SpellJam vs Better Speller

What if your kid ASKED to do spelling homework? SpellJam was built by Graham and his 10-year-old daughter Lily because spelling homework was boring. Together, they made the app Lily actually wanted to use — and now it's helping families everywhere turn dread into a highlight of the day. HOW IT WORKS Add your child's weekly spelling words — type them in, snap a photo of the homework sheet, or speak them aloud. SpellJam then guides kids through a proven cycle: Study Mode — Hear each word, study it with 3D animated flashcards Practice Games — Spell words letter by letter with real-time audio feedback Weekly Test — Simulate the classroom test in a calm, encouraging environment Progress Tracking — Watch mastery grow from Learning → Practicing → Mastered → Retained The app focuses extra practice on words kids struggle with and eases off on ones they've nailed. It actually adapts. FOR PARENTS • Works with your child's real weekly spelling list — not a generic word bank • Set up in under 2 minutes • Works completely offline — no wi-fi needed during practice • No ads, no tracking, no data sharing — COPPA compliant • See exactly which words need more work before the test FOR TEACHERS • Share word lists directly with students • Students practise the exact words you're teaching • Works alongside any spelling curriculum FEATURES • Sparky the Dragon — a virtual companion who grows with your child • Voice input using Apple's Speech framework (processed on-device) • Camera word capture — point at a homework sheet, words are added instantly • XP points, streaks, and achievements to keep kids motivated • 90+ built-in curriculum words across grades K-5 • Multiple game modes: Weekly Practice, Speed Challenge, Boss Battle OUR STORY In 2024, Graham's daughter Lily told him spelling homework was the most boring part of her week. Graham is a developer. Two months later, SpellJam existed. Lily was its first (and most demanding) tester. If something wasn't fun enough for a 10-year-old, it didn't ship. That's still the standard today. Download SpellJam and turn this week's spelling list into tonight's favourite game.

Make spelling practice something kids actually look forward to. Better Speller transforms homework drudgery into an engaging learning adventure. Build custom word lists, practice with audio pronunciation, play four interactive spelling games, and track progress with detailed history and achievement badges, all without ads or subscriptions. Try everything for free with up to 35 words, then unlock unlimited words with a single one-time purchase. Every practice feature is included from the start; the games, the badges, the voice recordings, all of it. One purchase covers your iPhone, iPad and Mac. iCloud Sync, if you'd like your lists to follow you between devices, is an optional add-on. FOR STUDENTS Practice & Test Modes Hear each word spoken aloud, then type your answer. Practice mode gives you multiple chances to get it right, while Test mode checks what you've really learned. Instant feedback after every word keeps you moving forward. Four Fun Spelling Games - Word Search: Find your spelling words hidden in a letter grid - Spelling Choice: Hear a word and pick the correct spelling from four options - Fill in the Blanks: Complete words with missing letters after hearing them spoken - Unscramble: Tap shuffled letters back into the right order 25 Achievement Badges Earn trophies for perfect scores, practice streaks, daily habits, and more. Badges appear right on your word list so you can show off your hard work. FOR PARENTS & TEACHERS Build Custom Word Lists Create as many lists as you need; one per grade level, subject, or week. Add words with definitions and example sentences, or look them up automatically. Share lists with other families using the built-in export feature. Record Words in Your Own Voice Record yourself saying each word and its example sentence. Hearing a familiar voice makes a real difference for younger learners. Track Every Session View a full history of every practice and test session, including which words were missed. After any session, jump straight into practicing just the missed words with one tap. Organize with Folders Group your lists into folders by school year, subject, or term. Expand and collapse them to keep things tidy, and run Mixed Practice across a whole folder at once. Flexible Settings Choose the reading voice, adjust speech speed, set how many attempts students get per word, and enable handwriting mode for Apple Pencil on iPad. Sync & Share Across Your Apple Devices (Optional) - Keep Everything in Sync: word lists, students and folders across iPhone, iPad and Mac via your own iCloud account. - Share a Student's Lists: send an invitation link in Messages; tapping it opens Better Speller and adds the lists, with changes appearing automatically. - See Practice History Everywhere: turn on Sync Results to see scores and test history from every device and anyone you've shared with. - iCloud Sync & Sharing is a one-time add-on. Without it, everything stays on your device. KEY FEATURES - Custom word lists with definitions and example sentences - Text-to-speech with adjustable voice and speed - Optional parent/teacher voice recordings for words and sentences - Practice mode (multiple attempts) and Test mode (one chance) - Four interactive spelling games - Detailed session history with scores and word-by-word breakdown - 25 achievement badges to motivate learners - Organize lists into folders - Apple Pencil handwriting support on iPad - Import and export word lists to share with others - One purchase unlocks unlimited words on iPhone, iPad and Mac; iCloud Sync is an optional add-on - No ads, no subscriptions; just optional one-time purchases PERFECT FOR - Weekly spelling homework - Homeschool curriculum - Test prep and review - Summer learning - ESL and language learners Better Speller keeps your data on your device by default. iCloud Sync is optional, uses your own iCloud account, and turns on only when you choose. No ads, no third-party tracking, no account to create.