# Phonogram Sounds vs Bookshare Reader

The clearest difference is rating: Phonogram Sounds at 4.0 against Bookshare Reader's 3.3. Phonogram Sounds also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 36%). Bookshare Reader's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Phonogram Sounds holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 84 and 67 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Phonogram Sounds's written reviews are positive against 36% of Bookshare Reader's.

Phonogram Sounds ships an update every 6 months, Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phonogram Sounds | Bookshare Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonogram-sounds/id797098295/reviews)** | [3.3 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshare-reader/id1605201737/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **84** | 67 |
| Positive reviews | **69.6% of reviews** | 35.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 27 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [All About Learning Press, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/786428125) | [Benetech](https://appshunter.io/developer/425585906) |

## 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


### Bookshare Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bookshare-reader/id1605201737)

Access a vast library of ebooks designed for individuals with reading barriers. Enjoy high-quality audio narration and customize your reading experience with adjustable fonts, colors, and speeds. Continue reading seamlessly from where you left off.

**Highlights:** Access millions of ebooks, High-quality audio narration, Customizable reading experience, Adjustable font size and colors, Follow along with highlighted text, Offline reading

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for dyslexic readers
- 👍 Realistic text-to-speech voices
- 👍 Offline book downloads
- 👍 Essential for blind users
- 👍 Significant improvements made

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Prolonged pauses in speech
- 🐛 Library not syncing across devices
- 🐛 Reading lists don't sync
- 🐛 Progress not saved across devices
- 🐛 Stuck on copyright page (manga)

**Reported bugs**

- Prolonged pauses in text-to-speech
- Library not syncing across devices
- Reading lists not syncing
- Reading progress not saved across devices
- Manga stuck on copyright page

**Requested features**

- Fix prolonged pauses in text-to-speech
- Sync library across devices
- Sync reading lists across devices
- Save reading progress across devices
- Fix manga page navigation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phonogram Sounds free?

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

### Is Bookshare Reader free?

Bookshare Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phonogram Sounds or Bookshare Reader?

Phonogram Sounds is rated higher. Phonogram Sounds averages 4.0 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while Bookshare Reader averages 3.3 from 67 ratings.

### Do Phonogram Sounds or Bookshare Reader have ads?

Neither Phonogram Sounds nor Bookshare Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phonogram Sounds or Bookshare Reader?

Phonogram Sounds ships an update every 6 months, and Bookshare Reader every 3 weeks. Most recently, Phonogram Sounds was updated on October 8, 2026 and Bookshare Reader on October 5, 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.*