Spelling Shed vs PenPoints

SSSpelling Shed8.4Visit PenPoints7.1Visit

Higher score SS Spelling Shed #3 in Spelling Apps 8.4/10 Free plan · paid from £4.23/yr Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Spelling Shed

vs

PenPoints #7 in Spelling Apps 7.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit PenPoints

• Spelling Shed fits best

  Schools wanting curriculum depth and offline use

• PenPoints fits best

  Free family and classroom spelling practice

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Side by side

Feature	SSSpelling Shed 8.4/10 Visit ↗	PenPoints 7.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.4	7.1
Ranking	#3 in Spelling Apps	#7 in Spelling Apps
Best for	Schools wanting curriculum depth and offline use	Free family and classroom spelling practice
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	iOS, Android
Support	Email, Phone, Tickets, Docs	Email
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Spelling Shed 5/6 · PenPoints 5/6
Phonics instruction	✓	✓
Dictation practice	Not published	✓ (best)
Corrective practice	✓	✓
Teacher dashboard	✓	✓
Offline access	✓ (best)	—
Word-list import	✓	✓
Our review
Pros	Structured phonics, morphology, and etymology curriculum Mastery Zone diagnostics with targeted practice Offline play across web, iOS, and Android	Photographed handwriting is assessed with OCR after dictation. Retry exercises turn spelling mistakes into corrective practice. Parents and teachers can review results and track progress.
Cons	School pricing varies across annual per-pupil tiers Parent and teacher plans cap child or pupil licences Focused on spelling rather than broader primary learning	Available on iOS and Android rather than broader platforms. Offline access is not available. Its focus is spelling and handwriting, not a wider learning suite.
Our verdict	Spelling Shed is a spelling platform for primary-school learners, teachers, parents, and schools. It combines a structured curriculum with phonics, morphology, and etymology elements, while also supporting custom word lists, spelling… Read the review →	PenPoints is a free mobile spelling and handwriting app for primary and elementary-school children, roughly ages 6–12. It suits families, teachers, and learners who benefit from writing dictated words on paper rather than completing every… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Spelling Shed — where it wins

  • Structured phonics, morphology, and etymology curriculum
  • Mastery Zone diagnostics with targeted practice
  • Offline play across web, iOS, and Android

  Where it doesn't

  • School pricing varies across annual per-pupil tiers
  • Parent and teacher plans cap child or pupil licences
  • Focused on spelling rather than broader primary learning

• PenPoints — where it wins

  • Photographed handwriting is assessed with OCR after dictation.
  • Retry exercises turn spelling mistakes into corrective practice.
  • Parents and teachers can review results and track progress.

  Where it doesn't

  • Available on iOS and Android rather than broader platforms.
  • Offline access is not available.
  • Its focus is spelling and handwriting, not a wider learning suite.

• SSSpelling Shed8.4/10 · Free plan · paid from £4.23/yr

  A curriculum-led spelling platform with strong diagnostics, reporting, and offline learning.

  Visit Spelling ShedFull verdict →
• PenPoints7.1/10 · Free plan

  A free mobile spelling app that connects dictation, handwriting, and correction.

  Visit PenPointsFull verdict →