mBlockly for mBot vs VEXcode 123
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
mBlockly for mBot
Learn programming by controlling a robot with graphical building blocks. This app allows your robot to sense its environment, move, and react to commands, turning your tablet into a controller for interactive learning experiences.
- Block-based programming interface
- Robot sensor integration (ultrasonic, line-tracking, lightness)
- Bluetooth robot control
- Tablet gyroscope control
- Interactive learning
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Control your robot and learn programming by snapping graphical building blocks together. ***a mBot educational robot with bluetooth module is required for running this app!*** LET YOUR ROBOT FEEL, THINK, AND DANCE With mBlockly, your mBot robot may perceive distance via ultrasonic sensors, mind its feet through line-tracking sensors, and be afraid of dark with its lightness sensor. Build short programs to let your mBot move or sing a little song when it is happy or sad. TAKE YOUR MBOT WITH YOUR TRIP Computers and cables are no more needed. Your iPad communicate directly with your mBot via bluetooth. TURN YOUR IPADS INTO MAGIC WANDS mBlockly can read the status of iPad's gyroscope, meaning that you may let your mBot dance by shaking the iPad or tilting it to each direction. E-mail:support@makeblock.cc
VEXcode 123
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From elementary school through college, VEXcode is a coding environment that meets students at their level. The intuitive layout of VEXcode allows students to get started quickly and easily. VEXcode is consistent across Blocks and Text, across VEX 123, VEX GO, VEX IQ, and VEX V5. As students progress from elementary, middle, and high school, they never have to learn a different blocks, code, or toolbar interface. As a result, students can focus on creating with technology, not trying to navigate a new layout. Drive Forward is the new Hello World We all know that robots attract kids to learn. VEX Robotics and VEXcode are providing opportunities for students of all ages to participate in learning the code that makes these robots work. VEX makes computer science come to life through collaborations, hands-on projects, and engaging experiences. From classrooms to competitions, VEXcode helps to create the next generation of innovators. Drag. Drop. Drive. VEXcode is the perfect platform for those new to coding. Students use the simple drag and drop interface to create functioning programs. Each block's purpose can easily be identified using the visual cues like its shape, color, and label. We've designed VEXcode to allow those who are new to robotics to get their robot up and running faster. Now, students can focus on being creative and learning computer science concepts, not stuck trying to figure out the interface. More accessible than ever VEXcode even helps across language barriers, allowing student to read blocks and comment programs in their native language. Drag & Drop. Powered by Scratch Blocks. Students and Teachers will feel instantly at home with this familiar environment. Video Tutorials. Grasp concepts faster. Built-in tutorials cover every aspect needed to get up to speed fast. And more tutorials are coming. Help is always there. Getting information on blocks is fast and easy. These resources were written by educators, in a form both teachers and students will grasp quickly. Drivetrain Blocks. A breakthrough in simplicity. From driving forward, making precise turns, setting speed, and stopping precisely, VEXcode makes it easier than ever to control a robot. VEXcode Privacy Policy: https://www.vexrobotics.com/software-privacy-policy
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: mBlockly for mBot at every 2 months against VEXcode 123's every 4 months. mBlockly for mBot also leads on iOS requirement (7.1 vs 16.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
mBlockly for mBot ships an update every 2 months, VEXcode 123 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | mBlockly for mBot | VEXcode 123 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.5 (6 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 7.1 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 408 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Makeblock Co., Ltd. | VEX Robotics, Inc. |
In-app purchases
mBlockly for mBot
No in-app purchases
VEXcode 123
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is mBlockly for mBot free?
Is VEXcode 123 free?
Do mBlockly for mBot or VEXcode 123 have ads?
Which is updated more often, mBlockly for mBot or VEXcode 123?
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