# READING MAGIC 5 vs Phonics Inventory

The clearest difference is rating: READING MAGIC 5 at 4.8 against Phonics Inventory's 3.0. READING MAGIC 5 also leads on ratings volume (11 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). Phonics Inventory's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 11 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. READING MAGIC 5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Phonics Inventory asks for nothing beyond the download.

READING MAGIC 5 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: READING MAGIC 5 has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

READING MAGIC 5 ships an update every 11 months, Phonics Inventory every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | READING MAGIC 5 | Phonics Inventory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-5/id587172901/reviews)** | [3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonics-inventory/id899200953/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 226 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.7 | **10.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PRESCHOOL UNIVERSITY](https://appshunter.io/developer/404048727) | [Houghton Mifflin Harcourt](https://appshunter.io/developer/409368007) |

## What reviewers say

### READING MAGIC 5

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/reading-magic-5/id587172901)

This educational app teaches children the rules of the silent final 'e' in English phonics through engaging games. It helps develop essential reading skills like blending and segmenting, fostering phonemic awareness and phonological processing.

**Highlights:** Teaches silent final 'e' rules, Develops phonemic awareness, Enhances phonological processing, Includes engaging blending and segmenting games, Discourages picture guessing, Offers lesson tracking (deluxe version)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Deluxe Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |


### Phonics Inventory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonics-inventory/id899200953)

This digital tool assesses reading fluency and foundational skills for students in grades 3-12+. It measures decoding, sight word recognition, and letter recognition quickly and efficiently. The assessment can be used for universal screening, intervention placement, and progress monitoring.

**Highlights:** Measures decoding and sight word fluency, Assesses letter recognition, Tracks reading progress, Universal screening, Intervention placement, Administered on iPads

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is READING MAGIC 5 free?

READING MAGIC 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Phonics Inventory free?

Phonics Inventory is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, READING MAGIC 5 or Phonics Inventory?

READING MAGIC 5 is rated higher. READING MAGIC 5 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Phonics Inventory averages 3.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do READING MAGIC 5 or Phonics Inventory have ads?

Neither READING MAGIC 5 nor Phonics Inventory shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, READING MAGIC 5 or Phonics Inventory?

READING MAGIC 5 ships an update every 11 months, and Phonics Inventory every 4 months. Most recently, READING MAGIC 5 was updated on November 14, 2026 and Phonics Inventory on November 1, 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.*