Comparison

Money Pieces, by MLC vs VEXcode IQ

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

Head to head
About

Money Pieces, by MLC

This app provides interactive tools for students to visualize and understand money values and relationships. It offers both virtual currency and area-based representations of U.S. coins and bills, facilitating learning of fractions and decimals.

Highlights
  • Virtual currency and area money pieces
  • Exchange money for different values
  • Show heads or tails of currency
  • Hide and reveal work with resizable covers
  • Drawing tools for annotation
  • Math text and writing tools
  • Share work via image or code
Features
Read full description

Money Pieces help students visualize and understand money values and relationships. Two versions of coins and bills are provided: virtual currency pieces that replicate the appearance and relative size of U.S. coins and the dollar bill, and area money pieces. Area money pieces represent the values of coins and the dollar bill using an area model in which 1 square unit is equal to a penny. Nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars are represented by collections of squares equal to their value. In this way, the area pieces can be used to model and compute with fractions and decimals. FEATURES • Switch between currency and area money pieces. • Exchange money for different bill or coin values. • Show either side (heads or tails) of the currency or money pieces. •Hide and reveal work with resizable covers to create your own problems and model strategies. • Use the drawing tools to annotate work and show understanding. • Add equations, expressions, and descriptions with the math text and writing tools. • Share your work by saving an image or providing a share code to others. ABOUT US This resource is brought to you by The Math Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to K-12 education since 1976. Our mission is to inspire and enable individuals to discover and develop their mathematical confidence and ability. www.mathlearningcenter.org This app was crafted by Clarity Innovations. We help improve teaching and learning by creating solutions that match promising technologies with the needs of education. Visit us: www.clarity-innovations.com

About

VEXcode IQ

This coding environment is designed for students of all ages to learn programming through robotics. Its intuitive interface, consistent across different levels and platforms, allows users to focus on creation rather than navigation. It makes computer science accessible and engaging through hands-on projects and collaborations.

Highlights
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
  • Consistent across Blocks and Text
  • Robot drivetrain control blocks
  • Device manager for robot setup
  • Built-in video tutorials
  • Example projects for learning
  • Multilingual block support
Features
Read full description

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 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 Blocks 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 Blocks 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. Setup your VEX robot. Fast. VEXcode's device manager is simple, flexible, and powerful. In no time at all you can setup your robot's drivetrain, controller features, motors, and sensors. 40+ Example projects to choose from. Jumpstart your learning by starting with an existing project, covering every aspect of coding, controlling robots, and learning to use sensors.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Money Pieces, by MLC at 4.2 against VEXcode IQ's 3.7. Money Pieces, by MLC also leads on review sentiment (83% vs 62%) and iOS requirement (14.7 vs 16.0). VEXcode IQ's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 22 months) and ratings volume (38 vs 9). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Money Pieces, by MLC holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 38 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Money Pieces, by MLC's written reviews are positive against 62% of VEXcode IQ's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Money Pieces, by MLC ships an update every 22 months, VEXcode IQ every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and August 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Money Pieces, by MLC versus VEXcode IQ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMoney Pieces, by MLCVEXcode IQ
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (9 ratings) — better3.7 (38 ratings)
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better61.9% of reviews
Number of ratings938 — better
Update frequencyEvery 22 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS14.7 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB892 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Math Learning CenterVEX Robotics, Inc.

Customer experience

Money Pieces, by MLC

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%

VEXcode IQ

All ratings38 ratings
Positive65.8%
Neutral2.6%
Negative31.6%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive61.9%
Neutral4.8%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

Money Pieces, by MLC

No in-app purchases

None

VEXcode IQ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Money Pieces, by MLC free?
Money Pieces, by MLC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is VEXcode IQ free?
VEXcode IQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Money Pieces, by MLC or VEXcode IQ?
Money Pieces, by MLC is rated higher. Money Pieces, by MLC averages 4.2 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while VEXcode IQ averages 3.7 from 38 ratings.
Do Money Pieces, by MLC or VEXcode IQ have ads?
Neither Money Pieces, by MLC nor VEXcode IQ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Money Pieces, by MLC or VEXcode IQ?
Money Pieces, by MLC ships an update every 22 months, and VEXcode IQ every 6 weeks. Most recently, Money Pieces, by MLC was updated on June 2, 2026 and VEXcode IQ on August 28, 2026.

Other comparisons