Encode vs Mad Func
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Encode
Learn to code with interactive, bite-sized lessons designed for busy schedules. Master popular languages like Python, JavaScript, and SQL through hands-on exercises and challenges. Ideal for beginners, this app makes coding accessible and fun, offering certificates upon completion.
- Bite-sized interactive lessons
- Hands-on coding exercises
- Learn Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, SQL
- Built-in code playground
- Daily motivation streaks and hearts
- Certificates of completion
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Start coding today with short, interactive lessons! Learn Python, SQL, HTML/CSS, JavaScript (and more) at your own pace. Encode makes learning to code easy! Bite-Sized Learning: Fit coding into your busy life with effective lessons you can complete in just 15 minutes daily. Hands-On Coding: Write REAL code from lesson one! Our interactive quizzes, coding exercises, and challenges build practical, real-world skills. Master In-Demand Languages: Learn Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, & SQL. Plus, explore mini-courses in R, Swift, Java, & the Command Line. Practice Anywhere: Our built-in playground for coding means no setup headaches. Experiment, test, and write code on the go. Learning Made Fun: Daily streaks and hearts keep you motivated. Coding feels like a game, not a chore! Perfect for Absolute Beginners: No coding experience needed! Encode guides you step-by-step, demystifying complex concepts. Build Real-World Skills: Prepare to build websites, automate tasks, analyze data, or launch your tech career. Earn Your Certificate: Showcase your new coding skills with a personalized certificate of completion. Join thousands learning to code with Encode. Visit https://upskew.com/privacy for our Privacy Policy and https://upskew.com/tos for our Terms of Use. Illustrations by Ouch (https://icons8.com/ouch). Questions or feedback? We'd love to hear from you at support@upskew.com.
Mad Func
Learn algorithms and coding concepts through interactive, gamified challenges. Solve puzzles by arranging code blocks, debug issues, and tackle system design problems. Track your progress and prepare for interviews or strengthen your computer science fundamentals.
- Gamified algorithm puzzles
- Interactive debugging
- System design challenges
- Multi-language support
- Progress tracking dashboard
- Weekly new challenges
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Who said learning algorithms had to be boring? Solve coding challenges by dragging and dropping syntax pieces into place. It's like building with code blocks! Challenge Yourself With: Fresh algorithm puzzles every week Interactive debugging missions System design brain teasers Multi-language support (Swift, Python, JavaScript, Java) Personal progress dashboard Whether you're prepping for interviews or strengthening CS foundations, turn study time into play time. Terms of Use (EULA) - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Mad Func at none against Encode's shown. Mad Func also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Encode's advantage is ratings volume (6.4K vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
Both are free to download. Encode sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Mad Func sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Mad Func holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Encode has 6.4K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Encode ships an update every 2 weeks, Mad Func every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Encode | Mad Func |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (6.4K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 88.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6.4K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 86 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Upskew Pty. Ltd. | Gina De La Rosa |
Customer experience
Encode
Mad Func
Bugs and requests
Encode
Reported bugs
3 issues- Incorrect grammar/spelling in some lessons
- Inability to input answers in certain lessons
- Lesson content not always matching what's asked
Requested features
4 requests- Add more coding languages like C++, C#, and Lua
- Implement progress sync across devices
- Provide more interactive coding exercises
- Include audio/voice guidance for lessons
Mad Func
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Encode
- Encode Plus (Monthly)$9.991 Month
- Encode Plus (Annual)$39.991 Year
Mad Func
- Mad Func Pro$2.997 Days
