WiFi Link firmware is a sketch too. It has IoT configuration AP concept similar to PersWiFiManager, If the firmware connects to network, the Atmega sketch doesn't need to contain WiFi credentials. And it has Atmega sketch OTA Upload support, but it is not solved for SPI yet.
Of course, both features could by easy added to Jiri Bilek's library with WiFiManager and AVRISP (after solving the slave/master switching of SPI).
The SPI connection requires more wiring then the Serial connection. And more level shifters. So a shield would make it easy for beginners. (And the WiFi Link system requires one more connection for it's slaveReady signal.)
I trusted the statements on stackexchange about esp8266 gpio 5 V tolerance and did leave out the level shifters in my test setup. It works. The Wemos is fine. I wouldn't do that for permanent use, so the shield should have level shifting.
And reset pin of Atmega should be connected too for AVRISP.