Free Spelling Shed Alternatives (2026): What You Get Without Paying
Last updated: 2 October 2026 · Written by the Spelly team
Quick answer: Spelling Shed has no free plan on its pricing page: parents pay £34.16 a year (or £5.83 a month) for up to five children, unless the school provides it. The best free alternatives are SpellingJoy (unlimited practice, free), Spelly (a game with free ready-made lists, worksheet scanning and AI lists, and a $29 one-time upgrade) and SpellCrush (a free plan for one child). Here is what each gives you without paying.
Disclosure: Spelly is our app. The other apps' details come from their own websites, read on 2 October 2026, and we say where each one is the better choice.
What Spelling Shed costs
Spelling Shed was made by teachers and is used by many schools. Its pricing page lists:
- Parent: £5.83 a month or £34.16 a year, for up to five children. It includes the spelling scheme for home use, custom word lists, multiplayer games and progress reports.
- Teacher: £43.74 a year for 36 pupils.
- School: £2.10 per pupil a year.
If your child's school already pays for it, your child may have it at home for free. Ask the teacher before paying. If not, these are the free options.
The free alternatives
SpellingJoy: the most free practice
Free: unlimited spelling games and tests, 134+ word lists, your own lists and progress tracking. Paid: SpellingJoy+ at $2.99 a month adds printable packs and teaching resources. Grades: K to 6. Where: web, iPhone and Android.
Best for: families and teachers who want unlimited practice and never want to pay. Where Spelly is different: SpellingJoy has no worksheet scanning or AI lists, and it is in English only.
Spelly: a free game with scanning and AI lists
(Our app.) Free: a road of 94 ready-made lists in 24 worlds, all 5 games, every word read aloud and explained, test-day plans with reminders, and one worksheet scan and one AI list a day. Free practice runs on hearts: a round uses one, and they come back during the day. Paid: $29 once, never a subscription, for unlimited hearts and up to 50 scans and 50 AI lists a month. Where: web, iPhone, iPad and Android, in 14 languages.
Best for: practising the actual list from school (snap the worksheet) inside a game children want to play. Where Spelling Shed is better: a full spelling scheme by year group, five children on one plan, multiplayer games, and school use with pupil accounts. Spelly shares a list with a class by one link or QR code, without pupil accounts.
SpellCrush: a free plan for one child
Free: one child, 500+ words, AI pictures for tricky words, progress tracking and rewards. Paid: $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year for unlimited children, 4000+ words, custom lists and worksheet scanning. Where: web.
Best for: lots of game variety; SpellCrush says it has 15 games. Where it falls short for free use: your own word lists are Premium, so the school's list needs the paid plan.
Comparison
| App | Free plan | Paid plan | Own list free? | Scan a worksheet | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spelling Shed | None listed | £34.16/yr, 5 children | Paid | Not listed | Web, iOS, Android |
| SpellingJoy | Unlimited practice | $2.99/mo (printables) | Yes | No | Web, iOS, Android |
| Spelly | 94 lists, 5 games, daily hearts | $29 once | Yes | Yes (1 a day free) | Web, iOS, Android |
| SpellCrush | 1 child, 500+ words | $4.99/mo or $49.99/yr | Paid | Paid | Web |
Which free alternative should you choose?
- You want unlimited practice and never to pay: SpellingJoy.
- You want to practise the school worksheet without typing it: Spelly.
- You want a game your child asks to play, and might pay once later: Spelly.
- You have several children and the school already uses Spelling Shed: stay with Spelling Shed; ask the school for home access.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spelling Shed free? No plan on Spelling Shed's pricing page is free. The parent plan is £5.83 a month or £34.16 a year for up to five children, and many children get it free through their school instead, which pays for it.
What is the best free alternative to Spelling Shed? For unlimited practice at no cost, SpellingJoy: its games, tests, 134+ word lists and custom lists are free, and only printables and extra packs cost $2.99 a month. For a game with worksheet scanning and AI lists, Spelly: its 94 ready-made lists and all 5 games are free, with hearts setting how much free practice a day.
Can I practise my child's own school list for free? Yes, in all three. SpellingJoy and Spelly let you type a list for free, and Spelly can also read a photo of the worksheet: one scan a day free. SpellCrush keeps custom lists for its Premium plan.
Which free alternative works on a phone? SpellingJoy and Spelly both have apps for iPhone and Android. Spelly is also on the web, and one account works everywhere. SpellCrush is a website.
How we made this list
We read each app's own pricing and home pages on 2 October 2026 and list only what they say. We did not test the paid plans. Spelly is our product and is held to the same standard.
Related
Try Spelly free · Spelly vs Spelling Shed · Spelly vs SpellingJoy · Spelly vs SpellCrush
Last updated: 2 October 2026.