Comparison

Short Vowel Word Study vs Writing Wizard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Word sorting activities
  • Phonics pattern analysis
  • Interactive spelling games
  • Letter tile manipulation
  • Tracing and writing words
  • Parental theory explanation
  • Bonus word fun games
Features
Read full description

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/

About

Writing Wizard

This app helps children learn to trace letters, numbers, and words with a fun, motivating system. It offers customizable tracing practice, interactive games, and progress reports for parents and educators.

Highlights
  • Trace letters, numbers, and words
  • Customizable tracing practice
  • Interactive games and animated stickers
  • Create custom word lists with audio
  • Progress reports for tracking
  • Printable PDF worksheets
Features
Read full description

"Fantastic, customizable tracing practice with fun rewards." 5 Stars - Common Sense Media 500,000+ units sold (including 300,000+ to schools) ! Writing Wizard is designed to help every child learn how to trace letters, numbers, and words through a fun system carefully designed to maintain motivation. • Show and enforce how to trace letters correctly • Letter names and phonics (customizable) • 16 Fonts available (including 3 most popular in the US) • Fun tracing using 50+ animated stickers, sound effects and interactive games that animate letters at the end of tracing • Uppercase & lowercase letters, numbers, and words • Ability to create your own word lists (and record audio for each word) • Fully customizable to suit every child’s needs (letter size, difficulty,...) • Check progress thanks to reports that display what the child has traced • Shapes tracing activity for toddlers • Create PDF Worksheets and print them to help your child to write on paper • Use Apple pencil to write at a very small size All the shapes, the first 7 letters, numbers, and words are free. The remaining letters and the ability to add your own words can be unlocked with a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription. _______ ACCOLADES • "Writing Wizard is the most complete and intelligent letter tracing app we’ve seen"" AppoLearning.com • "This brand-new app should be the go-to for every parent, teacher and therapist to work on handwriting" - TOP PICKS - 5 stars - SmartAppsForKids.com • "Writing Wizard by L’Escapadou is everything a parent wants in a handwriting app, and more." 5/5 - kids-app-reviews.com • "L’Escapadou has made handwriting fun." AppyMall.com 5/5 • Listed in "20 best educational iPhone and iPad apps for kids of 2013" - appsplayground.com • Editor's Choice Award for Excellence in Design - Children's Technology Review _______ PERFECT FOR KIDS Kids want to have fun, and Writing Wizard offers a lot of fun to keep them motivated in the learning process! • They can trace using 50+ animated stickers and sound effects • Once tracing is complete, they can interact with them on 4 games that animate letters • They can trace any word - like their name - and record their voice for each word • They can collect stars in 5-Stars play mode _______ PERFECT FOR PARENTS & TEACHERS • Ability to create your own word lists (and record audio for each word) • Detailed reports provide information on what kids have done, including the ability to replay and export the tracings to view kids' progress • Share word lists via iCloud Drive or other cloud providers, adhoc network, or email • Multiple parameters to customize the app according to the child’s current education level (e.g. letter size, difficulty, show/hide model, allow to stop between key points, etc.) • 3 most popular fonts in the US (ZB, DN & HWT) and 13 international fonts (UK, Scandinavia, Australia, Germany and France) • Upper and lower case letters, numbers (and word lists) • Letter names and letter sounds (which can be customized) • A customizable 5-Stars play mode prompting the child to trace a letter or a word 5 times using different parameters (each step is more challenging) • Create an unlimited number of users • Many settings to customize the app (sound, game time limit, black background,...) • In the A-Z section, special graphics available to match letters (e.g. ant graphic for A/a) _______ Privacy Policy KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE As a Moms with Apps member, we follow the "Know what's inside" best practices for kids’ apps L’Escapadou takes children’s privacy seriously. We believe you should not have to worry about your kids being tracked by apps or websites. This app: • Does not collect any user information (we do not use data collection tools) • External Links : Before accessing a parent section, an operation must be solved so that young kids cannot access it. Terms of use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Short Vowel Word Study4 screens
Writing Wizard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Writing Wizard at Free against Short Vowel Word Study's $3.99. Writing Wizard also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.9) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 12). Short Vowel Word Study's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Writing Wizard is free to download; Short Vowel Word Study costs $3.99 up front. Writing Wizard sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Short Vowel Word Study asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Writing Wizard holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Writing Wizard has 5.2K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Short Vowel Word Study's written reviews are positive against 74% of Writing Wizard's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Short Vowel Word Study ships an update every 9 months, Writing Wizard every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Short Vowel Word Study versus Writing Wizard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShort Vowel Word StudyWriting Wizard
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating2.9 (12 ratings)4.4 (5.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews73.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings125.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB68 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThis Reading Mama, LLCPierre Abel

Customer experience

Short Vowel Word Study

All ratings12 ratings
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive55.6%
Neutral22.2%
Negative22.2%

Writing Wizard

All ratings5,184 ratings
Positive84.3%
Neutral6.0%
Negative9.7%
Written reviews208 reviews
Positive73.6%
Neutral6.7%
Negative19.7%

Bugs and requests

Short Vowel Word Study

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Writing Wizard

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes when trying to access locked features
  • Purchased content not unlocking properly
  • Inconsistent letter formation guidance

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more letters, numbers, and shapes
  • Allow recording of custom voice instructions
  • Improve compatibility with stylus/digital pens
  • Provide more customization options

In-app purchases

None

Short Vowel Word Study

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Writing Wizard

Subscriptions1
  • Full Access - Monthly$2.491 Month
One-time3
  • All Letters and Numbers$5.99
  • Add Your Words and Word Lists$5.99
  • Lifetime Full Access$9.99

Questions

Is Short Vowel Word Study free?
Short Vowel Word Study costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Writing Wizard free?
Writing Wizard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Short Vowel Word Study or Writing Wizard?
Writing Wizard is rated higher. Short Vowel Word Study averages 2.9 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Writing Wizard averages 4.4 from 5.2K ratings.
Do Short Vowel Word Study or Writing Wizard have ads?
Neither Short Vowel Word Study nor Writing Wizard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Short Vowel Word Study or Writing Wizard?
Short Vowel Word Study ships an update every 9 months, and Writing Wizard every 4 months. Most recently, Short Vowel Word Study was updated on October 9, 2026 and Writing Wizard on October 29, 2026.

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