# ADA Chairside Instructor vs Spear Online

The clearest difference is rating: Spear Online at 4.9 against ADA Chairside Instructor's 3.3. Spear Online also leads on ratings volume (821 vs 8) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Spear Online holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spear Online has 821 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of ADA Chairside Instructor's written reviews are positive against 64% of Spear Online's.

ADA Chairside Instructor ships an update every 7 months, Spear Online every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ADA Chairside Instructor | Spear Online |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ada-chairside-instructor/id774623476/reviews) | **[4.9 (821 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spear-online/id1461517174/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **821** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **63.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 192 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [American Dental Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/430932814) | [Spear Education, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195910567) |

## What reviewers say

### ADA Chairside Instructor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ada-chairside-instructor/id774623476)

This app provides dental professionals with a comprehensive visual guide for patient education. It features over 250 full-color images and 25 animations covering a wide range of dental topics, from prevention to complex restorations. Users can also draw on images and email them to patients.

**Highlights:** 250+ full-color dental images, 25 animations, Draw on images and email, iCloud photo access, Upload from Camera Roll, English and Spanish text, WiFi printing, Favorites list

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Spear Online

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spear-online/id1461517174)

Access dental continuing education courses and earn CE credits on your mobile device. This app offers over 2,300 video lessons and coursework covering a wide range of dental topics for the entire practice team.

**Highlights:** Mobile dental continuing education, Earn CE credits on the go, Over 2,300 video lessons, CE-eligible coursework, Practice team development, Restorative and clinical pathways

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient & accessible
- 🚀 Informative content
- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 👍 Long-term member satisfaction

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 👎 Not user-friendly
- 👎 Expensive for new dentists

**Reported bugs**

- New version broken for iPhone users
- Courses not showing up

**Requested features**

- Casting capabilities
- Access to Master Program and Study Club info
- Add Study Club icon


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ADA Chairside Instructor free?

ADA Chairside Instructor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Spear Online free?

Spear Online is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ADA Chairside Instructor or Spear Online?

Spear Online is rated higher. ADA Chairside Instructor averages 3.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Spear Online averages 4.9 from 821 ratings.

### Do ADA Chairside Instructor or Spear Online have ads?

Neither ADA Chairside Instructor nor Spear Online shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ADA Chairside Instructor or Spear Online?

ADA Chairside Instructor ships an update every 7 months, and Spear Online every 2 months. Most recently, ADA Chairside Instructor was updated on October 23, 2026 and Spear Online on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*