Our take
The official practice app for the first part of Sounds-Write, a UK linguistic phonics program: building, reading and writing words up to four or five sounds, with some sentences. Children write words by hand on screen, and each unit unlocks only after enough of the previous one is done. Speech pathologists rated it second of 309 phonics apps in a 2025 review. It covers the Initial Code only and has not been updated since 2021.
A good fit for
- Beginners, especially in families already using Sounds-Write
Look elsewhere if
- Anything past the first phonics code
- iPhone or Android users (iPad only)
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, carNot taught
- 3Blends and digraphsstop, ship, chinPartly
- 2Short-vowel wordscat, sit, hopTaught
- 1Letter soundsm says /m/Taught
How it works
How we rate- Who hears your child read?
- No automated listeningThe software does not assess reading aloud; an adult can provide listening and feedback.
- Does your child spell?
- Writes from dictationChildren write words by hand on screen.
- What do they read?
- No story library confirmedWords and some sentences.
- How is progress gated?
- Mastery checksEach unit stays locked until enough of the current unit is done.
- How much of your time?
- Light check-insRuns by itself; you review progress.
- What does the evidence show?
- No outcome studyNo outcome study; rated 2nd of 309 phonics apps by speech pathologists (Furlong et al., 2025).
Watch-outs
- Not updated since November 2021.
- British accent.
How it compares
| App | Price | Goes up to | Hears reading | Spelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Code (Sounds-Write) | Free sample; full version as an in-app purchase (price not shown before download) | Blends and digraphs | No automated listening | 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.