Comparison

Spell vs Read&Write

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

Head to head
About

Spell

This early academic program uses an errorless learning method to help users identify, spell, and recognize words. It supports external keyboards and offers special feedback for blind learners. The lite version focuses on core word learning functionalities.

Highlights
  • Errorless learning method
  • Word identification and spelling
  • Word recognition for reading
  • External keyboard support
  • Scaffolding for cognitive challenges
  • Special feedback for blind learners
Features
Read full description

A "lite" version of Spell-A-Word, our large-print, early academic program for beginning to advanced letter users. It uses an errorless learning method. Spell-A-Word works on identification, spelling, & word recognition (for reading). WORKS WITH EXTERNAL KEYBOARD, such as our Colored-Rows BigKeys, or any Bluetooth keyboard (or *any* USB keyboard)! Or choose from the regular iOS keyboard, or Spell-A-Word's own 1-row-at-a-time one). Scaffolding (as much help as needed but as little as possible) is embedded so as to help those with significant cognitive challenges. The full version allows you to easily enter lists of spelling words/phrases for the learner to practice and be tested on. WordLists consisting of hundreds of words/sounds/pictures are available from the developer's website at no charge. Spell-A-Word even has special feedback for blind learners.

About

Read&Write

This app offers advanced text-to-speech capabilities, allowing users to have text read aloud with synchronized highlighting. It also includes writing assistance features like word prediction and spell check, along with extensive formatting options for improved readability and document creation.

Highlights
  • Text-to-Speech with synchronized highlighting
  • Word prediction for faster writing
  • Customizable font and layout settings
  • Save text as audio files
  • Import and open various document formats
  • Read webpages via toolbar extension
  • Spellcheck and grammar check with word descriptions
Features
Read full description

Read&Write for iPad is a reading and writing app with high-quality text-to-speech, formatting controls, a wide range of fonts and styles and cloud storage integration. Read&Write provides visual highlighting in-sync with spoken words, a great range of colour and font settings to allow for optimum reading, and word prediction to help with writing. Read&Write is a quality app for proofreading text through listening, helping with reading and literacy development, and creating audio files from any text. PRODUCT FEATURES • Text-to-Speech - Type into Read&Write and have the text read back to you. You can check text and proofread it quickly and easily. - You can import documents into Read&Write from apps such as Mail, or import directly from Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.. Read&Write can open a range of document formats including Word doc, PDF and epub. - Text from any app can be copied and pasted into Read&Write ready to be read back. - Apple's speech recognition can be used to dictate text directly into Read&Write, and can be listened back to ensure it is right. - The Apple spell check works in Read&Write too, further helping accuracy. - You can save the text as an audio file using the same high-quality voice. • Word Prediction Word prediction helps with writing more quickly and accurately. • Visual Highlighting Text is highlighted as the text is read back. Highlighting allows you to coordinate reading and listening. Read&Write lets you pick the colour and style of highlighting required. There are four highlighting modes to choose from: none, word by word, word trail, or sentence by sentence highlighting. • Font & Layout Change the font type, size or colour to suit your needs. Layout the text for easier reading by adjusting the character, line and paragraph spacing and adjusting the page margins. Text can be formatted bold, italic and underlined to emphasise. Images can be inserted into the text from the camera or your library. • Save to Audio Convert any text into an audio file using any of the high-quality voices. This is quick and easy, allowing text to be listened to on the move. Great for proofreading on the go. • Share your text Text created within Read&Write can be emailed, messaged, printed, opened in another app, or copied and pasted into another app, like Safari. • Read webpages You can now read webpages in Safari and other browsers, using the "Read&Write Toolbar" extension from the share menu. * Spellcheck & Grammar check Use the Read&Write spellcheck feature that can provide you with additional word descriptions and pictures to help you find the correct word. Also included in this app is the Read&Write Keyboard app, which is a powerful keyboard replacement that works in every app. Supporting reading, writing, comprehension and vocabulary development, Read&Write provides a rich set of features which extend accessibility and provide a range of tools to help with literacy including: • Text to speech • Prediction • Dictionary / Talking dictionary • Picture Dictionary • Check It • Talk&Type (available for iOS 10 and above) • Speak as I type • OpenDyslexic font support • Language translation in Safari (French or Spanish, Locale dependent) • French language localisation The Read&Write keyboard app provides help everywhere it’s needed whether it’s working on documents, presentations, being creative or just using mail. It’s great for those with individual needs such as Dyslexia and those where English is not their first language, but it’s designed for everyone.

Screenshots

Read&Write4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Read&Write at 3.1 against Spell's 2.0. Read&Write also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (29 vs 1). Spell's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Spell sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Read&Write sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Read&Write holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Read&Write has 29 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spell ships an update every 6 months, Read&Write monthly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Spell versus Read&Write: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpellRead&Write
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.0 (1 ratings)3.1 (29 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—24.2% of reviews
Number of ratings129 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size71 MB225 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRJ Cooper & Associates, Inc.Everway Opco Ltd.

Customer experience

Spell

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Read&Write

All ratings29 ratings
Positive48.3%
Neutral10.3%
Negative41.4%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive24.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative72.7%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Spell

One-time1
  • Upgrade to Full Version of Spell-A-Word$4.99
1 purchases

Read&Write

One-time1
  • Unlock Premium Feature$19.99

Questions

Is Spell free?
Spell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Read&Write free?
Read&Write is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spell or Read&Write?
Read&Write is rated higher. Spell averages 2.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Read&Write averages 3.1 from 29 ratings.
Do Spell or Read&Write have ads?
Neither Spell nor Read&Write shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spell or Read&Write?
Spell ships an update every 6 months, and Read&Write monthly. Most recently, Spell was updated on November 1, 2026 and Read&Write on November 1, 2026.

Other comparisons