Sphero Play vs Snap Circuits® Coding
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sphero Play
Control and play with various Sphero robots using a single application. Explore multiple drive modes, engage in robot-controlled games, and learn basic programming through a block-based interface.
- Multiple drive modes (joystick, tilt, voice)
- Robot-controlled games
- Block Drive programming
- Sports-themed drive modes
- Voice control
Read full descriptionHide full description
Drive and play games from ONE app with your Sphero Mini, Sphero 2.0, SPRK, SPRK+, BOLT, and BOLT+. Connect and control your robots with several exciting drive modes, use your robot as a controller to play games, or try out Block Drive for an intro to programming with colorful blocks. Features include: DRIVE MODES Drive your robots several ways with the Sphero Play app. Use the joystick and slingshot controls, tilt your device, or use your voice. Our sports-themed drive modes keep things fun with the ability to swing your device to "golf"*, or flick to "kick" your robot. BLOCK DRIVE PROGRAMMING Learn programming basics by controlling your robot with colorful movement and light blocks. GAMES Use your robot as a controller to shoot your way through space, race your vehicle through a tunnel avoiding obstacles and scoring points, or rotate your ball to destroy a polygon of bricks. Need robots? We know a guy. Visit sphero.com and order today. *This mode is not available on iPads.
Snap Circuits® Coding
Learn coding fundamentals and control electronic projects with a smartphone or tablet. Design custom light, sound, and motor patterns using graphical or block-based coding. Explore electronics concepts through interactive projects.
- Graphical coding interface
- Blockly coding support
- Real-time control
- Control lights, sounds, and motors
- Learn electronics basics
- Create custom patterns
Read full descriptionHide full description
Remote control and graphical coding for Snap Circuits® sets that have an SC Controller (U33) module. Learn the basics of coding, then code your own patterns of lights, sounds and moving parts. Download the Snap Circuits® App and control Snap Circuits® projects using your smartphone or tablet to control lights, sounds and a motor! A great introduction to coding, using easy graphical coding or real-time control. More advanced coders can move up to BLOCKLY coding. Learn about circuitry, security systems, dimmer switches, automatic lights, alarms, motion detectors, fan speeds, appliance motors, generators, and much more! Kids all over the world have learned basic electronics with Snap Circuits® kits. Now, Snap Circuits® takes the next generation into the world of coding!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Sphero Play at 4.8 against Snap Circuits® Coding's 3.6. Sphero Play also leads on review sentiment (69% vs 44%) and ratings volume (37K vs 65). Snap Circuits® Coding's advantage is iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.0). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sphero Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Play has 37K ratings behind it against 65, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Sphero Play's written reviews are positive against 44% of Snap Circuits® Coding's.
Sphero Play ships an update every 2 months, Snap Circuits® Coding every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.
| Parameter | Sphero Play | Snap Circuits® Coding |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (37K ratings) — better | 3.6 (65 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.1% of reviews — better | 44.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 37K — better | 65 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 12.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 193 MB | 100 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sphero, Inc. | Elenco Electronics, Incorporated |
Customer experience
Sphero Play
Snap Circuits® Coding
Bugs and requests
Sphero Play
Reported bugs
2 issues- Joystick controls not working as expected
- Alignment issues causing unexpected movement
Requested features
4 requests- More games and activities
- Support for additional Sphero products (e.g. Ollie, BB-8)
- Improved aiming and control precision
- Camera integration to see the Sphero's view
Snap Circuits® Coding
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sphero Play
No in-app purchases
Snap Circuits® Coding
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sphero Play free?
Is Snap Circuits® Coding free?
Which has better reviews, Sphero Play or Snap Circuits® Coding?
Do Sphero Play or Snap Circuits® Coding have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sphero Play or Snap Circuits® Coding?
Other comparisons
