Spooky Letters vs Alphabuddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spooky Letters
This app helps children practice forming letters in both cursive and pre-cursive styles, with phonetic sound-outs to aid spelling and word breakdown. It includes rewarding games and puzzles upon completion of letter exercises, making learning engaging.
- Cursive and pre-cursive letter practice
- Phonetic letter sound-outs
- Spelling and word breakdown skills
- Phonics-based spelling game
- Character reveal puzzles
- A-Z poster and activity downloads
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Spooky Letters allows your child to practice letter forming in both cursive (joined up) and pre-cursive format. Letters are sounded out phonetically to allow your child to develop skills of breaking down words particularly useful for children with Dyslexia. Completion of capital letters reveals a simple phonics based spelling game. Completion of either style of lower case letters is rewarded by a puzzle which reveals the Spooky character in the box. 10 Benefits of Teaching Cursive Handwriting 1.Relative ease in introducing cursive penmanship to preschoolers. 2.Prevents reversals and confusion of letters 3.Enhances spelling ability 4.Develops internal control systems that can be used as tool for learning 5.Potential for errors are diminished 6.Improved reading skills 7.Enforces the skills for patterns in reading and writing 8. Prevents erratic spaces between letters and words 9. Helps Left Handed Children 10.Use as a tool to put thoughts on paper quickly and easily Conclusion: We should teach our children ‘Cursive First, Print Later’. Source: Samuel L. Blumenfield, "How Should We Teach Our Children to Write? Cursive First, Print Later!" The British Dyslexia association recommend that children learn the continuous cursive style. The cursive style has some significant advantages for Dyslexic students. The key advantages to this system are: * By making each letter in one movement, children’s hands develop a ‘physical memory’ of it, making it easier to produce the correct shape; * Because letters and words flow from left to right, children are less likely to reverse letters which are typically difficult (like b/d or p/q); * There is a clearer distinction between capital letters and lower case; * The continuous flow of writing ultimately improves speed and spelling. Spooky Letters A- Z posters and learning activities are available for free on our website.
Alphabuddy
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With Alphabuddy children (age 2 - 6) will practice tracing the letters of the alphabet. This is done with the help of unique hand-crafted plasticine letters and exclusively illustrated animals. Your child will learn how to write the letters, while you’re busy working, driving, or in line at the supermarket! Children’s critical reading skills have declined during the pandemic, with the potential destructive consequence being a lacking self-esteem in their adult lives. Research shows that: -Reading helps to stir the imagination -Reading helps to build character -Reading helps to keep focus -Reading promotes deep thinking Bottom line: although games and video have a place in their lives, your children could be missing out on the most important skill if there is little room for learning the alphabet at an early age. Key Features: -Practice writing the letters of the alphabet One of the most effective ways to teach children to read separate letters is to let them trace the letters of the alphabet. Alphabuddy does just that! -Associate the letter to an animal The animal illustrations were created exclusively for Alphabuddy. They help the child link a letter to an animal, creating a fun and playful environment. -Stay on track with reminders when it’s time to practice next Too many to-do’s to keep track of? We hear you. Add Alphabuddy to your routine by simply setting up a reminder to pop up on a scheduled time and day. It could be when it’s time to wash the dishes, connect to the meeting or right after nap time! Perks: -100% ad-free and kid-friendly -The letters are unique and hand-crafted from plasticine, making them memorable and easy to recognize -Energetic female voice-over and happy music -Colorful and super-easy-to-use design Plan options: -Alphabuddy Free Learn and practice tracing the hand-crafted letters A to E with a little help from our best friends: the Alligator, Butterfly, Cat, Dolphin and Elephant. -Alphabuddy Premium Trace the entire alphabet of hand-crafted letters from A-Z with the rest of our unique custom illustrated animals for only $4.99.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Alphabuddy at Free against Spooky Letters's $2.99. Alphabuddy also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 9 months). Spooky Letters's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (6.0 vs 13.0). On ads and device support 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
Alphabuddy is free to download; Spooky Letters costs $2.99 up front. Alphabuddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Spooky Letters asks for nothing beyond the download.
Spooky Letters ships an update every 9 months, Alphabuddy every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spooky Letters | Alphabuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 6.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 66 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | madebyeducators | Bababoon Games BV |
In-app purchases
Spooky Letters
No in-app purchases
Alphabuddy
- F-Z Letters$2.99
Questions
Is Spooky Letters free?
Is Alphabuddy free?
Do Spooky Letters or Alphabuddy have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spooky Letters or Alphabuddy?
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