The best spelling app for kindergarten through 2nd grade (2026)
Full disclosure: I make Spelling Test Buddy, and this is the guide where I recommend other apps most. Spelling Test Buddy is built for students who can hear a word and type it. Most kindergartners and first graders aren’t there yet, and other apps are built for exactly that age.
| App | Best for | Price | Built for K to 2? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spelling Shed | sequenced phonics with games kids love | Free plan; $29.99/year home; Premium for schools by quote | Yes |
| SpellingJoy | free practice and tests | Free; optional $2.99/month extras | Yes, K to 6 |
| Vocabulary A-Z | schools already using Learning A-Z | $125/year for 36 students | Yes, K to 5 |
| Starfall | early phonics and reading at home | About $35/year home membership | Yes |
| Spelling Test Buddy (mine) | 2nd graders who can type their answers | $49.99/year | Partly |
What young spellers need
A sequence. Short vowels before vowel teams. Kids need to meet patterns in a sensible order.
Visual and audio support. Pictures, letter tiles, and hearing each sound, not just a word and an empty box.
Short, playful sessions. Five to ten minutes, with games, and rewards they care about.
Little or no typing. Picking letters or tiles works better than a keyboard for a 5-year-old.
1. Spelling Shed
For this age, Spelling Shed is the one I’d pick. It has a sequenced scheme, games designed for young children, native apps for tablets, and leagues that keep kids coming back. The free plan alone is a good start. Spelling Test Buddy vs Spelling Shed.
2. SpellingJoy
Free, with letter-tile games, audio, and grade-level lists including Dolch and Fry. If you need something free for a K to 2 classroom or at home, start here.
3. Vocabulary A-Z
Formerly VocabularySpellingCity, built for K-5, with lesson plans and the Kids A-Z student portal. If your students already log into Kids A-Z, it’s an easy addition. Spelling Test Buddy vs SpellingCity.
4. Starfall
Starfall has been teaching early phonics for a long time, with gentle activities that pre-readers can do on their own. It’s more reading than spelling, which is the right emphasis at this age.
5. Spelling Test Buddymine
Mine, and honestly, it’s not the best fit for most of K to 2. It works well in late 2nd grade, when students can type what they hear, and some 2nd grade teachers use it for weekly lists. Its K-8 spelling curriculum starts at kindergarten. But for kindergarten and 1st grade, the apps above are built for those kids.
My pick
K to 2 classroom: Spelling Shed.
Free: SpellingJoy.
Your school uses Learning A-Z: Vocabulary A-Z.
2nd graders who type confidently: Spelling Test Buddy works, and it’s the tool they’ll keep using through 8th grade.
What I’d do this week
- Check what phonics sequence your school follows, and use an app that fits it.
- Keep sessions under 10 minutes.
- Watch a child use the app once. If they're stuck on the keyboard, it's the wrong app for now.
Questions
- Can kindergartners use Spelling Test Buddy?
- Not well on their own. Students hear a word and type it, which most kindergartners can’t do yet. Spelling Shed, SpellingJoy, and Starfall are better fits for that age.
- Does Spelling Test Buddy have a K-2 curriculum?
- Yes. Its spelling curriculum covers K through 8, and many 2nd grade teachers use the app. But the app itself is designed around typing what you hear, so it works best once students can do that.
- What's the best free spelling app for 1st grade?
- SpellingJoy is free for K-6. Spelling Shed’s free plan includes its games. UFLI Foundations’ online toolbox is a free resource for teachers, though it’s instruction, not an app.
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.