Spelling.live is free to use. But you might have noticed that some features — like the AI spelling coach, voice practice, handwriting analysis, and visual hints — draw from a monthly credit allowance. This post explains exactly why that exists, how it works, and what to do if you need more.
The short version: the app is free, I'm currently covering the AI costs myself, and if you run out of credits just ask — I'll top you up.
Why Credits Exist at All
Everything that makes Spelling.live feel different from a basic word list — the instant AI feedback, phonics audio, handwriting analysis, visual hints, voice dictation — runs on powerful AI services in the background. Every time your child asks the coach a question, checks their handwriting, or listens to a phonics breakdown, there's a small real-world cost to run it.
Right now, I'm personally covering those costs so the app can remain free while it's still growing. That's a choice I'm happy to make — but it also means I need a sensible way to keep things under control. A monthly allowance is the fairest way to do that: everyone gets a meaningful amount to use, and the app stays available for all families rather than a small number of very heavy users quietly running up the bill.
This isn't about rationing a scarce resource — it's about keeping the service healthy and sustainable while we're still an early-stage app finding our feet.
What Uses Credits
Not everything in the app costs credits. Standard spelling practice — loading a word list, typing or writing answers, seeing whether you got it right — is completely free and unlimited. Credits only come into play for the AI-powered extras:
- AI spelling coach — personalised hints, mnemonics, and feedback after a wrong answer
- Handwriting analysis — GPT-4o vision checking letter formation, reversals, spacing, and more
- Voice spelling — saying the word aloud and having it transcribed and checked
- Visual hints — the AI-generated picture clues for tricky words
- Phonics audio — the broken-down sounds track when it's generated live rather than from cache
Many of these results get cached, so if another family has already asked for the same hint or audio, it's served from cache at no credit cost to you. The allowance only ticks down when something genuinely needs to be generated fresh.
Your Monthly Allowance: 50 Credits
Every account gets 50 credits per month, which resets automatically. For most families doing a few practice sessions a week, that's more than enough — you'd need to be doing a lot of AI-heavy sessions every single day to come close to the limit.
But if you do run out — maybe you've got a child who loves the coach tips, or you're a teacher using it with a whole class — just ask and I'll top you up. There's no awkward process. Drop a message via the support page and I'll add more credits to your account, no questions asked. This is an early-stage app and I want people to use it properly, not feel cut off mid-session.
What About Pricing in the Future?
I'll be honest with you: at some point, a small subscription will make sense. Running all this AI infrastructure has a real cost, and a sustainable app is a better app in the long run — it means I can keep improving it, keep the servers running, and keep adding features.
But I'm not there yet. Before I put a price on anything, I want real data on how families actually use Spelling.live — which features get used most, how often, on what devices, for which age groups. That data will shape what a fair subscription looks like. Guessing now would either overcharge casual users or undercharge heavy ones, and neither feels right.
So for now: use it freely, use it properly, and if the 50-credit limit gets in your way just ask for more. That's genuinely the deal — and I want you to take me up on it.
The Simple Version
- Spelling.live is free to use — no card required, no hidden paywall
- You get 50 AI credits per month, which covers most normal usage
- If you run out, just ask — I'll top you up via the support page
- Basic spelling practice is always unlimited — credits only apply to AI features
- A small subscription may come later, but not until I have proper data on how people use the app
Thank you for using Spelling.live and for helping your child practise. Every session genuinely helps me understand how to make the app better — and that's exactly what I need right now.