Our take
Five small iPad apps that step through letter sounds, short-vowel words, blends, and long and r-controlled vowels. Spelling is by dictation: the child hears a word and writes it on paper. An adult needs to sit alongside, and the apps do not gate progress.
A good fit for
- Very low-cost practice with a parent
- Families who want an American accent option
Look elsewhere if
- Children who need to practise alone
- Anything past one-syllable words
How far it goes
About the skill ladder- 7Latin and Greek rootsconstruct, phonographNot taught
- 6Prefixes, suffixes and spelling ruleshopping, unkindNot taught
- 5Multisyllable wordsnapkin, fantasticNot taught
- 4Vowel patternscake, rain, carPartly
- 3Blends and digraphsstop, ship, chinTaught
- 2Short-vowel wordscat, sit, hopTaught
- 1Letter soundsm says /m/Taught
Oz Phonics 4 covers long vowels and r-controlled vowels; a fifth app is not in the US store.
How it works
How we rate- Who hears your child read?
- You doYour child reads to you or a teacher, who judges each word.
- Does your child spell?
- Writes from dictationThe child hears each word and writes it on paper.
- What do they read?
- No story library confirmedMay include word or sentence practice; see the listing for details.
- How is progress gated?
- No gatingChildren can move on without showing mastery.
- How much of your time?
- You teach itYou sit with your child for every lesson.
- What does the evidence show?
- No outcome studyNo outcome study found.
Watch-outs
- Sold as separate apps.
How it compares
| App | Price | Goes up to | Hears reading | Spelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oz Phonics | $1.99–$2.99 per app, one-time | Vowel patterns | You do | Writes from dictation |
| Reading Horizons At-Home | $199 for the first year, then $50/yr; $25 per extra student; $10 30-day trial | Multisyllable words | No automated listening | Writes from dictation |
| Reading.com | $12.49–$14.99/mo or $74.99/yr | Vowel patterns | You do | Picks letters or answers |
| Phonics Hero | US$36 per 6 months on the web, or US$6/mo in the app | Multisyllable words | No automated listening | Picks letters or answers |
| Funnix Beginning Reading | $24.99/mo family plan (up to 3 children); free trial lessons | Multisyllable words | You do | Writes from dictation |
Sources
Checked October 2026 against the maker's own pages and the sources above. Spot something out of date? Tell us.