Reading Eggs vs Short Vowel Word Study
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Reading Eggs
This program helps children aged 2-13 develop reading and math skills through interactive games, lessons, and e-books. It offers a comprehensive curriculum based on scientific research, designed by educators to foster phonics, comprehension, and numeracy.
- Interactive reading games
- Guided reading lessons
- Over 4,000 e-books
- Phonics and comprehension focus
- Early numeracy skills
- Progress tracking dashboard
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Reading Eggs is the multi-award winning learning program that helps children learn to read. Based on scientific research and designed by experienced elementary teachers, it’s proven to help kids learn to read using interactive reading games, guided reading lessons, fun activities, and over 4,000 e-books. Reading Eggs has already helped over 20 million children worldwide learn to read. Access all our premium learning programs for up to four children: • Reading Eggs Junior (ages 2–4): Toddlers build pre-reading skills such as phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge with fun activities, games, videos, and read-aloud books. • Reading Eggs (ages 3–7): Children take their first steps in learning to read, covering phonics, sight words, spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension. • Fast Phonics (ages 5–10): A systematic, synthetic phonics program to help emergent and struggling readers build key phonics skills. • Reading Eggspress (ages 7– 13): Continues the learning journey by helping children learn to read for meaning and enjoyment. • Mathseeds (ages 3–9): Develops essential early numeracy skills, covering numbers, measurement, shapes, patterns, and more. ABOUT THE READING EGGS LEARN TO READ APP • TRUSTED: used in over 12,000 schools and trusted by elementary educators. • SELF-PACED: children are matched to the perfect level and progress with self-paced, one-on-one lessons. • HIGHLY MOTIVATING: the reward system consists of golden eggs, collectable pets, and games, motivating children to keep learning. • RESEARCH-BASED: based on scientific research and the most up-to-date learning principles on the most effective way children learn to read. • COMPREHENSIVE: Reading Eggs is a complete learn to read system for children aged 2–13 and covers the five essential components of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. • PROVEN RESULTS: our hundreds of testimonials, multiple awards, 91% success rate AND money-back guarantee gives you the confidence in knowing that your child will learn to read using the most effective and results-driven online reading curriculum. • SEE REAL PROGRESS: see instant results in your very own parent dashboard and receive detailed progress reports, which show you exactly where your child is improving and where extra attention is needed. • LEARN TO READ ON THE GO! Your child can learn to read anytime, anywhere on a desktop or tablet device. Users must log in with their account details to access Reading Eggs. Min requirements: • Wireless internet connection • iPad (5th Generation), iPad Air 2, iPad Pro 1st Generation • iPad Mini 4 • iPhone - last 5 models of iPhone • OS Version - iOS 15.8+ • An active trial or subscription Recommended devices and iOS version: • Latest iPad, Latest iPad Air, Latest iPad Pro • Latest iPad Mini • Latest iPhone • Latest iOS Version Note: Teacher accounts are currently not supported For assistance or feedback email: info@readingeggs.com More Information: • Up to 4 children are covered under a single family subscription • Each Reading Eggs and Mathseeds subscription provides access to Reading Eggs Junior, Reading Eggs, Fast Phonics, Reading Eggspress and Mathseeds • Each Reading Eggs subscription provides access to Reading Eggs Junior, Reading Eggs, Fast Phonics and Reading Eggspress • The first month of a monthly subscription is free for new customers • Subscriptions renew automatically; your App Store account will be charged unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Cancel anytime in your App Store account settings Privacy Policy: http://readingeggs.com/privacy/ Terms and Conditions: http://readingeggs.com/terms/
Short Vowel Word Study
This app teaches children spelling patterns for short vowel words using a research-based approach. It offers hands-on activities like sorting, finding, spelling, and writing words to reinforce learning. A parent section explains the methodology, and a bonus game section provides fun reinforcement.
