# DroneBlocks vs SAM Root

The clearest difference is rating: SAM Root at 3.8 against DroneBlocks's 3.4. SAM Root also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SAM Root holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 56 and 42 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 49% of DroneBlocks's written reviews are positive against 46% of SAM Root's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

DroneBlocks ships an update every 2 months, SAM Root monthly. The most recent releases landed on August 5, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DroneBlocks | SAM Root |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/droneblocks/id1045826508/reviews) | **[3.8 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-root/id1524652548/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **56** | 42 |
| Positive reviews | **48.9% of reviews** | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 85 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DroneBlocks, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1024277072) | [SAM Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033131753) |

## What reviewers say

### DroneBlocks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/droneblocks/id1045826508)

Program drones using a block-based interface. Create custom flight paths, control camera functions, and execute missions with virtual joysticks. Supports various drone models and offers pre-flight checks for compliance.

**Highlights:** Block programming interface, Virtual joysticks for control, Pre-flight compliance checks, Camera and photo blocks, Telemetry data display, Offline mission storage, Support for Tello and DJI drones

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SAM Root

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-root/id1524652548)

Learn programming through interactive robotics with three progressive coding levels, from graphical blocks to Python 3. Control robots in real-time or test your code with a built-in 3D simulator.

**Highlights:** Three progressive coding levels, Graphical blocks to Python 3, Real-time robot control, Built-in 3D simulator, Seamless level switching, Bluetooth robot pairing

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DroneBlocks free?

DroneBlocks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SAM Root free?

SAM Root is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, DroneBlocks or SAM Root?

SAM Root is rated higher. DroneBlocks averages 3.4 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while SAM Root averages 3.8 from 42 ratings.

### Do DroneBlocks or SAM Root have ads?

Neither DroneBlocks nor SAM Root shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DroneBlocks or SAM Root?

DroneBlocks ships an update every 2 months, and SAM Root monthly. Most recently, DroneBlocks was updated on August 5, 2026 and SAM Root on September 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*