Comparison

Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 vs Blending Stack

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 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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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/

About

Blending Stack

This app helps educators and parents support students with learning differences, like dyslexia, by creating customizable blending stacks. It aids in building decoding skills step-by-step through a structured phoneme progression, suitable for one-on-one or small group instruction.

Highlights
  • Customizable blending stacks
  • Supports CVC to multisyllabic words
  • Structured phoneme progression
  • Step-by-step decoding skill building
  • Ideal for one-on-one instruction
  • Suitable for small group lessons
Features
Read full description

The Blending Stack App is an essential tool for educators and parents supporting dyslexic learners or students with other learning differences. With this app, you can create fully customizable blending stacks tailored to each learner’s needs, whether working on simple CVC words or advancing to multisyllabic decoding. Designed around a structured phoneme progression, Blending Stack empowers students to build decoding skills step by step. Its flexible format makes it ideal for one-on-one instruction and small group lessons.

Screenshots

Simplex Spelling Phonics 24 screens
Blending Stack4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Blending Stack at 5.0 against Simplex Spelling Phonics 2's 3.6. Blending Stack also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 65%) and price ($3.99 vs $4.99). Simplex Spelling Phonics 2's advantage is ratings volume (8 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.2). On update cadence, 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

Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 costs $4.99 and Blending Stack $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Blending Stack holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Simplex Spelling Phonics 2's written reviews are positive against 100% of Blending Stack's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 ships an update every 15 months, Blending Stack every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 versus Blending Stack: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimplex Spelling Phonics 2Blending Stack
Price$4.99$3.99 — better
Rating3.6 (8 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews65.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsEvery 14 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size203 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPyxwise Software Inc.Kids n Books

Customer experience

Simplex Spelling Phonics 2

All ratings8 ratings
Positive62.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews20 reviews
Positive65.0%
Neutral15.0%
Negative20.0%

Blending Stack

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Simplex Spelling Phonics 2

No in-app purchases

None

Blending Stack

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 free?
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Blending Stack free?
Blending Stack costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 or Blending Stack?
Blending Stack is rated higher. Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 averages 3.6 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Blending Stack averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 or Blending Stack have ads?
Neither Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 nor Blending Stack shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 or Blending Stack?
Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 ships an update every 15 months, and Blending Stack every 14 months. Most recently, Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 was updated on September 29, 2026 and Blending Stack on September 22, 2026.

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