SpellCrush vs Spelling Shed

Free-to-start US platform vs UK competitive learning system. SpellCrush: Free tier + $4.99/month premium with AI hints. Spelling Shed: £29.99/year (~$37 USD), competitive leagues, 500k+ word lists.

Last updated: February 11, 2026

Feature Comparison Matrix

Feature	SpellCrush	Spelling Shed
Base Price	Free (1 child)	£4.99/month (~$6.20 USD)
Premium Price	$4.99/month	Included in base
Annual Price	N/A (monthly only)	£29.99/year (~$37 USD)
Student Limit	1 free, unlimited premium	5 students
Age Range	Pre-K to 12th grade	Ages 5-11 (K-5)
AI Hints	Yes (Premium)	AI diagnostics only
Competitive Leagues	No	Yes (class/school/world)
Pre-made Word Lists	2000+	500,000+
Custom Lists	Premium only	Included
Platforms	Web, mobile-optimized	Web, iOS, Android apps
Origin	United States	United Kingdom
Free Trial	7 days premium (no CC)	14 days

Pricing & Value

SpellCrush

Free

1 child, 2000+ words

$4.99/month

Premium: Unlimited children

Premium adds: Unlimited children, AI hints, custom word lists, advanced features

Target market: US homeschool families, large families

Spelling Shed

£29.99/year

~$37 USD annually

Includes: Up to 5 students, 500,000+ word lists, competitive leagues, live multiplayer

Target market: UK families, competitive learners with ≤5 children

Value analysis: For 1-3 children, Spelling Shed costs ~$37/year vs SpellCrush premium $59.88/year. For 4+ children or needing Pre-K/middle school coverage, SpellCrush provides better value with unlimited students and wider age range. SpellCrush free tier offers zero-cost option.

AI & Adaptive Learning

SpellCrush: AI Hints (Premium)

• Large language model integration
• Personalized memory tricks and mnemonics
• Age-appropriate hint generation
• Considers child's past mistakes
• Cached for performance
• Premium feature ($4.99/month)

Example Hint

Word: separate

Generated hint: "There's A RAT in separate"

Spelling Shed: Mastery Zone

• AI-driven diagnostic assessment
• Identifies spelling gaps and weaknesses
• Personalizes 10 focus words per student
• Progressive difficulty until mastery
• Teacher dashboard integration

Note: Mastery Zone is diagnostic, not a hint system

Key difference: SpellCrush uses LLM for real-time hint generation during practice. Spelling Shed uses AI for diagnostic assessment and adaptive word selection. Different AI applications for different purposes.

Gamification Systems

SpellCrush: Personal Progression

• XP & Levels: 10 levels, never resets
• Achievements: 15 badges across 5 categories
• Dual Rewards: Money or points mode
• Daily Streaks: Consecutive practice tracking
• Reward Store: Parent-defined prizes

Philosophy: Individual mastery, family-controlled rewards

Spelling Shed: Competitive Excellence

• Leagues: Class, school, world rankings
• Honeypots: Virtual currency for avatars
• Hive Games: Live multiplayer tests
• Bumble Stamps: Daily streak bonuses
• Certificates: Achievement awards

Philosophy: Competition-driven, peer comparison

Word Lists & Content

SpellCrush

• 2000+ built-in words
• Difficulty levels 1-10
• Category-based organization
• Custom word lists (Premium)
• CSV/Excel import
• AI hint generation for all words

Curriculum: US education standards, Pre-K-12th

Spelling Shed

• 500,000+ searchable word lists
• UK National Curriculum coverage
• US Common Core alignment
• Dolch, Fry, UIL, Oxford lists
• Popular reading series integration
• Unlimited custom lists

Curriculum: UK National, US K-5

Winner for pre-made lists: Spelling Shed by significant margin. 500,000+ lists vs 2000 words. However, SpellCrush's AI hint generation adds unique value to its curated library.

Honest Pros & Cons

SpellCrush

Pros

• Free tier available (1 child, 2000+ words)
• AI-powered personalized hints (Premium)
• Unlimited children on premium
• Pre-K through 12th grade coverage
• US-focused curriculum and pricing
• Parent-controlled reward store
• 4-digit PIN kid login

Limitations

• Smaller word database (2000 vs 500k)
• No competitive leagues
• Custom lists require Premium
• AI hints require Premium
• Newer platform

Spelling Shed

Strengths

• 500,000+ word lists
• Competitive leagues motivate social learners
• Lower annual cost for 1-3 children (~$37/year)
• Proven dyslexia-friendly design
• Live multiplayer Hive Games
• Native iOS/Android apps
• Established platform (20M+ students)

Limitations

• No free tier
• 5-student limit (restrictive for large families)
• Ages 5-11 only (no Pre-K, middle/high school)
• UK focus (British accent, £ pricing)
• App bugs reported
• No AI hint generation

Decision Framework: Who Should Choose Which?

Choose SpellCrush if:

• You want free tier option (1 child, 2000+ words)
• You have 4+ children (unlimited on premium)
• You need Pre-K or middle/high school coverage
• You value AI-powered personalized hints
• You prefer US-focused platform
• Your child learns better with individual progression
• You prefer web-based access

Choose Spelling Shed if:

• You have 1-5 children ages 5-11
• Your child thrives on competition and rankings
• You want 500,000+ pre-made word lists
• You need dyslexia-friendly features
• You prefer native mobile apps with offline capability
• You want live multiplayer competitions
• Lower annual cost is priority (~$37 vs $60/year)

Recommendation: Start with SpellCrush free tier. Upgrade to premium if you need AI hints, unlimited children, or custom lists. Try Spelling Shed if your child is motivated by competition and you have ≤5 children ages 5-11.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the pricing difference between SpellCrush and Spelling Shed?

SpellCrush: Free tier with 1 child. Premium: $4.99/month for unlimited children. Spelling Shed: £4.99/month or £29.99/year (approximately $37 USD annually) for up to 5 students. SpellCrush offers free tier and lower premium cost with unlimited children.

Which platform has better gamification?

Spelling Shed offers competitive leagues (class, school, world), Honeypots virtual currency, avatars, and live multiplayer Hive Games. SpellCrush features XP/levels, achievements, streaks, and parent-controlled reward store. Spelling Shed emphasizes competition; SpellCrush focuses on personal progression.

Does Spelling Shed have AI features like SpellCrush?

Spelling Shed has Mastery Zone, an AI-driven diagnostic tool for gap identification. SpellCrush uses LLM integration for personalized spelling hints with memory tricks. Different AI applications: Spelling Shed for diagnostics, SpellCrush for learning assistance.

What are the student limits?

SpellCrush: 1 child on free tier, unlimited children on premium ($4.99/month). Spelling Shed: Up to 5 students per home subscription. For larger families, SpellCrush premium offers better value.

Which platform has more word lists?

Spelling Shed offers 500,000+ searchable word lists including UK National Curriculum, US Common Core, Dolch, Fry, UIL, and Oxford. SpellCrush provides 2000+ curated words with custom word list creation (Premium). Spelling Shed has significantly more pre-made lists.

Can I try both before deciding?

SpellCrush: Start with free tier (1 child, no credit card). Try 7-day premium trial for advanced features. Spelling Shed: 14-day trial available. Both offer free trials to evaluate fit.

Try SpellCrush Free Today

• Start with free tier: 1 child, 2000+ words, no credit card

• Upgrade to premium: $4.99/month for unlimited children, AI hints

• 7-day premium trial available

Start Free →

US-focused platform with AI-powered hints and unlimited children