Comparison

ERSB vs Word Wizard

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

Head to head
About

ERSB

Read full description

Early Reading Skills Builder™(ERSB) curriculum, based on a multi-year research project from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is a stepping stone for graduates of Attainment’s ELSB Curriculum. ERSB takes students who mastered these early literacy skills to a 2nd grade reading level. It incorporates systematic instruction and ongoing assessments to teach students to read independently. It’s been proven effective for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability and/or autism, including those with complex communication needs.

About

Word Wizard

This app helps children aged 4-10 learn to read and spell through interactive word-building and spelling activities. It features a talking movable alphabet, customizable word lists, and progress reports for parents and educators.

Highlights
  • Talking movable alphabet for phonics and word building
  • Customizable word lists with own words and images
  • Multiple spelling activities with increasing difficulty
  • Progress reports for tracking child's development
  • Adaptable settings for letter size, voices, and contrast modes
  • Supports multiple keyboard layouts and letter sizes
Features
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• "Speak ‘N Spell for the iPad Generation" - The New York Times • Word Wizard is an award-winning app used in schools which offers several unique reading and spelling activities for children ages four to 10. -- Learn to Read by Building Words -- • The Talking Movable Alphabet activity allows kids to experiment with word building and phonics thanks to the advanced text to speech engine (first step in learning to read) • Any text can be written and spoken • 2 child voices + 4 adult voices (US, UK & Australian voices) • Uppercase & lowercase letters, numbers, digraphs, ABC or QWERTY keyboard • Many, many settings to adapt the activities to the child’s needs (letter size, assign images to words, high contrast modes for kids with visual impairment,...) -- Learn to Spell using the Talking Movable Alphabet and your word lists -- • 3 spelling activities that increase in difficulty • 200 built-in word lists (about 2000 words) • Add your own words to create unique spelling quizzes! • Add your own images to illustrate your word lists • Keep tabs on your children’s progress with detailed reports ______ • Used in Schools (140K units sold to schools) • "This is an important breakthrough in reading instruction" - The New York Times • "This is a fantastic app for young children, right through to children in later elementary school " - Wired's GeekDad • Editor's Choice Award for Excellence in Design - Children's Technology Review • Winner of a Parents’ Choice Award • More than 290K units sold! _______ Talking Movable Alphabet Activity _______ • Pronounce and spell-check any word, number or sentence • Natural Sounding Voice - 2 child and 2 adult American voices + 1 British voice + 1 Australian voice • Letter sound (phonic) or name when a letter is touched in the alphabet • 4 keyboards available: letters (ABC or QWERTY, uppercase or lowercase), numbers, consonant digraphs (like “th”) and vowels digraphs (like “oo”) • Keyboard emulation option • 4 letter sizes available (allowing for more or fewer letters on the board) • Customized word pronunciation, if necessary • 4 high contrast modes for kids with vision impairments _______ Fun Spelling Activities _______ 3 spelling activities of increasing difficulty are provided to adapt the activity to the child’s spelling level. You can use the built-in word lists or create your own. 1 - "Word Practice" says and displays the word to spell, and asks the child to spell it 2 - "Scrambled Letters" says the word and displays the letters needed to build the word or sentence, and asks the child to reorder the letters. 3 - “Spelling Quizzes” is a standard spelling test, but the app won’t move onto the next word until the child has correctly spelled the word, helping them to remember its correct spelling. • 200 built-in word lists: Words for beginners (CVC, CCVC, CVCC), Dolch Words, 1,000 most frequently used words, body parts and more • Create custom word lists by entering your own words and sentences • Import and export word lists • Hints are available should kids not know how to spell a word • Once a quiz is completed, interactive animations are available as a reward -- Users & Reports -- • Unlimited number of users • Detailed Spelling Test Reports per user _______ Try it for free, and if you like it, buy the app forever or subscribe monthly for a low fee. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://lescapadou.com/en/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://lescapadou.com/tos/tos-en.html Please send any suggestions to support@lescapadou.com. We listen to our users to improve our products!

Screenshots

Word Wizard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Word Wizard at Free against ERSB's $149.99. Word Wizard also leads on device support (3 vs 1). ERSB's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 8 months). On ads 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

Word Wizard is free to download; ERSB costs $149.99 up front. Word Wizard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ERSB asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ERSB ships an update every 6 weeks, Word Wizard every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
ERSB versus Word Wizard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterERSBWord Wizard
Price$149.99Free — better
Rating—4.2 (101 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings—101 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size246 MB113 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAttainment CompanyPierre Abel

In-app purchases

None

ERSB

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Word Wizard

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly Subscription$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • Unlock Forever$7.99

Questions

Is ERSB free?
ERSB costs $149.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Word Wizard free?
Word Wizard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ERSB or Word Wizard have ads?
Neither ERSB nor Word Wizard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ERSB or Word Wizard?
ERSB ships an update every 6 weeks, and Word Wizard every 8 months. Most recently, ERSB was updated on October 29, 2026 and Word Wizard on November 3, 2026.

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