# Phonogram Sounds vs SPELL

The clearest difference is price: Phonogram Sounds at Free against SPELL's $23.99. Phonogram Sounds also leads on ratings volume (84 vs 6) and device support (3 vs 1). SPELL's advantage is review sentiment (83% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (9.1 vs 15.0). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Phonogram Sounds is free to download; SPELL costs $23.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Phonogram Sounds against 4.0 for SPELL. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phonogram Sounds has 84 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Phonogram Sounds's written reviews are positive against 83% of SPELL's.

Phonogram Sounds ships an update every 6 months, SPELL every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phonogram Sounds | SPELL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $23.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonogram-sounds/id797098295/reviews) | **[4.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-links-wordup/id1118995038/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **84** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 69.6% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 27 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [All About Learning Press, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/786428125) | [Learning By Design, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1175764757) |

## What reviewers say

### Phonogram Sounds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonogram-sounds/id797098295)

This interactive app provides clear audio pronunciations for letter sounds and combinations, featuring all 72 basic phonograms from a popular language arts curriculum. It's designed to support reading and spelling development for learners of all ages.

**Highlights:** Hear correct pronunciation of sounds, Clear enunciation of letters and combinations, Includes all 72 basic phonograms, Supports reading and spelling skills, Interactive learning experience

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great supplement for AAS/AAR
- 👍 Helpful for parents/teachers
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Clear phonetic sounds
- 👍 Good for practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Incorrect 'r' sound
- 👎 Incomplete phonogram set
- 👎 Not a standalone lesson
- 👎 Not for fun
- 👎 Missing Spalding compatibility

**Reported bugs**

- R says /er/ instead of /r/
- Sound not working
- App crashes
- No sound when tapping phonograms
- Sound only works with ringer on

**Requested features**

- Videos showing lip/tongue placement
- Interactive game app
- App for building words/movable tiles
- Level-based sound availability
- Enlarging tapped tile


### SPELL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spell-links-wordup/id1118995038)

This educational app enhances reading, spelling, vocabulary, and oral language skills for K-12+ students. It offers engaging activities that focus on sound structure and phonics, supporting both online and in-person learning environments.

**Highlights:** Improves reading and spelling, Enhances vocabulary, Develops oral language skills, Supports K-12+ students, Flexible for online/in-person use, Focuses on sound structure and phonics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phonogram Sounds free?

Phonogram Sounds is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SPELL free?

SPELL costs $23.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phonogram Sounds or SPELL?

SPELL is rated higher. Phonogram Sounds averages 4.0 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while SPELL averages 4.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Phonogram Sounds or SPELL have ads?

Neither Phonogram Sounds nor SPELL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phonogram Sounds or SPELL?

Phonogram Sounds ships an update every 6 months, and SPELL every 8 months. Most recently, Phonogram Sounds was updated on November 1, 2026 and SPELL on November 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*