- Word sorting activities
- Phonics pattern analysis
- Interactive spelling games
- Letter tile manipulation
- Tracing and writing words
- Parental theory explanation
- Bonus word fun games
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Teaching kids to spell includes much more than a list of spelling words students should memorize and write on a spelling test each week. Effective spelling methods do not rely on rote memorization, but are developmentally appropriate and hands-on. Word Study is a widely research-based spelling approach whose purpose is to “examine words in order to reveal the logic and consistencies within [the] written language system and to help student achieve mastery in recognizing, spelling, and defining specific words” (Words Their Way, Bear, et. al, 2012). Word Study is developmentally appropriate because it takes into consideration what the student understands or does not yet understand about spellings and word meanings to discover where spelling instruction should start. This is accomplished by looking at the student’s misspellings of certain word patterns (from simple words like man to more complex words such as multitude). It is hands-on in that it requires students to analyze, manipulate, and create meaningful and logical generalizations of how word spellings work. Short Vowels Word Study app is based on the Word Study approach described above and is for students in the late Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers to early Within Word Pattern Spellers, according to the spelling development levels of Words Their Way. Short Vowels Word Study helps kids learn the spelling patterns related to word families and longer short vowel words through developmentally appropriate and hands-on spelling activities. Short Vowels Word Study teaches kids who are ready for: > word families, > short vowel words (CVC), and > longer short vowel words with blends and diagraphs (CCVC and CVCC) The Spelling Activities Included: SORT IT - Sorting words based on their spelling pattern. FIND IT - Analyzing words based on their patterns and finding the one that does not fit based on its phonics sound or visual pattern. SPELL IT - Manipulating letter tiles to spell short vowel words. WRITE IT - Spelling short vowel words by tracing and writing the word. Short Vowels Word Study Bonus Sections - a parent section that explains the theory behind the spelling activities included in the app - a “Word Fun” section, where kids can play hands-on spelling games after earning stars from their spelling activities Kids Safe, No Adds or In-App purchases! please see our Privacy Policy PRIVACY POLICY We take privacy very seriously: Does not contain ads Does not contain integration with social networks Does not use analytics / data collection tools Does not contain in-app purchases Does contain web links for parents To read more about teaching kids to spell through a developmental approach to spelling, visit This Reading Mama or purchase her book, Teaching Kids to Spell. http://thisreadingmama.com/ http://thisreadingmama.com/teaching-kids-to-spell/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Reading Eggs at Free against Short Vowel Word Study's $3.99. Reading Eggs also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.9) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 9 months). Short Vowel Word Study's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, 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
Reading Eggs is free to download; Short Vowel Word Study costs $3.99 up front. Reading Eggs sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Short Vowel Word Study asks for nothing beyond the download.
Reading Eggs holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Reading Eggs has 7.5K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 55% and 56% positive.
Reading Eggs ships an update every 4 weeks, Short Vowel Word Study every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Reading Eggs | Short Vowel Word Study |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (7.5K ratings) — better | 2.9 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 54.7% of reviews | 55.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7.5K — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 9 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #133 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 8.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 97 MB | 43 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Blake eLearning | This Reading Mama, LLC |
Customer experience
Reading Eggs
Short Vowel Word Study
Bugs and requests
Reading Eggs
Reported bugs
3 issues- Login issues and account problems
- Incompatibility with certain iOS versions
- Lessons not saving progress properly
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to disable background music
- More content for older kids
- Improved multi-user management
- Offline mode for lessons
- Better integration with school curriculum
Short Vowel Word Study
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Reading Eggs
- Reading Eggs Monthly1 Month trial$9.991 Month
- Reading Eggs+Mathseeds Monthly1 Month trial$13.991 Month
- Reading Eggs Yearly$69.991 Year
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- Reading Eggs+Mathseeds Yearly$99.991 Year
Short Vowel Word Study
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Reading Eggs free?
Is Short Vowel Word Study free?
Which has better reviews, Reading Eggs or Short Vowel Word Study?
Do Reading Eggs or Short Vowel Word Study have ads?
Which is updated more often, Reading Eggs or Short Vowel Word Study?
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