Spelling Test Buddy vs Power Spelling (2026): cheaper for small classes, or more per list

Power Spelling is the closest thing Spelling Test Buddy has to a twin: games, automated tests, a gradebook, and a teacher price that won’t scare anyone. It’s cheaper for small classes, and it does vocabulary. Here’s the honest comparison, written by the person who makes Spelling Test Buddy.

Very similar tools, different strengths

If you put Power Spelling and Spelling Test Buddy side by side, you’ll see a lot of overlap: word lists, games, automated tests, groups, reusable assignments, and reports. Both are priced for teachers paying out of pocket.

So the decision comes down to a few specifics: how many students you have, where your word lists come from, and whether you want vocabulary, Google Classroom, adaptive practice, or worksheets.

What Power Spelling is better at

Price for a single small class. $29 a year for up to 35 students is hard to beat. If you have one class and pay for it yourself, that’s $21 back in your pocket.

Publisher lists. If your school teaches from a basal reading series, having those lists already loaded saves the setup.

Vocabulary. The Plus plan adds vocabulary lists, games, and tests. Spelling Test Buddy doesn’t try to do vocabulary.

Google Classroom. Power Spelling integrates with it. Spelling Test Buddy doesn’t sync rosters or grades with Google Classroom yet.

Homeschool price. $19 a year for up to 5 students is cheaper than Spelling Test Buddy for families.

What Spelling Test Buddy is better at

Big rosters. One price covers up to 150 students. Middle school teachers with several sections pay the same as everyone else.

Getting your list in. Snap a photo of the printed list, or upload a PDF, Word doc, or spreadsheet. Every word gets audio and a generated sentence you can edit.

Adaptive practice. Adaptive Learning Programs schedule each student’s practice with spaced repetition, so kids keep seeing the words they miss until they’ve mastered them.

Worksheets. Every paid account includes Worksheet Creator, with more than 25 templates: sorts, cloze, word matrices, Look Say Cover Write Check, Roll and Read, and more.

More than US English. UK, Australian, and Indian English accents, which matter for international schools and ESL teachers.

Tools beyond games. Digital Sorts and Teach Me help with instruction, not just practice.

My honest take

If you have 35 or fewer students, use publisher lists, and mostly need games plus a Friday test, Power Spelling is a good deal, and I’d tell a friend to try it. If you have more students, write your own lists, or want practice that adapts to each kid, Spelling Test Buddy gives you more for about the same money.

Questions

Is Power Spelling cheaper than Spelling Test Buddy?

For a class of up to 35 students, yes: $29 a year on the Standard plan versus $49.99. At 70 students they’re about the same, and at 150 students Spelling Test Buddy costs less ($49.99 versus $79 Standard or $99 Plus).

Does Spelling Test Buddy have publisher word lists?

Spelling Test Buddy has 850+ pre-made lists organized by grade, spelling pattern, and topic, but it doesn’t license lists from specific basal readers. If your lists come from a reading series, you can photograph or upload the page and the test is built for you.

Which is better for vocabulary?

Power Spelling Plus. It has vocabulary lists, games, and tests. Spelling Test Buddy is focused on spelling. It generates sentences and has a Teach Me tool, but it isn’t a vocabulary program.

Which has Google Classroom integration?

Power Spelling does. With Spelling Test Buddy, you share your class link through Google Classroom or any other platform, but rosters and grades don’t sync.

I 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.