Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 vs Number Cubes Deluxe
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2
This app scientifically improves spelling and reading skills using phonics, word patterns, and syllabication. It offers over 650 words across 54 lessons, breaking down words into syllables and sounds to build phonemic awareness.
- Scientifically validated approach
- Phonics, word patterns, syllabication
- Over 650 high-frequency words
- 54 instructional lessons
- Reverse phonics hint feature
- Syllable breakdown (visual & auditory)
- Progress tracking
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Scientifically validated as a highly effective approach to improving spelling skills. 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. Simplex Spelling is one of the best ways to improve English spelling and reading skills. Using a powerful combination of phonics lessons, spelling/word patterns, syllabication, our unique “reverse phonics” (phonics encoding) approach and contextually relevant spelling rules. - "Simplex Spelling has a feedback method that rivals anything a teacher can do in the classroom. " - Carolina Nugent, Director of Education KinderTown. - "No other literacy apps are this comprehensive." - Teachers With Apps - "WOW!!!! I found my miracle app" - Speech Language Neighborhood - Academics' Choice Award Teaching over a year of spelling curriculum with more than 650 high frequency words divided into 54 lists that are organized by spelling patterns and difficulty levels. Each of the 54 lists comes with a lesson that teaches one of the basic building blocks of spelling in the English language. These basic building blocks include syllables, sounds, spelling rules and some of the more advanced English phonograms. Students learn a new concept for each lesson building on the skills learned from previous lessons and those covered in Simplex Spelling Phonics 1. Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 guides the student and acts as a personal spelling coach with every word, while teaching students "how to spell" English words. Our “reverse phonics” hint feature breaks each word down into individual phonemes to improve phonemic awareness, a critical skill in achieving literacy. One of the main areas of focus in Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 is on syllables and how they affect the way we speak, read and spell. Every word is broken down into its syllables both visually and auditorily to help students build phonological awareness skills. Many lessons teach the concepts of open and closed syllables, compound words, the rules governing vowels in syllables and syllable stresses. The stress on each syllable is subtly conveyed with every word to help students understand how the stress on a syllable affects the way words are pronounced and spelled. The schwa sound and its occurrence in English words is also taught. Recommended age 6+ Note: You can not create your own spelling lists. Features: - Over 650 high frequency spelling words to help build literacy. - Words are spoken and used in a sentence to establish context and improve vocabulary. - Introductory spelling list seamlessly leads a student through all of the application’s features. - A starting assessment/placement test. - Review lists to track learning progress. - 54 instructional lessons teach syllables, phonics, phonograms, and spelling rules. - A full “reverse phonics” approach that builds phonemic awareness. - Contextually relevant spelling rule hints that help explain “how to spell” English words. - Letter by letter feedback system provides feedback while the student is in the process of spelling each word. - Support for 40 user accounts. - Export and email student progress reports. - Supports US, UK and Canadian English spelling of words. Privacy Disclosure: - Does not contain 3rd party ads - Does not share any data - Does not contain In-App purchases - Contains child protected links to "email the developer questions" and developer's website for additional information, support and teaching tips. COPPA Compliant https://pyxwise.com/privacy-policy/
Number Cubes Deluxe
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Using Number Cubes to teach basic arithmetic offers several educational benefits. These manipulatives make learning interactive and fun, which can increase student engagement and motivation. The experience of manipulating Number Cubes helps solidify abstract mathematical concepts, making them more concrete and understandable. Additionally, Number Cubes are versatile tools that can be used in a variety of activities, promoting cooperative learning and critical thinking. They also provide immediate visual feedback, which aids in the quick recognition and correction of mistakes, thereby enhancing students' problem-solving skills and confidence in their mathematical abilities. Whole numbers, fractions or decimals appear at the top of the screen. By touching a number and then sliding down onto the grid students can move and place a set of number cubes. The app has three different modes and the sets of number cubes can represent whole numbers from 1 to 10, fractions from 1/10 to 1 and decimals from 0.1 to 1.0. The app presents challenges for the students to complete. For example a challenge might be to find two sets of cubes that are equal in length to a given set of cubes. A variety of special features make it fun for students to use Number Cubes. Speech is used to describe activities and reward correct answers. Sound effects add to the fun of using the app. A scoreboard keeps track of students performance and can be kept over time or cleared if the app is used by other students in a classroom situation.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Number Cubes Deluxe at $1.99 against Simplex Spelling Phonics 2's $4.99. Number Cubes Deluxe also leads on iOS requirement (13.2 vs 15.0). Simplex Spelling Phonics 2's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 costs $4.99 and Number Cubes Deluxe $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 ships an update every 15 months, Number Cubes Deluxe every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 | Number Cubes Deluxe |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.6 (8 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 65.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months — better | Every 26 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 13.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 158 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pyxwise Software Inc. | Ventura Educational Systems |
In-app purchases
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2
No in-app purchases
Number Cubes Deluxe
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 free?
Is Number Cubes Deluxe free?
Do Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 or Number Cubes Deluxe have ads?
Which is updated more often, Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 or Number Cubes Deluxe?
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