Comparison

PBS KIDS ScratchJr vs Learn Coding for Kids

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PBS KIDS ScratchJr

This app allows children ages 5-8 to create their own interactive stories and games using simple programming blocks. Kids can make characters move, jump, and sing, while learning foundational coding concepts and problem-solving skills. It features beloved PBS KIDS characters and offers creative tools like painting and voice recording.

Highlights
  • Create interactive stories and games
  • Learn basic coding concepts
  • Use colorful programming blocks
  • Incorporate PBS KIDS characters
  • Paint and edit characters/backgrounds
  • Record voice for projects
  • Utilize story starters for inspiration
Read full description

With PBS KIDS ScratchJr, kids can create their own interactive stories and games through programming activities and lessons. Learn the basics of coding through fun games and activities featuring characters from Wild Kratts, Lyla in the Loops, Odd Squad, Work it Out Wombats, and more! The storytelling possibilities are endless with this creative coding app for children ages 5-8. Children can express their creativity and make characters move, jump, dance and sing by snapping together colorful programming blocks. This app helps kids learn the foundation of programming and coding concepts in a way that’s fun and easy to learn. As kids play, they’ll learn to solve problems, design projects and express themselves creatively. With PBS KIDS ScratchJr, young kids can play and practice early school concepts at home. Download this fun educational app to get started! PBS KIDS ScratchJr Features: Programming Games - Colorful Programming Blocks teach basic coding concepts - Play and learn by snapping together the color-coded motion, sound, look, trigger and control blocks - Use programming concepts to create sequences that cause characters to animate - Program characters to interact in fun and exciting ways - Learn problem solving techniques PBS KIDS Characters and Backgrounds - 150+ PBS KIDS characters to mix and match - Children can create projects based on their favorite shows, including: - Wild Kratts - Lyla in the Loop - Work It Out, Wombats - Molly of Denali - Odd Squad - Arthur - Nature Cat - Peg +Cat - Ready Jet Go - And more! Paint Editing - Create characters and backgrounds - Painting made simple on illustration grids - Paint characters from PBS KIDS shows - Express creativity by painting Voice Recording - Use the recording tool to add sounds and your voice to projects - Voice characters from PBS KIDS shows Story Starters - Looking for inspiration? Eight Story Starters in the app are a great place to start - Each Story Starter features a different set of characters from PBS KIDS shows - Kids can create the stories they want with Story Starters - Encourage children to edit and complete the story however they’d like Introduce children to the basics of coding while having fun with PBS KIDS characters. Start learning, programming, painting, drawing and creating interactive stories. Download PBS KIDS ScratchJr today! PBS KIDS ScratchJr is only available for iPad. ---------------------- For more PBS KIDS apps, visit http://www.pbskids.org/apps For more on ScratchJr, visit http://www.scratchjr.org Privacy Across all media platforms, PBS KIDS is committed to creating a safe and secure environment for children and families and being transparent about what information is collected from users. To learn more about PBS KIDS' privacy policy, visit pbskids.org/privacy PBS KIDS ScratchJr is a collaboration between PBS, Scratch Foundation and the DevTech Research Group at Boston College. The PBS KIDS logo & PBS KIDS® PBS. Used with permission. ScratchJr logo is used with permission. PBS is not affiliated with Scratch Foundation and Boston College.

About

Learn Coding for Kids

This app guides children through learning Python with AI-powered lessons and interactive tools. It features a built-in IDE for writing and running code, AI assistance for fixing errors, and code generation examples. Kids can also take notes, save projects, and participate in online coding challenges.

Highlights
  • AI-powered Python learning
  • Built-in IDE for coding
  • AI-assisted code fixing
  • AI code generation
  • Python compiler integration
  • Note-taking feature
  • Save and revisit code projects
  • Online coding challenges
Features
Read full description

