The best spelling app and program for students with dyslexia (2026)
Full disclosure: I make Spelling Test Buddy. It isn’t a dyslexia program, and I’m not going to pretend it is. For students with dyslexia, the teaching matters more than the app, so most of this page is about the programs that actually do the teaching.
| Option | Best for | Price | Teaches, or practices? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton Reading and Spelling | intensive one-on-one OG tutoring | Sold by level | Teaches |
| All About Spelling | parents teaching a scripted OG-based program | Level 1 materials $64.95, plus about $26 for letter tiles | Teaches |
| Nessy Reading and Spelling | a self-paced digital program designed for dyslexia | Home plans from $15.50/month | Teaches and practices |
| Spelling Test Buddy (mine) | extra practice and spaced repetition | $49.99/year | Practices and tests |
| Spelling Shed | motivating practice with a dyslexia-friendly font option | Free plan; $29.99/year home | Practices, with a scheme |
Start with the program, not the app
Most spelling apps assume a student will pick up patterns from practice. Students with dyslexia usually won’t, not without being explicitly taught. That’s why the first decision is a structured literacy program. An app comes second, to provide the volume of practice those students need.
When you’re choosing a practice app for a student with dyslexia, look for: audio for every word, no timers or pressure, practice that brings back missed words often, and short sessions.
1. Barton Reading and Spelling System
Barton is a scripted, Orton-Gillingham-influenced program designed for one-on-one tutoring, and parents can learn to deliver it. It’s a serious commitment of time and money, and for a student with significant dyslexia, it’s one of the most respected options.
2. All About Spelling
Orton-Gillingham-based, multisensory, and mastery-paced, with letter tiles and a scripted teacher’s manual. It’s popular with homeschool families of children with dyslexia because it’s easier to start than Barton.
3. Nessy Reading and Spelling
Nessy was built for students with dyslexia: structured lessons, multisensory activities, and games, in a self-paced sequence. If you need an app that does the teaching, this is the one I’d pick over mine.
4. Spelling Test Buddymine
Mine. It’s not a dyslexia program, but it’s a useful partner to one. Enter the words from the current lesson of whatever program you use. Every word is read aloud with a sentence, and Teach Me shows each letter while the word is spoken.
The most useful feature for these students is Adaptive Learning Programs. They use spaced repetition to bring a missed word back sooner and keep it coming back until it sticks, which provides the extra exposures students with dyslexia usually need. Short daily sessions, with no extra planning from you.
5. Spelling Shed
Spelling Shed offers the OpenDyslexic font and a sequenced phonics scheme, and the games keep reluctant spellers practicing. It’s practice, not a structured literacy intervention.
My pick
Choose the program first: Barton for intensive tutoring, All About Spelling for parents teaching at home, or Nessy if it needs to be digital and self-paced.
Then add practice: Spelling Test Buddy’s adaptive programs for spaced repetition on the words from each lesson.
I’m not a dyslexia specialist. If your child or student hasn’t been evaluated, talk to your school or a qualified evaluator before picking a program.
What I’d do this week
- If there's no structured literacy program in place yet, make choosing one the first priority.
- Keep practice short and daily: 10 to 15 minutes beats an hour on Sunday.
- Use only the words from the current lesson's pattern, plus review words they've missed.
- Remove time pressure from practice and tests.
Questions
- Can people with dyslexia improve their spelling?
- Yes, with explicit, structured instruction and lots of well-spaced practice. Progress is often slower and needs more repetition, which is normal. I wrote more about this in can people with dyslexia improve their spelling?
- Is Spelling Test Buddy designed for dyslexia?
- No. It’s a general spelling practice and testing tool. Some features help students with dyslexia (words and sentences read aloud, Teach Me, and spaced repetition), but it doesn’t provide structured literacy instruction.
- What is an Orton-Gillingham spelling lesson?
- A structured, multisensory lesson that reviews sound-letter patterns, explicitly teaches a new one, and practices it through seeing, saying, hearing, and writing. Here’s what an Orton-Gillingham spelling lesson looks like.
Try Spelling Test Buddy
$49.99 a year for up to 150 students, with every game, tool, and report included. Start with a 14-day free trial, and if 14 days isn’t enough, email me and I’ll extend it.
Start your free trialI checked prices and features for every product on this page in October 2026. Prices change, so confirm on each company’s site before you buy.