# Shapes Touch and Write vs First Words Phonics Pro

The clearest difference is rating: Shapes Touch and Write at 5.0 against First Words Phonics Pro's 4.3. Shapes Touch and Write also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). First Words Phonics Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 14 months) and ratings volume (22 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Shapes Touch and Write costs $2.99 and First Words Phonics Pro $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shapes Touch and Write holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: First Words Phonics Pro has 22 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Shapes Touch and Write's written reviews are positive against 67% of First Words Phonics Pro's.

Shapes Touch and Write ships an update every 14 months, First Words Phonics Pro every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shapes Touch and Write | First Words Phonics Pro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shapes-touch-and-write/id567317819/reviews)** | [4.3 (22 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-phonics-pro/id570040709/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **22** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 14 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 55 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FIZZBRAIN LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/349835342) | [Read 'n' Learn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005499252) |

## What reviewers say

### Shapes Touch and Write

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shapes-touch-and-write/id567317819)

This app helps children learn and practice drawing various shapes and pre-writing strokes using fun, tactile textures like shaving cream and paint. It offers customizable practice lists and adjustable difficulty levels to support learning.

**Highlights:** 16 writing textures (shaving cream, paint, etc.), 28 writing papers, "You Try" mode for independent practice, Pre-writing stroke practice, Customizable shape lists, Adjustable difficulty and direction settings, Comparison to standard shapes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### First Words Phonics Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-words-phonics-pro/id570040709)

This educational app teaches children reading and spelling through synthetic phonics. It offers two learning levels and various hint options to customize difficulty, making learning engaging with colorful visuals and sound effects.

**Highlights:** Synthetic phonics learning levels, Learn words and spelling, Letter recognition and matching, Interactive exploration interface, Child-friendly user interface, Engaging artwork and sound effects, 121 words in 5 categories

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shapes Touch and Write free?

Shapes Touch and Write costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is First Words Phonics Pro free?

First Words Phonics Pro costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shapes Touch and Write or First Words Phonics Pro?

Shapes Touch and Write is rated higher. Shapes Touch and Write averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while First Words Phonics Pro averages 4.3 from 22 ratings.

### Do Shapes Touch and Write or First Words Phonics Pro have ads?

Neither Shapes Touch and Write nor First Words Phonics Pro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shapes Touch and Write or First Words Phonics Pro?

Shapes Touch and Write ships an update every 14 months, and First Words Phonics Pro every 2 months. Most recently, Shapes Touch and Write was updated on October 4, 2026 and First Words Phonics Pro on October 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*