Comparison

Minecraft Education vs VanDraw

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

Head to head
About

Minecraft Education

This game-based platform inspires creative, inclusive learning through play, offering lessons and challenges for various subjects. It helps students develop critical future-ready skills like problem-solving and collaboration in immersive, blocky worlds.

Highlights
  • Game-based learning platform
  • Lessons and curriculum for various subjects
  • Multiplayer collaboration
  • Code Builder for coding
  • Immersive Reader
  • Documentation tools (Camera, Book & Quill)
  • Integration with Microsoft Teams and Flipgrid
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

THIS APP IS FOR SCHOOL AND ORGANIZATIONAL USE. Minecraft Education is a game-based platform that inspires creative, inclusive learning through play. Explore blocky worlds that unlock new ways to tackle any subject or challenge. Dive into subjects like reading, math, history, and coding with lessons and standardized curriculum designed for all types of learners. Or explore and build together in creative open worlds. USE IT YOUR WAY With hundreds of ready-to-teach lessons, creative challenges, and blank canvas worlds, there are lots of ways to make Minecraft Education work for your students. It’s easy to get started, no gaming experience necessary. PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE Help learners develop key key skills like problem solving, collaboration, digital citizenship, and critical thinking to help students them thrive now and in the future workplace. Spark a passion for STEM. GAME-BASED LEARNING Unlock creativity and deep learning with immersive content created with partners including BBC Earth, NASA, and the Nobel Peace Center. Inspire students to engage in real-world topics with culturally relevant lessons and build challenges. KEY FEATURES  - Multiplayer mode enables collaboration in-game across platforms, devices, and hybrid environments - Code Builder supports block-based coding, JavaScript, and Python with intuitive interface and in-game execution - Immersive Reader helps players read and translate text  - Camera and Book & Quill items allow documentation and export of in-game-creations - Integration with Microsoft Teams and Flipgrid supports assessment and teacher controls Minecraft Education licenses can be purchased with Admin access to a Microsoft 365 Admin Center account. Talk to your Tech Lead for information on academic licensing. Terms of use: The terms that apply to this download are the terms that were presented when you purchased your Minecraft Education subscription. If you subscribe to Minecraft Education via iTunes: Each Minecraft Education subscription lasts one year from date of purchase. The payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. If your subscription is set to auto-renew, your account will be charged within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period at the subscription price option you previously selected. Turn off auto-renewal by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. If you cancel after your subscription has activated, your account will not be refunded for the remaining active period of the subscription. Privacy policy: https://aka.ms/privacy

About

VanDraw

Learn to draw by tracing outlines projected onto paper from your phone. Guided lessons and a large library of images make it easy for anyone to create their own artwork.

Highlights
  • Trace outlines from photos or library
  • Guided drawing lessons with voice prompts
  • Save progress in guided lessons
  • Library of hundreds of images
  • Use your own photos
  • Camera tools for steady projection
Features
Read full description

Ever wished you could draw like your favorite artists? With VanDraw, you can — no talent required. Pick a picture, point your phone at a sheet of paper, and the outline appears right on the page. Follow the lines with your pencil. A few minutes later you're holding a real drawing, made by your own hand. HOW IT WORKS 1. Choose a picture from the library — or use your own photo. 2. Point your camera at a blank sheet of paper. 3. VanDraw shows the picture on top of your sheet as a clean outline. Trace what you see, at your own pace. WHAT'S INSIDE • Guided lessons. The next stroke lights up on your sheet and a voice explains it. Steps go in order, and your progress is saved along the way. • A library of hundreds of pictures, sorted by category: anime, animals, places and nature, minimalist line art, characters and cartoons. • Your own photos. Any photo becomes an outline you can project onto paper and trace. • Camera tools that keep the picture steady: image lock, zoom, flashlight, autofocus and opacity control. WHO IT'S FOR • Adults who say "I can't draw." You don't need talent to start — the app leads, you follow, and the result is one you'll want to show someone. • Anime and manga fans who want their favorite characters to come out looking like their favorite characters. The lines are right there on your sheet, so the proportions hold. • Kids and parents. Here the screen is a tool, not the entertainment. The child draws with their own hand, and what remains is a real drawing on real paper. WHY IT WORKS Tracing is how artists have learned for centuries. When your hand repeats a line, it remembers the movement, and each drawing makes the next one easier. Nothing here stays behind glass: every picture you finish lives in your sketchbook, not in a file. Put a sheet of paper on the table, open VanDraw and see what you can draw today. Terms of Use: https://vandraw.com/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://vandraw.com/privacy/

Screenshots

Minecraft Education4 screens
VanDraw4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: VanDraw at 4.6 against Minecraft Education's 4.0. VanDraw also leads on monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). Minecraft Education's advantage is ratings volume (43K vs 305) and chart position (#106 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Minecraft Education sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year and VanDraw sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

VanDraw holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Minecraft Education has 43K ratings behind it against 305, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 67% and 67% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Minecraft Education ships an update every 3 months, VanDraw weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Minecraft Education versus VanDraw: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMinecraft EducationVanDraw
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (43K ratings)4.6 (305 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.8% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings43K — better305
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
Best chart rank#106 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size1.3 GB126 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperMojangVanDraw

Customer experience

Minecraft Education

All ratings41,793 ratings
Positive73.9%
Neutral5.7%
Negative20.4%
Written reviews3,414 reviews
Positive66.8%
Neutral10.7%
Negative22.4%

VanDraw

All ratings305 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.9%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Bugs and requests

Minecraft Education

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Unable to connect to other players' worlds
  • Invisible chunks and terrain generation issues
  • Nether portal glitches and crashes
  • Inconsistent command block functionality

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more furniture and decoration options
  • Implement Nether and other recent Minecraft updates
  • Allow custom skins and player customization
  • Improve multiplayer functionality and server hosting

VanDraw

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Minecraft Education

Subscriptions1
  • 1 year License$4.991 Year
6 purchases

VanDraw

Subscriptions4
  • VanDraw Pro$6.997 Days
  • VanDraw Pro3 Days trial$6.997 Days
  • VanDraw Pro$34.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • VanDraw Pro7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time2
  • VanDraw Pro Lifetime$29.00
  • VanDraw Pro Lifetime$50.00

Questions

Is Minecraft Education free?
Minecraft Education is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VanDraw free?
VanDraw is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Minecraft Education or VanDraw?
VanDraw is rated higher. Minecraft Education averages 4.0 out of 5 from 43K ratings, while VanDraw averages 4.6 from 305 ratings.
Do Minecraft Education or VanDraw have ads?
Neither Minecraft Education nor VanDraw shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Minecraft Education or VanDraw?
Minecraft Education ships an update every 3 months, and VanDraw weekly. Most recently, Minecraft Education was updated on October 23, 2026 and VanDraw on October 21, 2026.

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