Comparison

Picture Packets vs SPELLING MAGIC 4

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

Head to head
About

Picture Packets

This app is part of a comprehensive reading and writing curriculum designed for beginning readers or those who have struggled with literacy. It focuses on transitioning from phonetic sounds to reading words in letters, helping children become independent readers and writers.

Highlights
  • Part of a 14-app reading curriculum
  • Aids transition from sounds to letters
  • Develops independent reading skills
  • Encourages creative writing
  • No ads or in-app purchases
Features
Read full description

Center for Innovation in Education Picture Packets - Transition Dekodiphukan Description The twelfth of the fourteen apps that comprise the Baratta-Lorton Reading Program. The Reading Program is a reading and writing curriculum for beginning readers and any child who has already experienced difficulty in learning to read. 99% unique – 100% effective - 100% free Background for the fourteen apps The Baratta-Lorton Reading Program also known as Dekodiphukan (pronounced decode if you can) was developed by the Center for Innovation in Education whose many other offerings include Mathematics Their Way, the first non-traditional math curriculum adopted in by the State of California. Dekodiphukan has been in use in classrooms across the United States and Canada since 1985. The Program has been used to teach thousands of children to read and to write regardless of background or supposed lack of reading readiness. To date, no child using the program in a classroom setting has ever failed to learn to read or to write. This Dekodiphukan reading and writing curriculum is now a series of fourteen apps plus a parent-guide for the iPad that, within a period of six months to a year (or occasionally a bit longer for some special needs children), will enable every child using it to read and to write. Reading with enjoyment. Writing creatively. Dekodiphukan is a full fledged curriculum. It is a set of specific learning activities, not a set of games. The curriculum’s fourteen apps are all free with no ads - popup or otherwise - included. While the apps may be downloaded all at once and stored in a folder on the iPad, no more than two or three of the apps are used at any one time by the child. Picture Packets - Transition The twelfth of the Fourteen Apps The child begins Picture Packets-Transition at the same time as he or she begins the Writing Worksheets. Despite the lack of specific letter instruction accompanying the Picture Packets, the parent will observe that when his or her child reads the Picture Packets-Transition phrases, the child often attempts to read the words in letters, as opposed to the words in sounds.  The sounds above the letters are used when the word they represent is not known.  Children use the sounds to check the accuracy of their reading without having to ask a parent or anyone else a word they do not know. It may seem like more should be said about teaching children how to read the letters in the transition phrases, because it is the transition level of the program that produces the most parental anxiety.  The concern is that a child may not be able to make the switch from sounds to letters to become what the parent feels is a real reader.  But the most difficult learning level has already past.  It passed for each child when that child mastered the art of blending two and three sounds into words.  The child who can read phrases comfortably and who is at the transition level has already cleared all the hurdles.  The child now is merely finishing out the run. Picture Packets - Transition Introduced in tandem with the Writing Worksheets No specific lesson with the letters is given to the child Letter association take place in the Writing Worksheets and Sightword apps

About

SPELLING MAGIC 4

This app teaches children silent final 'e' words using phonics principles and interactive games. It helps build phonemic awareness and expand vocabulary through word building and exploration activities.

Highlights
  • Silent final 'e' word focus
  • Word building activities
  • Moveable alphabet exploration
  • Pronunciation aid with pictures
  • Phonics and phonemic awareness games
  • Science of Reading principles
Read full description

Introducing SPELLING MAGIC 4 – a dynamic app that focuses on teaching silent final e words to children. SPELLING MAGIC 4 incorporates the main principles of the Science of Reading. In the "Word Building" section, kids get to use the letters of the word to construct it, while the "Moveable Alphabet" section allows them to explore word construction using the entire alphabet. SPELLING MAGIC 4 offers ample opportunities for practicing building silent e words, including words that may not be part of a young learner's everyday vocabulary. This provides a unique chance to expand their word bank and vocabulary. The app also pronounces the word when the user taps on pictures, aiding in pronunciation and comprehension. SPELLING MAGIC 4 is committed to time-tested phonics principles to help children develop solid reading skills. It provides direct experience with letters and sounds to build phonemic awareness, improve phonological processing ability, and lay strong foundations in reading. The app includes games that focus on essential pre-reading skills such as blending and segmenting, offering meaningful challenges to strengthen phonemic awareness. Developed by a team of educators using accelerated learning techniques and Montessori principles, SPELLING MAGIC 4 has been thoroughly tested and approved by preschool children and their teachers in various settings. Your feedback and suggestions are highly valued as we continue to refine and enhance the app for an optimal learning experience. SPELLING MAGIC 4 is perfect for young children learning intermediate reading skills and those who are learning the foundations of English as their second language. Join us on this exciting learning journey and give your child the gift of strong reading skills that will set them up for success in school and in life.

Screenshots

SPELLING MAGIC 44 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Picture Packets at 5.0 against SPELLING MAGIC 4's 4.4. Picture Packets also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). SPELLING MAGIC 4's advantage is update cadence (every 33 months vs every 69 months) and ratings volume (10 vs 2). On review sentiment and ads 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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Picture Packets holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SPELLING MAGIC 4 has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Picture Packets ships an update every 69 months, SPELLING MAGIC 4 every 33 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Picture Packets versus SPELLING MAGIC 4: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPicture PacketsSPELLING MAGIC 4
Price—Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.4 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 69 monthsEvery 33 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.612.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB169 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBob Baratta-LortonPRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY

Customer experience

Picture Packets

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

SPELLING MAGIC 4

All ratings10 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Picture Packets

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

SPELLING MAGIC 4

One-time1
  • Deluxe Upgrade$1.99

Questions

Is Picture Packets free?
Pricing for Picture Packets is not currently listed on the App Store.
Is SPELLING MAGIC 4 free?
SPELLING MAGIC 4 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Picture Packets or SPELLING MAGIC 4?
Picture Packets is rated higher. Picture Packets averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while SPELLING MAGIC 4 averages 4.4 from 10 ratings.
Do Picture Packets or SPELLING MAGIC 4 have ads?
Neither Picture Packets nor SPELLING MAGIC 4 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Picture Packets or SPELLING MAGIC 4?
Picture Packets ships an update every 69 months, and SPELLING MAGIC 4 every 33 months. Most recently, Picture Packets was updated on October 23, 2026 and SPELLING MAGIC 4 on October 13, 2026.

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