Twinkl Formation & Handwriting vs Spell Dash
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Twinkl Formation & Handwriting
This app helps young learners develop essential handwriting skills by practicing letter and number formation, and shapes. It offers a fun, engaging, and prep-free experience for children, with customizable word lists and offline functionality.
- Letter and number formation practice
- Shape tracing
- Fine motor skill development
- Customizable word lists
- Offline functionality
- Multi-language support
Read full descriptionHide full description
Take the hassle out of handwriting lessons with the Twinkl Formation & Handwriting app! It’s a fun-filled, prep-free way to help your little learners form letters, numbers and shapes, and build those all-important fine motor skills. So, why will you love the Twinkl Formation & Handwriting app? Your weekend is safe. Just set them up and watch them practice. You get back the time you’d spend prepping tracing sheets for lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers 1-100, and simple shapes. No more begging to practice! The kids are actually asking to use it. That's a win-win. From the classroom to the car. It works on any device and keeps the learning consistent, no matter where they are. It's built by people who get it. The app has been developed by expert lead teachers and senior practitioners , so you can have total confidence in its standards. Phonics panic, solved. Phase 2/3 sounds and over 100 CVC words are ready-to-go, so you have exactly what you need for your next lesson. Cater to all your learners, wherever you are in the world. The app has specific fonts and professional audio in English for the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand, along with Welsh, Spanish, Arabic and Afrikaans. Stress-free screen time. The app works completely offline, so you can breathe easy knowing the kids are safe and the content is secure. Adaptable to your needs. Create your own custom word lists to personalize the experience for your learners. Full support for your teaching. The app is compatible with a great range of supporting printable resources from the Twinkl website. How to access the Twinkl Formation & Handwriting app: Twinkl Ultimate members get full access to the app and all of Twinkl’s other mobile and web apps as part of your membership. If you just want app access without the wider benefits of Twinkl, you can take out an in-app subscription. Or, if you want to see how it works, you can try some of the features of the app for free in Try! Mode. Got questions? You can contact our lovely Twinkl Cares team 24/7, and you can always speak to a real human - that’s the Twinkl difference. Our Privacy Policy: https://www.twinkl.com/legal#privacy-policy Our Terms and Conditions: https://www.twinkl.com/legal#terms-and-conditions Apple Standard Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Rated 3+ by the Indonesia Game Rating System (IGRS)
Spell Dash
Read full descriptionHide full description
Spell Dash is a fun, fast-paced spelling game designed for children aged 4 to 11. Built around the UK National Curriculum, it helps kids practise over 1,500 words across Reception to Year 6. HOW IT WORKS Kids hear a word spoken aloud, then tap colourful letter tiles to spell it before time runs out. Every correct word earns up to 3 stars based on speed. Switch to Word Search mode to find the hidden spelling words in the letter grid, or try the new Missing Letters mode — listen to the word and fill in the gaps! More game modes are on the way — check the Game Modes screen for a sneak peek. FEATURES • FREE: 653 words across Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (no purchase required) • SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED: 853 additional words across Year 3–6 and VS Mode (£1.99/month or £9.99/year — 7-day free trial included) • Three game modes — Spelling, Word Search and Missing Letters • 36 badges to earn as you progress • Daily Challenge — new words every day, locks once completed • Multiple player profiles — perfect for families • Daily and challenge streak tracking • VS Mode — two players, same device • Personal bests and leaderboard • Parent dashboard with detailed progress stats • Real human voice, not text-to-speech • No ads, no tracking, fully COPPA compliant • Parent settings (PIN protected) FREE TO TRY Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are completely free (653 words). Unlock an additional 853 words across Year 3–6 plus VS Mode with a subscription (£1.99/month or £9.99/year). A 7-day free trial is included with every new subscription. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS • Monthly: £1.99/month • Annual: £9.99/year • 7-day free trial for new subscribers • Payment charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period • Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple ID Account Settings Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Spell Dash at weekly against Twinkl Formation & Handwriting's every 6 weeks. On price, 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
Both are free to download. Twinkl Formation & Handwriting sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month and Spell Dash sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Twinkl Formation & Handwriting ships an update every 6 weeks, Spell Dash weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Twinkl Formation & Handwriting | Spell Dash |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (61 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 41.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 61 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 225 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Twinkl Limited | AMP London Group Ltd |
In-app purchases
Twinkl Formation & Handwriting
- Twinkl Monthly Subscription$0.491 Month
- Annual Subscription$2.991 Year
Spell Dash
- Premium Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Spell Dash Premium7 Days trial$9.991 Year
Questions
Is Twinkl Formation & Handwriting free?
Is Spell Dash free?
Do Twinkl Formation & Handwriting or Spell Dash have ads?
Which is updated more often, Twinkl Formation & Handwriting or Spell Dash?
Other comparisons















