# Phonics 1a Activities vs Phonics Explorer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Phonics 1a Activities at none against Phonics Explorer's 1. Phonics 1a Activities also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 26.0). Phonics Explorer's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 20 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Phonics 1a Activities ships an update every 20 months, Phonics Explorer every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phonics 1a Activities | Phonics Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 20 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Size | 104 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Express Publishing](https://appshunter.io/developer/573159932) | [Jingling Zhu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1632188995) |

## What reviewers say

### Phonics 1a Activities

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonics-1a-activities/id922417053)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Phonics Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonics-explorer/id6758260197)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quiz Unlock (Lifetime) | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phonics 1a Activities free?

Phonics 1a Activities is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Phonics Explorer free?

Phonics Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Phonics 1a Activities or Phonics Explorer have ads?

Neither Phonics 1a Activities nor Phonics Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phonics 1a Activities or Phonics Explorer?

Phonics 1a Activities ships an update every 20 months, and Phonics Explorer every 4 days. Most recently, Phonics 1a Activities was updated on October 10, 2026 and Phonics Explorer on October 16, 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.*