Progress Desk vs Spiro
Progress Desk
progressdesk.appSpiro
spirosen.comSide by side
| Figure | Progress Desk | Spiro |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | £41.67/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Special Education Software | 7.6 (#7) | 7.0 (#15) |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio, United States | London, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Progress Desk is a case management application for special education professionals, including case managers. | Spiro describes itself as an AI-powered SEND platform for primary schools that handles SEND administration. |
| Security | The help center says data is encrypted at rest with a key sealed in the device’s macOS Keychain; backups can optionally be password-protected. | The pricing page lists multi-factor authentication as a way to protect pupil data. |
Plans
Progress Desk
- Progress Desk for iPad$59, paid once
- Progress Desk for Mac$99, paid once
Spiro
- Single-form entry£500 a year
- Two-form entry£700 a year
- MATs & other formatsPriced on request
In their own words
Progress Desk
Progress Desk is a case management application for special education professionals, including case managers. It creates 18 documents, such as PLAAFPs, quarterly progress reports, family summaries, prior written notices, and meeting invitations. For goal measurement, it offers 15 methods and shows the baseline, target, data points, and trend on a goal card. Its schedule brings sessions, meetings, deadlines, and class availability into one view; moving sessions recalculates make-up time and service-minute totals. Student records are stored and processed locally, and the maker says the software does not collect, access, transmit, store, or process student data through the software. The Mac app needs internet for a one-time license check, then can work offline. The iPad edition costs $59, paid once, billed one-time per iPad, and requires iPadOS 16 or later. The Mac edition costs $99, paid once, billed one-time for up to two Macs, and requires macOS 12 or later. A 14-day trial and 30-day money-back guarantee are advertised.
Spiro
Spiro is a web-based AI platform for primary-school SEND administration. It helps SENCOs and school staff draft individual support plans from uploaded plans, notes, or reports, then supports termly AI-assisted progress reviews. EHCP workflows connect outcomes and statutory provision to pupil plans and can draft needs-assessment applications in local-authority formats. Schools can upload their own templates, select evidence, edit drafts, and export Word or PDF documents. Provision mapping covers pupils, groups, timetable slots, and costs, with AI suggestions for interventions and adjustments. Reports generated from live plan data support Ofsted, governor, and Inclusion Strategies reporting. MIS information syncs daily through Wonde, and multi-factor authentication is listed. Spiro says controlled personal data stays on UK servers, with TLS in transit and AES-256 at rest among its measures. Pricing starts at £500/yr, with no free plan; the first term is offered risk-free. It is operated by Medthrive Ltd in London.