Comparison

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 vs Lexy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1

This app uses a scientifically validated phonics approach to improve spelling skills. It teaches fundamental spelling patterns, sounds, and rules through structured lessons and high-frequency words, aiming to build long-term literacy and confidence.

Highlights
  • 450+ high-frequency words
  • 42 instructional phonics lessons
  • Spelling pattern and difficulty organization
  • Reverse phonics approach
  • Contextual spelling rule hints
  • Letter-by-letter feedback
  • Starting assessment test
Features
Read full description

Scientifically validated as a highly effective approach to improving spelling skills through our phonics approach. A published study revealed that students demonstrated an average spelling improvement of 1.9 grades among children in a classroom setting who regularly used Simplex Spelling over a 18 week period. The largest student improvement observed over the same time period was 4.4 grade levels as assessed by administering the Schonell Spelling Test. Linda Chmiliar, "Improving the Spelling Skills of Students with Learning Disabilities using Apps on the iPad", International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education, pp. 962-971. Special Issue Volume 3, 2016. Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 teaches a full year of spelling curriculum with over 450 high frequency words divided into 42 lists that are organized by spelling patterns and difficulty levels. Each of the 42 lists comes with a lesson that teaches one of the basic building blocks of spelling in the English language. These basic building blocks include the different phonograms, sounds, and spelling rules. Our spelling lists focus on some of the highest frequency words in the English language to help students establish a base foundation of literacy and confidence with spelling and reading. Students learn a new concept for each lesson building on the skills learned from previous lessons. Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 guides the student and acts as a personal spelling coach with every word, while teaching "how to spell" English words. Memorization may be sufficient to pass a spelling test, but it often does not transfer into good long term reading and spelling skills. Our goal with Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 is to not only teach a list of words, but to teach students “how to spell” these words, thus building long term skills that can be used for over 84% of the words in the English language that follow phonetic patterns. Many studies show that students who learn to read through phonics have a higher level of literacy than students who learn to read by using flash cards and the whole word approach. Also, that not all readers are good spellers, but almost all good spellers are also good readers. This is why Simplex Spelling's comprehensive unique phonics approach to spelling really works to create both better spellers and better readers. Note: Now supports both North American and British accents.
 Note: You can not create your own spelling lists. Features: 
 - Over 450 high frequency words to help build literacy. 
 - A starting assessment/placement test. - Review lists. - 42 instructional lessons teach phonics, phonograms, and spelling rules. 
 - A full “reverse phonics” approach that includes sounds made by all the different letter combinations. - Contextually relevant spelling rule hints that help explain “how to spell” English words.
 - Letter by letter feedback system provides immediate feedback. 
 - Guaranteed success on every word. 
 - Support for 40 user accounts. 
 - Export and email student progress reports. - Remembers each user’s progress in every list. - User stats screen to see mastered words and words that require further practice. 
 - Supports both upper and lower case letters.
 - Supports both alphabetic and QWERTY keyboard layouts.
 - Supports US, UK and Canadian English spelling of words. - Featured previously by Apple in New & Noteworthy, What's Hot, Words for the Wise and Spelling & Grammar. - Honorable mention in the 2012 Best App Ever Awards - Best Special Needs App. - AppsforHomeschooling (5/5, Golden App Award, 2011 Readers Choice Award) - Academics' Choice Award - Parents' Choice Award Privacy Disclosure: - No 3rd party ads - Does not share any data - No In-App purchases - 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/

About

Lexy

This app uses phonics games and AI to help children learn to read. It adapts to each child's pace and provides personalized feedback, making reading practice fun and effective for struggling readers, including those with dyslexia and ADHD. It offers structured lessons and progress tracking in a distraction-free environment.

Highlights
  • Adaptive phonics lessons
  • On-device voice recognition
  • Orton-Gillingham inspired methods
  • Structured phonics curriculum
  • Progress tracking
  • Dyslexia-friendly design
  • AR rewards
Features
Read full description

