Comparison

Phonics 1a Activities vs Phonics Cards

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

Head to head
About

Phonics 1a Activities

Features
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Phonics 1a Activities application for iOS provides young learners of English with the digital tools to practise the sounds of the English alphabet in an educational and entertaining manner. It consists of: Letter tracing and practice Interactive fun activities (colouring, draw lines etc) Learning tasks (listening, circle the right letters, look and choose and many more) with automatic feedback All activities are presented in a playful way, in which learners are able to tap on various items and listen to the corresponding sounds. Learning takes place sub-consciously in a stress-free environment. It’s an innovative interaction than only this application can offer!

About

Phonics Cards

This app offers a distraction-free way to learn phonics rules and improve pronunciation. It includes extensive word examples and customizable phonics sets, supporting both English and British accents.

Highlights
  • 23 phonics sets
  • ~5000 word examples
  • English and British accent pronunciation
  • Customizable phonics sets
  • Add custom words and notes
  • Distraction-free interface
Features
Read full description

Phonics Cards — Systematic English Phonics & Pronunciation Phonics Cards is a focused, distraction-free tool designed to help you master English letter sounds, spelling patterns, and pronunciation. Whether you are helping students learn phonics rules, practicing correct sound articulation, or improving your English pronunciation, Phonics Cards provides a clear, systematic reference tool. Phonics Cards consists of 23 comprehensive phonics sets ranging from basic to advanced, featuring over 5,000 carefully curated word examples. Check the pronunciation of any word in American and British English accents, adjust speech speeds, and explore word meanings with 4 world-class dictionaries. KEY FEATURES Tap to Listen: Tap any card on the grid to hear clear, natural pronunciation aloud. Instant Dictionary Lookup: Press and hold any word to look up definitions, phonetic transcriptions, and word origins across 4 dictionaries (Merriam-Webster, Oxford, Cambridge, and Longman). Adjustable Speech Speed: Select Normal, Slow, or Very Slow speeds to catch subtle vowel sounds, blend transitions, and consonant articulations. Custom Word Lists & Notes: Create personal phonics lists, add new words, attach custom notes, and manage cards with Edit mode. Distraction-Free Interface: Clean, modern flashcard grid designed for focused practice and easy navigation. 23 COMPREHENSIVE PHONICS SETS Short Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) Long Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) Silent E (a_e, i_e, o_e, u_e) Bossy R (ar, er, ir, or, ur) Vowel Teams I (ai, au, aw, ay, ea, ee, ei, ew, ey) Vowel Teams II (ie, oa, oe, ow, ue) Vowel Diphthongs (oi, ou, ow, oy) Double O Sounds (long oo, short oo, other) R-Controlled Vowels I (air, are, ear, eer, eir, ere) R-Controlled Vowels II (ire, oar, oor, ore, our, ure) Y Rules (consonant y, long-e sound, long-i sound, short-i sound) Schwa (unstressed vowel reductions) Initial Blends I (bl, br, cl, cr, dr, gr, pl, pr, tr) Initial Blends II (sc, scr, sk, sn, sp, spl, spr, st, sw) Initial Blends III (dw, fl, fr, gl, shr, sl, str, thr, tw) Final Blends I (-ct, -ld, -lf, -lm, -lp, -lt, -ft, -lk) Final Blends II (-mp, -nch, -nd, -nk, -nt) Final Blends III (-pt, -rd, -rt, -sk, -sp, -st) Consonant Digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, gh, ph, ng) Soft C and G Silent Letters (gn, kn, mb, mn, wr) GH Letter Patterns (aigh, augh, eigh, igh, ough) Suffixes (cian, cien, sion, tion, tious, tial, ture) DESIGNED FOR: Parents and Educators teaching letter sounds, digraphs, and phonics patterns. ESL / EFL Students mastering English pronunciation, phonemic awareness, and spelling. Speech Practice and Study focusing on accurate sound recognition and vocabulary review. If you enjoy Phonics Cards, please take a moment to leave a rating and review on the App Store. Thank you for your support!

Screenshots

Phonics 1a Activities1 screens
Phonics Cards4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Phonics 1a Activities at none against Phonics Cards's 1. Phonics 1a Activities also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Phonics Cards's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 20 months). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Phonics Cards sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Phonics 1a Activities asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Phonics 1a Activities ships an update every 20 months, Phonics Cards every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Phonics 1a Activities versus Phonics Cards: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhonics 1a ActivitiesPhonics Cards
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (52 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—52 — better
Update frequencyEvery 20 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperExpress PublishingFlorithm LLC

In-app purchases

None

Phonics 1a Activities

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Phonics Cards

One-time1
  • Unlock Everything$5.99

Questions

Is Phonics 1a Activities free?
Phonics 1a Activities is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Phonics Cards free?
Phonics Cards is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Phonics 1a Activities or Phonics Cards have ads?
Neither Phonics 1a Activities nor Phonics Cards shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Phonics 1a Activities or Phonics Cards?
Phonics 1a Activities ships an update every 20 months, and Phonics Cards every 4 weeks. Most recently, Phonics 1a Activities was updated on November 11, 2026 and Phonics Cards on November 7, 2026.

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