in English, French or Spanish • A short video tour of the planet introduces new travellers to Planet Lettra and guides them in playing with the bubbles and creatures • Planet Lettra recognizes over 100,000 words in each supported language. • Words important to reading fluency (about 1000) are formed more easily and more often. • The sound environment is musical, soothing and non-repetitive. • Experiment and play without stress: there are no time limits, no levels to complete, no points to accumulate, no in-app purchases -- Winner of a Children's Technology Review Editors Choice Award (2016) -- School Library Journal (slj.com): "Children will be delighted to discover that double tapping on a bubble triggers the narrator to pronounce it, even if it is an invented word. This app supports word recognition as “smart” letter bubbles (when users hold down a bubble) hint at combinations that lead to real terms. The real joy here is in playfully discovering what letters can do. -- Commonsensemedia.org: "The open-ended platform allows kids full freedom to explore and empowers them to find words all on their own." -- Educational App Store Certified, 4 stars, "This app is great for experimenting with word building and hearing what you have made. The app supports fantastic graphics and a unique playing experience."
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Planet Lettra at 4.3 against Simplex Spelling Light's 3.8. Planet Lettra also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (41 vs 11). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Planet Lettra holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 41 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Simplex Spelling Light's written reviews are positive against 83% of Planet Lettra's.
Simplex Spelling Light ships an update every 10 months, Planet Lettra every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simplex Spelling Light | Planet Lettra |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (11 ratings) | 4.3 (41 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 77.1% of reviews | 83.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 41 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 8.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 257 MB | 123 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pyxwise Software Inc. | Gregory McDonald |
Customer experience
Simplex Spelling Light
Planet Lettra
Bugs and requests
Simplex Spelling Light
Reported bugs
3 issues- Consonant digraphs don't match phonemes
- Letters sounded out individually instead of phonemes
- No volume
Requested features
10 requests- Ability to create custom word lists
- Option to lock lists until mastered
- More word lists/grade levels
- Option to make sentences with words
- Illustrations for engagement
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- Practice and learn section
- Option to select English spellings
- English accent option
- Sticker collecting feature
- More expansions/spelling lists
Planet Lettra
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Simplex Spelling Light
No in-app purchases
Planet Lettra
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Simplex Spelling Light free?
Is Planet Lettra free?
Which has better reviews, Simplex Spelling Light or Planet Lettra?
Do Simplex Spelling Light or Planet Lettra have ads?
Which is updated more often, Simplex Spelling Light or Planet Lettra?
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