Learn to Code for Kids is the perfect app for young learners to start their coding journey! Designed with children in mind, this app uses AI-powered tools to help kids learn Python in a fun, interactive, and easy-to-understand way. Whether your child is a complete beginner or has some coding experience, this app will guide them step by step to become confident coders. Key Features: AI-Powered Learning: With AI support, kids can learn Python at their own pace. Whether they are new to coding or already familiar with basic concepts, the app adapts to their level, providing personalized lessons and helping them master coding skills easily. The AI gives suggestions and explanations to make learning Python both fun and rewarding. Built-in IDE: Kids can write and run Python code directly within the app! The built-in IDE makes coding accessible right on their mobile device, with no need for a computer or complicated setup. They can create programs, test them, and see the results instantly, making coding both interactive and engaging. AI-Assisted Code Fixing: Coding mistakes are part of the learning process, and with AI-assisted code fixing, kids can easily correct their errors. If they write incorrect code, the AI will guide them in fixing the issues, helping them understand the mistake and learn how to avoid it in the future. This instant feedback allows kids to learn faster and with more confidence. Code Generation with AI: Need help creating a piece of code? Simply ask the AI! For example, kids can ask, “Show me a for loop in Python,” and the app will generate the code for them. This feature allows kids to learn by example and understand how different coding concepts work in Python. Python Compiler Integration: The app integrates a Python compiler, which means kids can run their code directly in the app. They can experiment with their code, test it, and see the results in real-time, which reinforces learning and allows for instant experimentation. Note-Taking Feature: The app includes a note-taking feature that allows kids to jot down important ideas or concepts while learning. They can make notes of key points that they want to remember or revisit, helping them stay organized and on track with their learning. Save Your Code: If kids create a program they want to keep, they can save their code within the app. This makes it easy to revisit saved programs and build upon them later. It’s a great way to keep track of progress and build a library of coding projects. Complete Python Learning Path: Learn to Code for Kids takes children through a complete learning journey, from the basics of Python syntax to more advanced concepts like loops, functions, and data structures. The app’s structured lessons ensure that kids progress step by step, mastering each concept before moving on to the next. Online Challenges: Kids can take part in online coding challenges, competing with other young coders from around the world! These fun and educational challenges allow kids to test their skills, learn new things, and earn rewards while competing in a friendly environment. Earn a Certificate: After completing the lessons, kids can take an exam to test their knowledge. If they pass, they will receive a certificate to celebrate their achievement. It’s a great way for kids to feel proud of their hard work and show off their new skills! AI Chatbot for Instant Help: The app includes an AI-powered chatbot that’s available 24/7 to help kids with any questions they have about Python. Whether they need clarification on a concept or help with coding errors, the chatbot provides quick, easy-to-understand answers, helping kids stay on track with their learning. With Learn to Code for Kids, children will discover the world of programming in a fun, safe, and supportive environment. Term of Use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy https://coddykit.com/terms/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Learn Coding for Kids4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Learn Coding for Kids at 5.0 against PBS KIDS ScratchJr's 4.0. Learn Coding for Kids also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 12 months) and device support (3 vs 1). PBS KIDS ScratchJr's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (289 vs 1). On price and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Learn Coding for Kids sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. PBS KIDS ScratchJr asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Learn Coding for Kids holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS KIDS ScratchJr has 289 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PBS KIDS ScratchJr ships an update every 12 months, Learn Coding for Kids every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
PBS KIDS ScratchJr versus Learn Coding for Kids: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPBS KIDS ScratchJrLearn Coding for Kids
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (289 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings289 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPBS KIDSMEHMET CANKER (TR)

Customer experience

PBS KIDS ScratchJr

All ratings289 ratings
Positive72.3%
Neutral5.5%
Negative22.1%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive62.0%
Neutral9.8%
Negative28.3%

Learn Coding for Kids

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

PBS KIDS ScratchJr

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Home button causes character to revert to previous position
  • Projects fail to load when creating or opening
  • Voice recording feature not working or missing
  • How-to tutorial videos don't play
  • Drawing tool corrupts custom characters
Show 8 more
  • Timer block doesn't function correctly
  • Drag-and-drop programming blocks unresponsive
  • App crashes when using certain blocks
  • Dot character won't disappear from new slides
  • Performance slowdown during projects
  • Paint editor labels incorrectly aligned with icons
  • Microphone feature doesn't show up or work
  • Text rendering issues with fonts and handwriting

Requested features

13 requests
  • Add more PBS Kids shows (Let's Go Luna, Dinosaur Train, Elinor Wonders Why, Hero Elementary, Wordgirl, Rosie's Rules, Alma's Way)
  • Unlimited pages/slides instead of 4-slide limit
  • More coding blocks from original Scratch (text-to-speech, etc.)
  • Custom character creation on blank canvas
  • Level maker and world maker features
Show 8 more
  • 2D and 3D options
  • Editable PBS backgrounds
  • Search bar for projects
  • More sound effects (crashing, slipping, sliding)
  • Page titles/naming system
  • More characters for existing shows
  • Offline functionality
  • Bring back Kart Kingdom game

Learn Coding for Kids

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

PBS KIDS ScratchJr

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Learn Coding for Kids

Subscriptions3
  • Learn to Code for kids$4.997 Days
  • Learn to Code for Kids Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Learn to Code for Kids Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is PBS KIDS ScratchJr free?
PBS KIDS ScratchJr is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Learn Coding for Kids free?
Learn Coding for Kids is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PBS KIDS ScratchJr or Learn Coding for Kids?
Learn Coding for Kids is rated higher. PBS KIDS ScratchJr averages 4.0 out of 5 from 289 ratings, while Learn Coding for Kids averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do PBS KIDS ScratchJr or Learn Coding for Kids have ads?
Neither PBS KIDS ScratchJr nor Learn Coding for Kids shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PBS KIDS ScratchJr or Learn Coding for Kids?
PBS KIDS ScratchJr ships an update every 12 months, and Learn Coding for Kids every 2 months. Most recently, PBS KIDS ScratchJr was updated on October 19, 2026 and Learn Coding for Kids on October 6, 2026.

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