# micro vs PictoBlox

The clearest difference is update cadence: micro at every 7 months against PictoBlox's every 14 months. micro also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.3). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.3 for micro against 3.4 for PictoBlox. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 89 and 57 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 44% of micro's written reviews are positive against 48% of PictoBlox's.

micro ships an update every 7 months, PictoBlox every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | micro | PictoBlox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbit/id1092687276/reviews) | **[3.4 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pictoblox-coding-robots-and-ai/id1554839634/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **89** | 57 |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews | **48.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 7 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 59 MB | 178 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 14.3 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Micro:bit Educational Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484783422) | [STEMpedia](https://appshunter.io/developer/1472734454) |

## What reviewers say

### micro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbit/id1092687276)

This app is the essential companion for the BBC micro:bit, a pocket-sized programmable computer. It allows you to wirelessly beam programs to your micro:bit via Bluetooth and includes access to a block-based programming editor. Monitor sensor data and control your micro:bit in real-time.

**Highlights:** Wireless flashing of micro:bit hex files, Access to Microsoft MakeCode editor, Bluetooth beaming of programs, Real-time sensor data monitoring, Control micro:bit buttons and pins, Debug running program code, Store and manage HEX files

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and quick to set up
- 💻 Allows coding on mobile devices
- 🎓 Great for learning and education
- ⚡ Fast download and installation
- 🔧 Works well once properly configured

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent Bluetooth pairing failures
- 🐛 App crashes during code flashing
- 🐛 Connection drops after flashing
- 📱 Poor optimization for phone screens
- 🔌 Requires frequent device reconnection

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth pairing fails or shows false success
- App crashes when flashing code to micro:bit
- Connection lost after code flashing
- White screen display issue
- Login fails with Google accounts

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for iOS
- Integrated IDE in app instead of Safari redirect
- Support for multiple languages
- Persistent Bluetooth connection after flashing
- Mute audio functionality


### PictoBlox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pictoblox-coding-robots-and-ai/id1554839634)

Learn to code with a block-based platform that integrates robotics, AI, and machine learning. Create games, animations, and control hardware using intuitive drag-and-drop Scratch blocks. Ideal for beginners to develop 21st-century skills.

**Highlights:** Block-based coding, Robotics control, AI and Machine Learning, IoT projects, Game and animation creation, Hardware interaction

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for learning AI
- 👍 Good for robotics
- 👍 Intuitive block interface
- 👍 Fun for beginners
- 👍 Good for short projects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitches
- 🐛 Projects not saving
- 🐛 Freezes and crashes
- 🐛 Lagging issues
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate

**Reported bugs**

- Birthday date not appearing during account creation
- Purple screen and reset when saving project
- Microphone activated unexpectedly
- Space instead of left arrow in hat block
- Projects not saving on iPad and laptops

**Requested features**

- Zoom in feature for drawing
- Pixelated text option
- Custom controls (thumbsticks, levers)
- Move variables with finger
- Drag code to other sprites


## Frequently asked questions

### Is micro free?

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

### Is PictoBlox free?

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

### Which has better reviews, micro or PictoBlox?

PictoBlox is rated higher. micro averages 3.3 out of 5 from 89 ratings, while PictoBlox averages 3.4 from 57 ratings.

### Do micro or PictoBlox have ads?

Neither micro nor PictoBlox shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, micro or PictoBlox?

micro ships an update every 7 months, and PictoBlox every 14 months. Most recently, micro was updated on September 19, 2026 and PictoBlox on September 25, 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.*