# Thunkable Live vs Photon Coding

The clearest difference is rating: Photon Coding at 5.0 against Thunkable Live's 4.1. Thunkable Live's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (324 vs 2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Photon Coding holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Thunkable Live has 324 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Thunkable Live ships an update weekly, Photon Coding every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thunkable Live | Photon Coding |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (324 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunkable-live/id1223262700/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-coding/id1282138708/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **324** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 53.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 114 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thunkable](https://appshunter.io/developer/1207985166) | [Photon Entertainment sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281702819) |

## What reviewers say

### Thunkable Live

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thunkable-live/id1223262700)

This platform allows users to create mobile applications using a visual, block-based programming language. It empowers individuals to design and control their own mobile device applications through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Explore tutorials and documentation to build your own projects.

**Highlights:** Drag and drop interface, Blocks based programming, Mobile device control, In-app tutorials, Extensive documentation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to create apps
- 🚀 Instant live testing
- 💡 Innovative learning platform
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 👍 Versatile for all skill levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer iOS devices
- 🐛 Laggy performance and glitches
- 🐛 Unreliable live testing and preview
- 🐛 Confusing navigation and UI

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes or crashes
- White screen issues and app not loading
- Inability to view or edit code
- Inconsistent behavior between web and mobile versions
- Firebase integration problems

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved code editor and customization tools
- Better integration with external services
- More comprehensive documentation and tutorials
- Ability to test apps on multiple devices


### Photon Coding

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-coding/id1282138708)

Create programs for your Photon robot using intuitive, icon-based languages like Draw, Badge, and Blocks. Explore your robot's capabilities and build custom programs directly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** Icon-based programming languages, Draw, Badge, and Blocks modes, Mobile device control, Explore robot possibilities, Create custom programs

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thunkable Live free?

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

### Is Photon Coding free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thunkable Live or Photon Coding?

Photon Coding is rated higher. Thunkable Live averages 4.1 out of 5 from 324 ratings, while Photon Coding averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Thunkable Live or Photon Coding have ads?

Neither Thunkable Live nor Photon Coding shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Thunkable Live or Photon Coding?

Thunkable Live ships an update weekly, and Photon Coding every 3 months. Most recently, Thunkable Live was updated on September 23, 2026 and Photon Coding on June 4, 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.*