# Spell vs Phonogram Sounds

The clearest difference is price: Phonogram Sounds at Free against Spell's $1.99. Phonogram Sounds also leads on ratings volume (84 vs 5) and device support (3 vs 1). Spell's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Phonogram Sounds is free to download; Spell costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Spell against 4.0 for Phonogram Sounds. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phonogram Sounds has 84 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Spell's written reviews are positive against 70% of Phonogram Sounds's.

Spell ships an update every 4 months, Phonogram Sounds every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and August 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spell | Phonogram Sounds |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-a-word/id480176452/reviews) | [4.0 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonogram-sounds/id797098295/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **84** |
| Positive reviews | **87.5% of reviews** | 69.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 71 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RJ Cooper & Associates, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/412790299) | [All About Learning Press, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/786428125) |

## What reviewers say

### Spell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-a-word/id480176452)

An early academic program designed for learners of all levels to practice letter identification, spelling, and word recognition. It supports external keyboards and offers special feedback for blind learners, utilizing an errorless learning method with embedded scaffolding.

**Highlights:** Errorless learning method, Supports external keyboards, Scaffolding for cognitive challenges, Customizable word lists, Feedback for blind learners, Early academic program

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Phonogram Sounds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonogram-sounds/id797098295)

This interactive app provides clear audio pronunciations for letter sounds and combinations, featuring all 72 basic phonograms from a popular language arts curriculum. It's designed to support reading and spelling development for learners of all ages.

**Highlights:** Hear correct pronunciation of sounds, Clear enunciation of letters and combinations, Includes all 72 basic phonograms, Supports reading and spelling skills, Interactive learning experience

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spell free?

Spell costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Phonogram Sounds free?

Phonogram Sounds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Spell or Phonogram Sounds?

Spell and Phonogram Sounds are both rated 4.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 5 and 84 ratings respectively.

### Do Spell or Phonogram Sounds have ads?

Neither Spell nor Phonogram Sounds shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Spell or Phonogram Sounds?

Spell ships an update every 4 months, and Phonogram Sounds every 6 months. Most recently, Spell was updated on June 2, 2026 and Phonogram Sounds on August 13, 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.*