Spelling Buddy vs Phonogram Fun
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spelling Buddy
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Spelling Buddy is your personal spelling bee coach. - Realistic voices pronounce every word, definition, sentence & origin on demand — exactly like a real pronouncer at competition. ••• HOW IT WORKS ••• - Hear the word, then type your spelling. - Request the definition, origin, or a sentence — the same tools available in real spelling bees. - Get instant feedback and move to the next word. ••• IMPORT ANY WORD LIST ••• - Subscribers can snap or upload a photo of a printed word list and the app extracts every word automatically. - Each word gets a generated definition, example sentence, origin & difficulty level — no manual entry needed. ••• PRACTICE YOUR WAY ••• - Start with free built-in levels or subscribe to create custom lists for your school, competition, or personal goals. - Play through sessions and review exactly what you missed. ••• BUILT TO PERFORM ••• - Four natural voices, American & British. - All pronunciation runs on-device — no internet needed during practice. - Build your word streak across sessions and watch your confidence grow. - Free levels included. - Subscribe to unlock photo & camera import, all game levels, word search & filtering, custom level creation, and auto-filled word details. ••• LINKS ••• - Apple EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ - Privacy Policy: https://rodsoftware.com/pages/spelling-buddy-privacy - Terms of Service: https://rodsoftware.com/pages/terms-of-service - Support Email: support@rodsoftware.com - Legal Email: legal@rodsoftware.com
Phonogram Fun
This app transforms spelling practice into engaging games for young learners. It uses phonics, repetition, and interactive activities to build understanding and improve reading skills. Parents and educators can track progress and focus on tricky words.
- Interactive spelling games
- Phonics-based learning
- On-demand word repetition
- Progress tracking and analysis
- Customizable spelling lists
- Phonogram sound exploration
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Whether you're a parent helping with the weekly spelling list, getting a first-grader ready for a phonics test, a homeschooler teaching sounds-first phonics, or a teacher wanting phonogram practice kids actually ask for, Phonogram Fun turns repetition into engagement, and engagement into understanding. Young spellers need to hear words again. And again. And once more after that. Repetition is how spelling sticks. Phonogram Fun repeats every word on demand, breaks it into the sounds that make it up, and turns a plain word list into games kids genuinely come back to. You get to be the cheer squad. READY FOR THE PHONICS SCREENING CHECK, NEW: Schools in England, Australia and New Zealand give every first-grader a phonics test: 40 words, half of them made-up "alien" words, read one at a time to their teacher. It's the cleanest test there is of whether a child can actually blend sounds into words, and a great way to see where your own early reader stands, whether or not their school runs one. 12 PRACTICE PAPERS: the actual past papers from England's check, real and alien words mixed, just like on the day YOU'RE THE TEACHER: your child reads, you tap right, nearly or not yet. No timer, no pressure SOUND IT OUT: tap the speaker and the word lights up sound by sound, slow, normal or fast, so a wobble becomes a lesson instead of a miss SEE WHERE THEY STAND: a score against the line schools use, a readiness map of all 70 sounds, and a one-tap practice round of just the tricky words THIS WEEK'S LIST, TRANSFORMED: Snap a photo of any spelling list (a homework sheet, a school handout, your own handwriting) and it becomes: WORD CLIMB, NEW: One word at a time climbs the ladder. One letter missing, then two, then every second letter gone, all the way to Blind Spell and Wild Spell (seeded with the near-miss letters kids actually reach for). Conquered words earn gold, silver or bronze medal celebrations, and a color-coded grid plus a tries table show exactly which words need another go PHONOGRAM LESSONS: see and hear the phonograms inside each word. "Sight" isn't five random letters; it's s + igh + t, and your child can tap each piece to hear its sound FILL THE GAPS: the week's words are woven into a one-of-a-kind story, then hidden. Spell them back in across 5 levels, from Easy all the way to Blind Spell and Wild Spell The repetition kids need, with the variety that keeps them coming back. 34 PHONOGRAM MODULES: Alongside the weekly list, 34 standalone, self-contained spelling lessons. Dip in at any level, in any order, from first sounds to confident speller: Hear and Learn introduces each module's phonograms and words before practicing Reading and dictation practice in every module Pick the Phonogram: fill-in-the-blank rounds with hints and star ratings Smart review resurfaces the words your child finds tricky EXPLORE EVERY SOUND: Built on the 70 phonograms behind every English word. A word analyzer that splits any word into color-coded, tappable sound segments, an interactive chart of all 70, an animated word builder, sound playground, arcade game and more. PROGRESS THAT STICKS: Daily streaks, mastered-word tracking, and a parent dashboard showing exactly which sounds need work; adjustable voice, font size and strictness for every learner. Designed for ages 5 to 12. Works with any spelling list, your child's own school words. Friendly Australian narration. No ads, ever. Phonogram Fun Plus: $24.99/year after your 7-day free trial; other plans are shown in the app. Subscriptions renew automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the period ends; manage them anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: Phonogram Fun at 3 against Spelling Buddy's 1. Phonogram Fun also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Spelling Buddy sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Phonogram Fun sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | Spelling Buddy | Phonogram Fun |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Every 8 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 151 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rod Software LLC | Paul Alvares |
In-app purchases
Spelling Buddy
- Weekly Subscription3 Days trial$0.997 Days
- Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$1.991 Month
Phonogram Fun
- Spalding method - PhonogramFun7 Days trial$2.991 Month
- PhonogramFun Premium – Annual7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Questions
Is Spelling Buddy free?
Is Phonogram Fun free?
Do Spelling Buddy or Phonogram Fun have ads?
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