# Phonograms by SEI vs Lets Play Music

The clearest difference is price: Lets Play Music at Free against Phonograms by SEI's $3.99. Lets Play Music also leads on review sentiment (62% vs 20%) and rating (4.2 vs 1.8). Phonograms by SEI's advantage is chart position (#13 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Lets Play Music is free to download; Phonograms by SEI costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Lets Play Music holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 220 and 207 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of Phonograms by SEI's written reviews are positive against 62% of Lets Play Music's.

Phonograms by SEI ships an update every 4 months, Lets Play Music every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phonograms by SEI | Lets Play Music |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.8 (220 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonograms-by-sei/id934525008/reviews) | **[4.2 (207 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lets-play-music/id1556681183/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **220** | 207 |
| Positive reviews | 19.8% of reviews | **62.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#13** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 154 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spalding Education International](https://appshunter.io/developer/934525007) | [Nascent Labs L.L.C.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496531011) |

## What reviewers say

### Phonograms by SEI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonograms-by-sei/id934525008)

**Currently charting:** #13 Top Paid · Education, #111 Top Paid (US App Store)

This app helps students learn the connection between speech sounds and written symbols (phonograms). Mastering phonograms is crucial for accurate reading, writing, and spelling, expanding vocabulary and improving communication skills.

**Highlights:** Learn phonogram sound-symbol relationships, Phonogram introduction by group, Oral phonogram review with sound check, Written phonogram review with writing practice, Differentiated practice for specific phonograms, Supports phonemic awareness and letter recognition

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✅ Effective for learning phonograms and improving reading skills
- 🎯 Differentiated practice allows selecting specific phonograms
- 🔊 Clear audio narration when functioning properly
- 📱 Works well on multiple devices (iPhone, iPad)
- 💰 Affordable price point at $3.99-$4.27

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔇 Sound frequently doesn't work or is inconsistent
- 🐛 Written practice shows blank/black screen
- ⚙️ Poor app design and user interface
- 🔧 Requires phone settings changes to function properly
- ⏱️ Slow performance and long loading times

**Reported bugs**

- Sound not playing despite volume settings being correct
- Written phonogram review displays blank screen
- App requires phone ringer to be off silent mode for audio
- Letters not visible in dark mode display
- Written practice button 'Show Me' displays nothing

**Requested features**

- Save selected phonogram lists for future sessions
- Allow writing directly in the app instead of on paper
- Add FAQ or troubleshooting guide
- Implement dark mode compatibility
- Enable sound to work while phone is on silent


### Lets Play Music

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lets-play-music/id1556681183)

Access all your music from past and current semesters. Shuffle or repeat tracks, and discover the purpose behind each song for a more enriching listening experience.

**Highlights:** Access past and current semester music, Shuffle tracks, Repeat tracks, View song purpose, Enrich listening time

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient access to music
- 💡 Helpful for teachers and parents
- 🎉 Excellent music education program

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔋 Drains phone battery
- 🤔 Lacks important features like playlists
- 🚫 Incompatible with car audio

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and inability to sign in
- Music playback stops unexpectedly
- App freezes and crashes frequently
- Inconsistent performance across devices

**Requested features**

- Add playlist creation capability
- Allow downloading of music for offline use
- Improve integration with car audio systems
- Expand music library to include more content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phonograms by SEI free?

Phonograms by SEI costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Lets Play Music free?

Lets Play Music is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phonograms by SEI or Lets Play Music?

Lets Play Music is rated higher. Phonograms by SEI averages 1.8 out of 5 from 220 ratings, while Lets Play Music averages 4.2 from 207 ratings.

### Do Phonograms by SEI or Lets Play Music have ads?

Neither Phonograms by SEI nor Lets Play Music shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phonograms by SEI or Lets Play Music?

Phonograms by SEI ships an update every 4 months, and Lets Play Music every 5 months. Most recently, Phonograms by SEI was updated on October 19, 2026 and Lets Play Music on October 19, 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.*