# Barton Tiles® vs Sound Boxes for Word Study

The clearest difference is rating: Barton Tiles® at 4.1 against Sound Boxes for Word Study's 3.1. Barton Tiles® also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months) and review sentiment (76% vs 60%). Sound Boxes for Word Study's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Barton Tiles® sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Sound Boxes for Word Study asks for nothing beyond the download.

Barton Tiles® holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 17 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Barton Tiles®'s written reviews are positive against 60% of Sound Boxes for Word Study's.

Barton Tiles® ships an update every 2 months, Sound Boxes for Word Study every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Barton Tiles® | Sound Boxes for Word Study |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barton-tiles/id637391422/reviews)** | [3.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-boxes-for-word-study/id1075114312/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 30 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bright Solutions for Dyslexia, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/637391425) | [Classroom Focused Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/406741679) |

## What reviewers say

### Barton Tiles®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barton-tiles/id637391422)

This app enhances the Barton Reading & Spelling System for tutors and students. It automates lesson setup, word generation, and student progress tracking, saving valuable teaching time per session. Features include student profiles, lesson notes, and direct email communication.

**Highlights:** Student progress tracking, Automated lesson setup, Digital tile manipulation, Word generation, Note-taking, Email communication

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phonemic Awareness | $29.99 | one-time |
| Consonants & Short Vowels | $29.99 | one-time |
| Closed & Unit Syllables | $29.99 | one-time |
| Multi-Syllable words and Vowel Teams | $29.99 | one-time |
| Prefixes & Suffixes | $29.99 | one-time |
| Six Reasons for Silent-E | $29.99 | one-time |
| Vowel-R's | $29.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Vowel Teams | $29.99 | one-time |
| Influence of Foreign Languages | $29.99 | one-time |
| Latin Roots and Greek Combining Forms | $29.99 | one-time |


### Sound Boxes for Word Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sound-boxes-for-word-study/id1075114312)

This educational app helps children develop foundational literacy skills by teaching them how letters and sounds combine to form words. It uses sound boxes to aid in segmenting word sounds, supporting both reading and writing development.

**Highlights:** Letter-sound association, Word segmentation, Supports reading skills, Supports writing skills, Foundational literacy development

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Barton Tiles® free?

Barton Tiles® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sound Boxes for Word Study free?

Sound Boxes for Word Study is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Barton Tiles® or Sound Boxes for Word Study?

Barton Tiles® is rated higher. Barton Tiles® averages 4.1 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Sound Boxes for Word Study averages 3.1 from 7 ratings.

### Do Barton Tiles® or Sound Boxes for Word Study have ads?

Neither Barton Tiles® nor Sound Boxes for Word Study shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Barton Tiles® or Sound Boxes for Word Study?

Barton Tiles® ships an update every 2 months, and Sound Boxes for Word Study every 6 months. Most recently, Barton Tiles® was updated on October 23, 2026 and Sound Boxes for Word Study on October 24, 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.*