Overview

Designed by teachers, Spelling Shed offers versions adapted to UK, US, Australian and Cambridge International curricula. The service supports phonics instruction and corrective practice, alongside curriculum spelling work. That breadth makes it relevant to schools with varied teaching needs, while the classroom orientation is less compelling for a household seeking only a simple spelling drill.

Key features

The whole-school curriculum covers ELA spelling standards, including statutory words and spelling rules. That gives teachers a structured foundation for practice; unlimited custom lists and searchable lists let them tailor work to a class without being confined to the core curriculum.

The teacher hub manages student records, teachers and classes, and supports homework assignments. Hive Games let pupils practise together as an alternative to a weekly spelling test. These features make Spelling Shed useful for coordinated class routines, though families who do not assign or manage homework will get less from the platform’s broader toolkit.

Open Dyslexic font support and three difficulty levels provide options for pupils with different abilities. Full offline play is a practical advantage when connectivity is unreliable, and QR-code scanning can import lists or sign in. Rostering integrations include ClassLink and Wonde; Clever is limited to Classroom.

EdShed says it complies with GDPR, COPPA and FERPA, tests its system annually through an independent security company, and stores data at a London data centre. Support is available by email at support@edshed.com and by phone at 888-254-3098 in the USA.

Pricing

The Free plan is free. Tests, Hive games, Challenges and Custom Leagues retain seven days of history, so it can support ongoing practice but is a poor fit for teachers who need a longer activity record. Clever rostering is included for Classroom only.

The Spelling Shed iOS app costs 2.99 USD per once and is designed for iPad, iPhone and iPad. That is a one-time purchase option for Apple-device use, rather than a substitute for the broader classroom service. Premium has custom pricing: request a quote. It adds a printable parent report for tests and Clever rostering for Classroom only; schools considering it should weigh those additions against the free plan’s short history window.

Platforms

Spelling Shed is available on Android, iOS and the web. Offline play applies to the app, which makes it more flexible for practice away from a reliable connection than a web-only routine.

Who it's for

Spelling Shed is strongest for teachers and schools that want curriculum coverage, class and homework management, and collaborative practice in one service. Parents and pupils can also benefit from custom lists, difficulty options and offline access. A family needing only a focused individual spelling app may find the school-management features unnecessary.

Pros and cons

Pros: broad curriculum coverage plus unlimited custom lists gives teachers both structure and room to adapt practice.
Pros: teacher management, homework and Hive Games support classroom routines beyond solo drills.
Pros: offline play, QR-code list import, Open Dyslexic font and three difficulty levels support varied settings and needs.
Cons: the free plan keeps activity history for only seven days, limiting its usefulness for reviewing older progress.
Cons: Premium requires a quote, so schools cannot compare its cost directly from the plan price.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, see Spelling Apps. Choose SpellMe if its free Basic plan’s five lists, ten words per list and 300+ curated phonics lists are enough, or if broader platform support including Linux, macOS and Windows matters. Wordshark is a paid alternative with a free trial for readers considering a different spelling product.

Spelvo may suit families who want a free plan with three lifetime snaps and one child profile, or a 9.90 MYR per month Single plan billed annually with 40 snaps per month. Pick Spello for a family plan covering up to four children, with unlimited practice and daily per-child limits of 10–60 minutes; it costs 10.00 GBP per year for the first year, then 20 GBP/year.

Squeebles Spelling Connect is worth considering for a family plan at 2.99 GBP per month with a seven-day free trial, or a tutor plan at 19.99 GBP per month. Better Speller offers a free option capped at 35 words and ten per list, with all features included, and a 2.99 USD one-time iCloud Sync and Sharing purchase. DoodleSpell is another paid option, with a school subscription for DoodleEnglish with DoodleSpell at 6.00 GBP per pupil per year. Spelling Notebook may fit iOS and macOS users who prefer a free app download and a 1.99 USD one-time Premium upgrade.

Verdict

Choose Spelling Shed if your school needs curriculum-based spelling practice alongside class management, homework and collaborative games, especially where offline use matters. Its chief advantage is the range of classroom and individual practice tools in one platform; look elsewhere if you need a longer free history or a clearly priced Premium plan before committing.

	PenPoints	Spelling Shed
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	Free	Free
Platforms	Android, iOS	Android, iOS, Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Phonics instruction	Yes	Yes
Dictation practice	Yes
Corrective practice	Yes	Yes
Teacher dashboard	Yes	Yes
Offline access	No	Yes
Word-list import	Yes	Yes

PenPoints vs Spelling Shed

PenPoints

Spelling Shed