If you are looking for a free place to keep learning and playing, here is what Spark & Whetstone is and how it sits beside some places you may know. Every one of them is good at something, and we say what. We do not quote prices, because they change: follow the link to see each company's own page. Checked on 13 October 2026.
| Where | What it costs | Account? | Ads? | Good at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spark & Whetstone Courses, table games and stories for grown-ups, often to share with a child. | Free. An optional Patron gift never unlocks anything. | No. Nothing is stored except a few on-device switches. | None. | Short, calm lessons with a table activity and a printable card, and games across the table. |
| Lichess A chess server. | Free, open source, paid for by donations. | Not for casual games; yes for rated ones. | None. | Everything about chess online. If chess is all you want, it is excellent, and we send people there. |
| Chess.com A chess site and app. | Free to play; paid memberships add lessons, puzzles and analysis. | Yes, to play other people. | On the free plan; paid plans remove them. | A very large number of players at every level, and a lot of lessons. |
| Duolingo A language-learning app. | Free lessons for everyone; Super and Max are paid. | Yes, to keep progress. | On the free plan, mostly at the end of lessons; Super removes them. | A little language practice every day, in many languages. |
| MasterClass Video classes by well-known experts. | A paid subscription, billed yearly. | Yes. | No, it is paid for by subscriptions. | Polished films with famous teachers. |
| Brain-training apps Daily games sold as training for the mind. | Usually a free trial, then a subscription. | Usually yes. | Varies. | Short games that are fun to play. |
If something here is out of date or unfair, please tell us at hello@sparkanvil.org and we will fix it.