# Hooked on Phonics Learning vs AB Sees

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AB Sees at 100% against Hooked on Phonics Learning's 42%. AB Sees also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 21). Hooked on Phonics Learning's advantage is ratings volume (18K vs 17) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. AB Sees asks for nothing beyond the download.

AB Sees holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hooked on Phonics Learning has 18K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Hooked on Phonics Learning's written reviews are positive against 100% of AB Sees's.

Hooked on Phonics Learning ships an update monthly, AB Sees every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hooked on Phonics Learning | AB Sees |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooked-on-phonics-learning/id588868907/reviews) | **[5.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ab-sees/id6541751007/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 42.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#69** | — |
| Size | 635 MB | 365 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hooked on Phonics](https://appshunter.io/developer/588869030) | [wylan neely](https://appshunter.io/developer/1261508202) |

## What reviewers say

### Hooked on Phonics Learning

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

**Currently charting:** #69 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


### AB Sees

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ab-sees/id6541751007)

This app makes writing fun for children, turning it into an engaging, game-like experience. It helps kids learn to write significantly earlier than average, fostering creativity and interactive learning.

**Highlights:** Engaging game-like writing experience, Accelerated writing development, Creative and interactive learning, User-friendly interface, Smooth performance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Unique and engaging learning experience
- 👍 Smooth and quick performance
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Effective for teaching kids reading, writing, and spelling
- 👍 Motivating and fun for children


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hooked on Phonics Learning free?

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

### Is AB Sees free?

AB Sees is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hooked on Phonics Learning or AB Sees?

AB Sees is rated higher. Hooked on Phonics Learning averages 4.5 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while AB Sees averages 5.0 from 17 ratings.

### Do Hooked on Phonics Learning or AB Sees have ads?

Neither Hooked on Phonics Learning nor AB Sees shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hooked on Phonics Learning or AB Sees?

Hooked on Phonics Learning ships an update monthly, and AB Sees every 3 months. Most recently, Hooked on Phonics Learning was updated on October 17, 2026 and AB Sees on October 16, 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.*