# Hooked on Phonics Learning vs ABC Spelling

Hooked on Phonics Learning and ABC Spelling both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 86% of ABC Spelling's written reviews are positive against 42% of Hooked on Phonics Learning's. ABC Spelling also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 21). Hooked on Phonics Learning's advantage is chart position (#74 vs unranked) and ratings volume (18K vs 3.2K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hooked on Phonics Learning sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. ABC Spelling asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Hooked on Phonics Learning against 4.6 for ABC Spelling. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hooked on Phonics Learning has 18K ratings behind it against 3.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of Hooked on Phonics Learning's written reviews are positive against 86% of ABC Spelling's.

Hooked on Phonics Learning ships an update monthly, ABC Spelling every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hooked on Phonics Learning | ABC Spelling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooked-on-phonics-learning/id588868907/reviews) | **[4.6 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-spelling-spell-and-phonics/id1186728253/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 3.2K |
| Positive reviews | 42.4% of reviews | **85.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#74** | — |
| Size | 635 MB | 205 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hooked on Phonics](https://appshunter.io/developer/588869030) | [RV AppStudios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/340181308) |

## What reviewers say

### Hooked on Phonics Learning

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooked-on-phonics-learning/id588868907)

**Currently charting:** #74 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

This app transforms screen time into educational fun for children aged 3-8. It offers interactive games and activities across reading, math, and spelling, tailored to individual learning needs. Parents receive real-time progress insights and can track their child's development through a comprehensive ebook library and reward system.

**Highlights:** Reading, Math & Spelling Games, 1000+ Educational Activities, 100+ Ebook Library, Adaptive Learning Program, Virtual Rewards System, Multi-device Compatibility, Customizable Learner Profiles

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hooked on Phonics | $6.99 | per month |
| 1 month 7.99 | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly $7.99 | $7.99 | per month |
| Hooked on Phonics | $7.99 | per month |
| 1 month - 8.99 | $8.99 | per month |
| Hooked on Phonics | $9.99 | per month |
| Hooked on Phonics | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly $12.99 | $12.99 | per month |
| Monthly $14.99 | $14.99 | per month |
| Semi-Annual $29.99 | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| Hooked on Phonics | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual $49.99 | $49.99 | per year |
| 1 year 49.99 | $49.99 | per year |
| Annual $79.99 | $79.99 | per year |
| Can Man eBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| Zap eBook | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlocking of Step 2 including 3 eBooks | $6.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Complete 12 Step Set | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helped child learn to read quickly
- 👍 Fun and engaging for kids
- 🚀 Effective for teaching phonics
- 👍 Great customer service
- 👍 Workbooks and app work well together

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Progress not saved properly
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🔋 Slow loading times
- 🔒 Subscription issues and billing problems

**Reported bugs**

- Avatar creation feature broken
- Incorrect letter pronunciations
- Levels not loading properly
- Login issues after updates

**Requested features**

- More variety in activities and games
- Ability to skip or customize lessons
- Offline mode for using the app without internet
- Support for larger families with more user profiles


### ABC Spelling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-spelling-spell-and-phonics/id1186728253)

This educational game helps young children learn the alphabet, sound out words, and associate letters with pictures through interactive spelling activities. It features colorful graphics, fun animations, and a report card system to track progress. Designed for parents and children to play together, it offers a free and engaging learning experience.

**Highlights:** Learn alphabet and phonics, Interactive spelling games, Associate letters with pictures, Track learning progress with report cards, Colorful graphics and animations, Collect achievement stickers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for kids
- 🚀 Fun and engaging activities
- 💡 Helpful for learning and development
- 🔒 No ads or in-app purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate phonics sounds
- 🐛 Incorrect teaching techniques
- 🐛 Frequent freezing or crashing

**Reported bugs**

- Sound issues
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add more advanced word families and blends
- Incorporate lower case letters
- Improve sentence structure and grammar


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hooked on Phonics Learning free?

Hooked on Phonics Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ABC Spelling free?

ABC Spelling is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hooked on Phonics Learning or ABC Spelling?

ABC Spelling is rated higher. Hooked on Phonics Learning averages 4.5 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while ABC Spelling averages 4.6 from 3.2K ratings.

### Do Hooked on Phonics Learning or ABC Spelling have ads?

Neither Hooked on Phonics Learning nor ABC Spelling shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hooked on Phonics Learning or ABC Spelling?

Hooked on Phonics Learning ships an update monthly, and ABC Spelling every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hooked on Phonics Learning was updated on November 1, 2026 and ABC Spelling 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.*