Spelling Shed vs Explore Learning
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spelling Shed
This educational game makes spelling fun and accessible for children worldwide. Designed by teachers, it helps improve spelling, reading, vocabulary, and typing speed through engaging gameplay and customizable support. It offers a unique phonics system and curriculum coverage for comprehensive learning.
- Phonics spelling system
- Customizable difficulty levels
- Speed bonuses and hot streaks
- OpenDyslexic font support
- League-based scoring and rewards
- Curriculum-aligned word lists
- Avatar customization
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Spelling Shed is the #1 spelling game enjoyed by over 2.5 million children every month! Spelling Shed’s multi-award-winning app is the leading spelling app and has been #1 in several countries. Designed by a team of teachers, our platform enables everyone to succeed with spelling and enjoy the process! Used in thousands of schools across the globe, our games make spelling enjoyable, accessible, and achievable. As well as improving spelling, our app significantly impacts reading ability, vocabulary acquisition, and writing. Created by EdShed, the multi-award-winning EdTech company trusted by over 170,000 educators and enjoyed by millions of children worldwide. Improve Results ‣ Spelling Shed is proven to improve results by up to 80%. ‣ Proven to improve student engagement. ‣ Makes spelling fun, effective, and meaningful. ‣ Reduces teacher workload. Play a variety of games ‣ Feed Hungry Horses, shoot your shot in Penalty Spell-out, take on a Shed Load, or play the original Spelling Bee game. The choice of how you practice spelling is yours. ‣ Avoid the lava and beat Chipper. Squirrel Scurry allows you to play solo or against the computer and choose to reach the top or enjoy endless gameplay. ‣ Includes bonus Bee Keeper and Buzz Words games. ‣ Boost vocabulary acquisition by playing Missing Words or Definitions games. ‣ Choose from 4 different levels: easy, medium, hard, and extreme! Play Hive Games ‣ Hive games are multi-player games that allow you to play with your friends or classmates in real-time. ‣ Create your own hives or join others. ‣ See real-time league statistics between each word spelled. ‣ Includes a range of levels and play options. Empowering Every Learner ‣ Inclusive and accessible for all students. ‣ Includes multi-modal learning options such as audio assistance and being able to read the word before spelling it. ‣ Choose from 4 different levels: easy, medium, hard, and extreme! ‣ Choose the amount of support needed to succeed. ‣ Ensures every learner experiences success to further motivate them. ‣ Gives instant feedback and rewards. ‣ Clear interface reduces cognitive load and makes navigation simple. ‣ Proven to be effective for students with ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. Play anytime, anywhere ‣ Online and offline play enables you to play anytime, anywhere. ‣ Play with classmates from home. ‣ Perfect for in-class practice or home learning. ‣ No in-app downloads required. ‣ Engaging games that fit around busy schedules. 100% Curriculum Coverage ‣ Choose from over 1,000,000 word lists. ‣ Provides full curriculum coverage for spelling. ‣ Subscribers (via website) can use alongside Spelling Shed’s evidence-based spelling curriculum. ‣ Create your own custom word lists. Unique Phonics Spelling System ‣ Choose to spell using graphemes or letters. ‣ Select ‘phonics on’ to spell words using graphemes. ‣ Support phonics learning ‣ Support home learning of phonics. The Science of Spelling ‣ Use alongside Spelling Shed’s evidence-based spelling curriculum for maximum impact. Subscribe via Spelling Shed’s website. ‣ Support phonological knowledge. ‣ Develop orthographical knowledge. ‣ Strengthen morphological knowledge. Celebrate Success ‣ Receive instant feedback. ‣ Honeypots are awarded immediately. ‣ Honeypots are EdShed’s currency, which can be spent on customizing your avatar. ‣ Harder levels and bonuses give more points and honeypots. ‣ More points gives a higher league position in class league. ‣ More points also mean a higher class/group position in school and world leagues!
Explore Learning
This app keeps parents informed about their child's educational progress with session summaries and an AI coach. Easily manage bookings and reschedule sessions. Stay connected to your child's learning journey and success.
- Session summaries
- Manage bookings
- Reschedule tuition
- Book progress meetings
- AI Coach for learning guidance
- Stay informed on progress
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Your child’s learning journey, now in your pocket. Welcome to the official Explore Learning app, designed to help you stay informed, empowered and connected to your child’s progress. This first release features: Session Summaries Stay up to date after every session with clear, easy-to-understand summaries. See what your child covered, what they’re improving on, and what they’re working towards next. Manage Bookings with Ease Now you can reschedule tuition sessions, book progress meetings, and stay organised in just a few taps. Chat with the AI Coach Have questions about your child’s progress? Want to understand a concept better? Our AI Coach will help you dive deeper into your child’s learning journey, explain development areas, and offer guidance whenever you need it. Download today and stay connected to your child’s success with Explore Learning. Not a member yet? Book a free trial today https://bit.ly/explore-trial
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Explore Learning at 100% against Spelling Shed's 53%. Explore Learning also leads on price (Free vs $2.99). Spelling Shed's advantage is chart position (#41 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Explore Learning is free to download; Spelling Shed costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Spelling Shed ships an update every 5 weeks, Explore Learning monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spelling Shed | Explore Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (521 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 521 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #41 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 157 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Education Shed Ltd | Explore Learning Ltd |
Customer experience
Spelling Shed
Explore Learning
Bugs and requests
Spelling Shed
Reported bugs
4 issues- Login issues and lost progress
- Compatibility problems with updates
- Inconsistent performance on different devices
- Difficulty adding and managing spelling lists
Requested features
4 requests- Allow customization of spelling lists
- Improve audio quality and clarity
- Add more game modes and features
- Provide better progress tracking
Explore Learning
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Spelling Shed
No in-app purchases
Explore Learning
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Spelling Shed free?
Is Explore Learning free?
Do Spelling Shed or Explore Learning have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spelling Shed or Explore Learning?
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