Movable Alphabet vs Mountain Shadows
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Movable Alphabet
This app helps young children learn to spell and build words phonetically, mirroring a Montessori approach. It allows them to arrange letters to form words before they master handwriting, with audio support and additional word sets available.
- Phonetic word building
- Montessori methodology
- Audio pronunciations
- Over 40 images with words
- Interactive letter sounds
- Multiple word set expansions
Read full descriptionHide full description
Mobile Montessori is proud to present the Movable Alphabet! After learning to identify and blend the sounds of the letters of the alphabet children are often ready to build words on their own. However, the ability to write them down with paper and pencil may require much more time and practice to acquire. Therefore, Dr. Montessori prepared the Movable Alphabet for children to “write” words, long before mastering the physical skill of writing. Children can phonetically sound out words, one letter at a time to build words. The app includes over 40 images of simple words, along with audio pronunciations and instructions, for children to practice with. Additional word sets are available via InApp Purchase! One unique feature in this app, are the buttons in the box above each letter. Children can touch the buttons to hear the sound of the letters, giving them the ability to "search" for the sound they are thinking of to build their word! ***** REVIEWS FROM OUR CUSTOMERS: "Thank you so much for the Cursive Edition of the movable alphabet. We've just downloaded it and my son is using it with great success!" ***** About the Word Sets: Once the children begin the process of composing three letter words (consonant-vowel-consonant) with the Movable Alphabet they are encouraged to move on to building four and five letter words. In our experience in the classroom, it is best to follow the CVC words with four letter, CVCC words, which often seems to be easier for the blending of sounds leading up to the actual reading of words. Mastering word building requires lots of practice and repetition. Following this, we introduce four letter, CCVC words and then five letter, CCVCC words. As the children master these skills they often explore the process all on their own and have fun expressing their own ideas using the Movable Alphabet! Word Sets 1 & 2: CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant), three letter words (bat, fin, jug, etc.) Word Set 3: CVCC (consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant), four letter words (fast, bulb, hand, etc.) Word Set 4: CVCC (consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant), four letter words ending with “ck” or “nk” (sack, rink, tack, etc.) Word Set 5: CCVC (consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant), four letter words (clap, flex, spot, etc.) Word Set 6: CCVCC (consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant), five letter words (drink, twist, slept, etc.) Dr. Montessori observed in her work with children that after working with the Movable Alphabet children experienced an “explosion in to reading!” Our goal is to bring a sampling of this excitement to a large audience via the Movable Alphabet on the iPad! We thank you for your support of our apps and hope you enjoy this one! Visit our website: http://www.mobilemontessori.org App page: http://www.mobilemontessori.org/movablealphabetcursive
Mountain Shadows
This app provides a customizable platform for parents, staff, and the community of an international Montessori school. It offers quick access to school updates, event information, contact options, and important resources, enhancing communication and engagement.
- School updates notifications
- Absence and attendance submission
- Direct school contact
- Access to school websites
- Event calendar
- Social media and news feed
- Customizable portal layout
Read full descriptionHide full description
Welcome to the official mobile app of Mountain Shadows International Montessori School in Boulder, Colorado. This beautiful, customizable design features a clear layout of resources for MSIMS parents, staff members, visitors, and any other members of the MSIMS community. You can use this app to... • Get notified about important school updates • Submit absence & attendance notifications • Contact the school with the push of a button • Access important MSIMS websites, like Transparent Classroom • See what upcoming events are happening • Browse the latest MSIMS social media and news • Learn more about Mountain Shadows International Montessori School • And much more! Your MSIMS app is fully customizable by you: Rearrange your portals to easily access whichever features you use most. If you want to check school events frequently, you can put that portal front and center. If you never check school social media, you can turn that portal off. This app is built with cutting-edge technology and a modern, user-friendly design that's optimized based on millions of usage data points. As the technology continues to improve, you'll notice your app getting better and better over time. If you have ideas, suggestions, questions, or feedback about anything in the app, you can easily submit them through your app's suggestion box (in the "Profile" screen). This feedback will always be taken into account to continue improving the MSIMS app experience for everyone. This app was created using Onespot, an app builder platform designed to make mobile app creation simple and accessible for any organization. With Onespot, Mountain Shadows International Montessori School was able to design and launch a fully functional, customizable app without needing any technical expertise. Onespot empowers schools, businesses, and communities to build apps that enhance engagement and streamline communication. By leveraging this cutting-edge tool, MSIMS can easily update and modify the app to meet the evolving needs of its community, ensuring a seamless experience for all users. To learn more about this app, visit MontessoriMobileApps.com. To contact the developers directly, email team@seabirdapps.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Mountain Shadows at Free against Movable Alphabet's $4.99. Mountain Shadows also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 30 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Mountain Shadows is free to download; Movable Alphabet costs $4.99 up front. Movable Alphabet sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Mountain Shadows asks for nothing beyond the download.
Movable Alphabet ships an update every 30 months, Mountain Shadows every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Movable Alphabet | Mountain Shadows |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 30 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 40 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rantek Inc. | Seabird Apps |
Customer experience
Movable Alphabet
Mountain Shadows
In-app purchases
Movable Alphabet
- Movable Alphabet Word Set 2 (CVC)$1.99
- Movable Alphabet Word Set 3 (CVCC)$1.99
Mountain Shadows
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Movable Alphabet free?
Is Mountain Shadows free?
Do Movable Alphabet or Mountain Shadows have ads?
Which is updated more often, Movable Alphabet or Mountain Shadows?
Other comparisons















