If you've visited Spelling.live recently, you might have noticed there's no "Try as Guest" button any more.
You might be wondering: "Why would you remove a feature that lets people test your app?"
Great question — and the answer is simple, but it changes everything about how we help children learn.
We removed guest mode because it was impossible to show you what makes us special in a generic, one-off session. In fact, guest mode was doing you a disservice — and here's exactly why.
The Problem With "Guest Mode"
Almost every online spelling app offers a guest or demo mode. It lets you click a button, do five or ten practice words, and leave.
But here's the truth: those demos only show you the most basic, most limited part of their tool.
They usually only show you: "Type the word, click correct or wrong." That's it. And that's exactly what most tools do. So you leave thinking: "Oh, it's just like all the others."
For us, guest mode was even worse — because nothing that makes Spelling.live different works without tracking your child's progress. We're built specifically for UK English spelling, aligned to the National Curriculum, for EYFS, KS1, KS2, and SEN learners.
Most importantly: what we do is completely unique. You won't find any other tool that offers our full set of features — especially when it comes to combining spelling practice with proper handwriting analysis.
Here's exactly what you never would have seen in guest mode — and why we decided to remove it entirely.
Reason 1: Our AI Coach Only Works If We Know Their Mistakes
This is our number one feature — and no other app has anything like it.
Other tools only give generic tips: "Remember 'i' before 'e'" or "Break the word into chunks." It's the same advice for every child, every time.
Our AI spelling coach watches exactly how your child spells and writes.
- If they write chiken instead of chicken → it says: "Chickens have Eggs — don't forget the E!"
- If they write shedd instead of shed → it says: "We only need one D here!"
- If they mix up sounds when speaking → it breaks down the exact pronunciation they got wrong
- If they form letters incorrectly → it gives clear, simple tips to fix the habit
You can't do that in guest mode. To give personalised tips, we need to remember:
- Which words they struggled with — especially KS1 spelling lists and KS2 spelling rules
- Exactly which letters they missed or mixed up
- Whether they struggle more with writing, typing, or speaking — which is especially important for SEN spelling support
A one-off guest session can't track that. It can't coach them. It can only pretend to work.
Reason 2: We Check How They Write — Nothing Else Does This
This is our biggest difference — and the feature you won't find anywhere else.
Every other tool that lets you "write" words only checks one thing: "Did you draw something that looks roughly like the right word?" They don't care how you formed the letters. They don't check if you started at the right point, moved the pen the right way, or formed letters correctly.
Our handwriting analysis goes much further. We analyse every letter your child writes on screen, in real time:
- Did they start at the right point?
- Did they move the pen in the correct direction?
- Are letters the right shape, size, and proportion?
- Did they join letters properly?
- Are they reversing letters (b/d, p/q)?
- Did messy or incorrect handwriting actually cause the spelling mistake?
We spot bad habits early — before they stick. We give instant feedback to fix them. And we report on it every week.
This is essential for improving spelling and handwriting together, which schools and parents tell us is a top priority.
In guest mode? We couldn't save their writing patterns. We couldn't tell if they were improving. We couldn't help them write better. It would have been like selling a car without an engine.
Reason 3: Personalised Learning Needs History
Everything we do is built around one simple idea: don't practise what they already know — practise what they find hard.
We automatically:
- Prioritise words they've missed before — perfect for National Curriculum spelling requirements
- Adjust difficulty based on how they're doing
- Build word lists around their gaps — whether Year 1 spelling, Year 6 spelling, or anything in between
- Send weekly reports that tell you exactly what to work on next
None of this works without an account. None of this works in a five-minute guest session.
If we let you try as a guest, you'd only see us drill random words — just like every other basic tool. You'd never see the magic of us adapting to your child.
Reason 4: We Don't Want to Be "Just Another Spelling App"
Let's be honest: most spelling tools are just games or flashcards. They're fine for quick practice, but they don't actually teach.
We built Spelling.live to be a proper learning tool — built for UK parents, teachers, and children, aligned to the National Curriculum, designed for EYFS, KS1, KS2, and SEN learners. We don't do quick demos because we don't do quick fixes.
We help children build skills that last — whether you want to learn to spell at home, support homework, or reinforce what they learn in class.
When you sign up, you get everything. No watered-down version, no fake demo, no "this is what it could be like."
So How Do I Know It's Good?
Easy — signing up is free, takes two minutes, and requires no credit card.
You can add unlimited children, try every feature, and see exactly how it works — because the only way to see how good it is, is to use it properly.
Here's what you get the moment you sign up:
- Write · Type · Say · Pick — all four ways to practise
- Full handwriting analysis with formation feedback — unique to us
- AI spelling coach that learns from their mistakes
- Snap a photo of homework → instant word list
- Weekly progress reports: spelling, handwriting, and exactly what to practise next
- 100% UK English spelling — no American spellings
- Fully aligned to the National Curriculum for all year groups
Our Promise to You
We removed guest mode because we refuse to give you a half-baked experience.
We believe that if something is worth doing, it's worth doing properly. And helping your child improve spelling and handwriting is worth doing properly.
When you sign up to Spelling.live, you're not just getting an online spelling app — you're getting a tool built around your child, built to help them make real progress, and built to save you time and stress.
No guest mode. No generic demos. Just real learning, real results, and the best spelling tool in the UK.