# Phonograms by SEI vs San Antonio Academy

The clearest difference is price: San Antonio Academy at Free against Phonograms by SEI's $3.99. San Antonio Academy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.8). Phonograms by SEI's advantage is ratings volume (234 vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 11 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

San Antonio Academy 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.

San Antonio Academy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phonograms by SEI has 234 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Phonograms by SEI ships an update every 4 months, San Antonio Academy every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phonograms by SEI | San Antonio Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.8 (234 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phonograms-by-sei/id934525008/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/san-antonio-academy/id6462501103/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **234** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 19.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | — |
| Size | 13 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Spalding Education International](https://appshunter.io/developer/934525007) | [San Antonio Academy of Texas](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703108606) |

## What reviewers say

### Phonograms by SEI

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

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Paid · Education, #191 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


### San Antonio Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/san-antonio-academy/id6462501103)

This app centralizes essential information for parents, students, and faculty, including news, announcements, and calendar events. It offers on-the-go access to a community directory, photos, videos, and athletic event details, with privacy controls for sensitive content.

**Highlights:** Blogs, news, and announcements, Calendar events with filtering, Constituent directory, Photo and video browsing, Athletic event details, Direct contact via call/email

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phonograms by SEI free?

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

### Is San Antonio Academy free?

San Antonio Academy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phonograms by SEI or San Antonio Academy?

San Antonio Academy is rated higher. Phonograms by SEI averages 1.8 out of 5 from 234 ratings, while San Antonio Academy averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Phonograms by SEI or San Antonio Academy have ads?

Neither Phonograms by SEI nor San Antonio Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Phonograms by SEI or San Antonio Academy?

Phonograms by SEI ships an update every 4 months, and San Antonio Academy every 11 months. Most recently, Phonograms by SEI was updated on November 1, 2026 and San Antonio Academy on October 30, 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.*