Spelling Notebook vs SpellSmart
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spelling Notebook
Create personalized spelling lists, practice words with audio pronunciation, and test your knowledge. Earn stars for correct answers and focus on words you need to master. Ideal for students and anyone looking to improve their spelling skills.
- Create personalized word lists
- Audio pronunciation for words
- Test spelling knowledge
- Earn stars for correct words
- Practice words needing mastery
- Record your own voice
- Extensive searchable dictionary
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Create a personalized list of words to practice. Test your spelling - hear each word spoken. Get a star for each correct word. Practice just the words you have yet to master. Retest your words at anytime. Students can practice their words independently. Originally designed to be a replacement for a student's spelling notebook which lists words to be learnt for school each week. Unlike a paper notebook, SpellingNotebook can speak each of the words to enable testing and practice without seeing the written word. SpellingNotebook contains a full searchable spelling dictionary so that words can be added directly to the student's word list, minimizing entry errors. User Reviews * This app is awesome I have a spelling test coming up and I can spell every word correctly thanks to this app!!! (US) * Makes spelling practice fun (UK) * So fun!!!! This is a great app for kids and adults! (US) * Great App!!! Whole class uses it!! (Australia) Spelling Notebook features: * Students can practice independently * More than 100,000 words - add new words to the built in spelling dictionary when needed * Spelling Notebook has a built in voice that can say all words in its extensive dictionary and any new english words added * Optionally Record your own voice for the word you want to practice. You can record just the word, or even a whole phrase to help you recognize which word to spell. * Multiple English regions: UK, US, Canada, Australia and NZ * Earn a star for correct words * Keep multiple word lists * Edit word lists: add or delete words, add or delete an entire word list, rename your list * Import words from one wordlist into another * Words are selected from an extensive dictionary - minimizing entry errors * Help available in app to guide and support * Word list Copy and Paste * History of Word list tests and practice * Email test results * 8 words per list: Upgrade to Premium for unlimited words per list and a selection of UK, US and Australian voices. The built-in spelling dictionary is automatically selected by region. For countries outside US, Canada, Australia and NZ, the UK spelling dictionary is selected. Follow us on Instagram: @spellingnotebook Recommended Ages: All, Kids Categories: Education, Productivity, Apps for Kids
SpellSmart
Practice spelling with interactive modes, including solo and buddy challenges. Upload your own words or use the provided lists to prepare for spelling bees and improve vocabulary. Designed to help students, especially those facing language challenges, build confidence.
- Interactive spelling practice
- Solo and Buddy modes
- Upload custom word lists
- Bookmark words for review
- Pronunciation audio
- Progress tracking
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SpellSmart allows students to practice spelling in a fun, interactive way! If you're preparing for a spelling bee, you can upload your own words, or you can practice the ones we have. Solo Mode: In Solo Mode, the app will read you words out loud, you'll type in your spelling, and we'll let you know if you're correct. Buddy Mode: In Buddy Mode, you'll get a friend to hold the phone so that it's facing away from you. The app will read the words aloud, you can spell it out loud, and your buddy can check if you're correct. You can also bookmark any words you want to come back to, and we'll make a list of all your bookmarked words so you can practice them. In 8th grade, I was preparing for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, one of the most prestigious spelling competitions in the US. However, since this was my first year competing, I had one minor issue - how am I supposed to practice? Most of the online guides I read told me that I should practice writing words on paper, but that approach wasn't very effective for me. I quickly realized that I needed someone to practice with me - someone like my mother, who was willing to help me for hours on end if necessary. Unfortunately, as an immigrant who spoke English as a second language, she couldn't correctly pronounce the complex words that even native speakers would struggle with. That's why I created SpellSmart, an effective way for any student to practice their vocabulary and get better at spelling. SpellSmart not only provides a solution to my personal problem but also aims to address a broader social issue. By enabling minority students to practice their vocabulary and spelling skills, the app could become a valuable resource for immigrant families across the country facing similar language challenges. Now, parents and guardians can assist their children in honing their spelling abilities with just a touch of a button, fostering a supportive learning environment at home. SpellSmart's impact resonates beyond individual achievements, promoting a sense of community and understanding among diverse learners.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SpellSmart at none against Spelling Notebook's 1. SpellSmart also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Spelling Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (2.7K vs 5) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads 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. Spelling Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SpellSmart asks for nothing beyond the download.
SpellSmart holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spelling Notebook has 2.7K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Spelling Notebook's written reviews are positive against 100% of SpellSmart's.
Spelling Notebook ships an update every 3 months, SpellSmart fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spelling Notebook | SpellSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (2.7K ratings) | 5.0 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 86.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.7K — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ako Software Ltd. | TheAwesomesome |
Customer experience
Spelling Notebook
SpellSmart
Bugs and requests
Spelling Notebook
Reported bugs
2 issues- Word lists disappearing after device change
- Keyboard issues causing app crashes
Requested features
5 requests- Add dictionary definitions
- Improve pronunciation quality
- Allow more words in free version
- Implement a dark mode
- Add ability to share/sync word lists
SpellSmart
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Spelling Notebook
- Upgrade to Premium$1.99
SpellSmart
No in-app purchases









