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first of all, basically what is the difference?
what are their uses and is there a big difference? for example is there a case where I should use pure butter for some things but never a spread or vice versa? When the recipe says butter which one should I use?
Generally speaking, butter spreads have a water component to them. That's what the emulsifier is for, as it keeps the fat and water from separating.
The problem is that you can't fry/cook with it. If you place it in a pan it will separate, and sizzle in a very unpleasant manner. If I remember correctly, it actaully smells quite awful in the process.
As for baking, I think it'll be fine anywhere there needs to be fat as fat. Wherever you need fat as something to hold the structure, you had probably best not use it. Caveat emptor, as I don't bake very much at all.
Let it be aid, however, that margarine as opposed to butter spread, can be used anywhere that butter is used. It isn't as tasty, and has trans-fats. On the other hand, it has less cholesterol.
Usually things titled butter spread are actually made from largely vegetable oil. They can be a replacement for butter in recipes where the fact that there is fat in the recipe is all that matters (quick breads, brownies, muffins, etc.). In general if you have a recipe where melted butter joins the wet ingredients and those wet ingredients get mixed into the dry ingredients, you should be able to get by using butter spreads (at least the oil-based kinds).
On the other hand, butter spreads aren't going to work well in baking that requires the creaming method (where butter and sugar are creamed together) because the texture is "firm out of the refrigerator, softens quickly" (source) as one spread maker says. The bubbles needed to make baked goods rise using the creaming method won't hold.
Butter Spreads are used as Butter substitudes in Baking. Usually containing Animal fats from bovine and ovine along with water, Butter Flavour, Emulsifiers and food acids. The results in baking is almost very close to the natural butter but the taste is a bit different in comparison with unsulted butter. It is not recommended to use butter spreads for frying but it can be used in cooking which I personally do nut suggest that !
Definitely check the labels. "Butter spreads", that is vegetable oil spreads that have a small amount of butter for flavor, aren't a suitable substitute while baking because they usually have too low of a fat content. Most vegetable oil-based spreads, with or without a butter component for flavor, don't actually meet the legal definition of margarine, which must be at least 80% fat to match the fat percentage requirements of solid butter, so it can be used as a one-for-one substitute in all uses, like baking.
Conversely spreadable butter, usually labeled as "butter with X oil", can be used for cooking, as the oil content is usually just the small amount needed to keep it soft in the fridge, and is still fat, so it doesn't change the fat percentage.
To determine the difference we must first take in to account the ingredients found in them.
Butter - pure butter is made from buttermilk or cream. As a result it contains some saturated fats and cholesterol (30mg per serving).
Butter Spread - is a combination of oils (mostly vegetable oils) and buttermilk that taste like butter. They offer lower calorie count; some choices offer "Zero Cholesterol".