Is your child struggling with reading? Watching a bright kid dread reading homework is hard. Lexy turns learning to read into phonics games your child will actually ask to play - a patient tutor that listens as they read aloud, adapts to their pace, and celebrates every win. Built for dyslexia, ADHD, and every struggling reader. WHY PARENTS & TEACHERS LOVE LEXY "My dyslexic son actually ASKS to practice!" - Parent "Best IEP intervention tool we've found" - Special Ed Teacher A READING TUTOR THAT GROWS WITH YOUR CHILD Lexy is like having a patient, encouraging tutor who remembers everything: - Lessons get easier or harder based on how your child is doing TODAY - Extra help appears exactly when they need it (like magic!) - Never too fast, never too slow - just right for their pace - Catches tricky patterns before frustration sets in - Gets smarter about what works for YOUR child every week STRUCTURED PHONICS, PROVEN METHODS - 50+ structured phonics lessons, from letter sounds to decodable words and sight words - Orton-Gillingham inspired multisensory learning (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) - 10,000+ word smart dictionary with age-appropriate definitions - Interactive reading games with instant voice feedback - Daily phonics practice sessions personalized to your child - Progress tracking so you can watch reading confidence grow BUILT FOR DYSLEXIC AND NEURODIVERGENT LEARNERS - On-device voice recognition hears your child read and coaches pronunciation - ADHD-friendly short, engaging sessions - Dyslexia-friendly fonts and customizable display options - Pacing that respects cognitive load limits MAKES READING PRACTICE FUN, NOT FRUSTRATING - Stunning 3D AR rewards to collect and share - Achievement system that celebrates small wins - Home Screen widgets show daily progress and streaks - Custom Daily Goals adapt to age and skill level - Friendly AI tutor (Lexy) provides personal encouragement - No ads, no distractions - pure learning environment PERFECT FOR: - Struggling readers and kids with dyslexia (ages 5-12) - Parents helping early readers learn to read at home - Teachers and special education professionals - Schools and classrooms (bulk licensing available) - Homeschool families building a daily reading habit - Teens and adults improving literacy skills - English language learners (ESL/EFL) PRIVACY AND SAFETY YOU CAN TRUST - Apple Intelligence: voice processing happens on-device for maximum privacy - COPPA and GDPR Compliant (safe for children under 13) - FERPA Compliant (approved for educational institutions) - Hybrid AI: on-device Apple Intelligence + secure cloud AI for personalization - No third-party tracking or data selling - No ads or intrusive in-app purchase prompts - Family-friendly content with age-appropriate vocabulary AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES - American English - British English - French - German - Spanish START FREE TODAY Two practice sessions free every day. No credit card required. Premium unlocks unlimited practice and the full curriculum - cancel anytime. Download now • Try 50+ phonics lessons Perfect for: Dyslexia • ADHD • Struggling Readers • Homeschool • IEP/504 Plans Join thousands of families who've made reading practice something their kids actually look forward to. Small wins every day add up to real reading confidence. Created by DyslexiaAI - educators and parents building world-class tools for dyslexic and neurodivergent minds. SUPPORT AND RESOURCES Privacy Policy: https://dyslexia.ai/privacy-policy Support Center: https://dyslexia.ai/contact Educator Portal: https://dyslexia.ai/platform Contact Us: support@dyslexia.ai Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Simplex Spelling Phonics 14 screens
Lexy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 at 81% against Lexy's 33%. Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Lexy's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.5 vs 4.0). On ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Lexy is free to download; Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 costs $4.99 up front. Lexy sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lexy holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lexy has 319 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Simplex Spelling Phonics 1's written reviews are positive against 33% of Lexy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 ships an update every 5 months, Lexy monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 versus Lexy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimplex Spelling Phonics 1Lexy
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (23 ratings)4.5 (319 ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.4% of reviews — better33.3% of reviews
Number of ratings23319 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size191 MB115 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPyxwise Software Inc.Round Tower Software Studios Limited

Customer experience

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1

All ratings23 ratings
Positive69.6%
Neutral8.7%
Negative21.7%
Written reviews43 reviews
Positive81.4%
Neutral4.7%
Negative14.0%

Lexy

All ratings319 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral4.7%
Negative10.7%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Lexy

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • App glitches on iPhone
  • AI learner not working
  • WiFi error messages
  • Error messages displayed frequently
  • Cannot sign up
Show 11 more
  • 3D rewards freeze screen
  • Calibration issue
  • App crashes
  • Phonetics not working in French
  • Upside down letters
  • Premium pop-up prevents play
  • Microphone not detecting voice
  • Sound takes over a minute to play
  • App freezes phone
  • Premium issues after free trial
  • App won't let user do anything after paying

Requested features

3 requests
  • More time for sounding out words
  • More levels (up to 15)
  • Fix microphone issues for lisp

In-app purchases

None

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Lexy

Subscriptions10
  • Premium Monthly14 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Monthly1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly$5.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Educational Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Family Monthly14 Days trial$11.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium Yearly14 Days trial$44.991 Year
  • Yearly1 Year trial$49.991 Year
  • Educational Yearly14 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Family Yearly14 Days trial$89.001 Year

Questions

Is Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 free?
Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lexy free?
Lexy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 or Lexy?
Lexy is rated higher. Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 averages 4.0 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Lexy averages 4.5 from 319 ratings.
Do Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 or Lexy have ads?
Neither Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 nor Lexy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 or Lexy?
Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 ships an update every 5 months, and Lexy monthly. Most recently, Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 was updated on November 2, 2026 and Lexy on November 7, 2026.

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