Sphero Play vs POWERUP 4.0
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
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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.
POWERUP 4.0
Transform paper airplanes into smart, controllable flying machines. Experience smooth, intuitive flight with advanced sensors and dual motors. Master aerobatics, track flight data, and enjoy night flying with optional LEDs.
- On-board flight computer
- Gyro and accelerometer sensors
- Dual thrust vectoring motors
- Auto-looping aerobatics
- Real-time flight analytics
- Optional LED lights
- Wheeled takeoff and landing
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POWERUP 4.0 is the smartest, most intuitive paper plane kit we’ve ever made. It makes it possible to fly with ease and smoothness in a variety of conditions. Say goodbye to nosedives and choppy flights. We’ve added a new on-board flight computer and 2 new sensors: gyro and accelerometer, combined with 2 thrust vectoring motors. That means flying POWERUP 4.0 is smoother than ever, and can now do all this: That’s right. POWERUP 4.0 can auto-loop. So you can master tricks and awesome aerobatics by simply pressing a button. We’ve added 2 high speed motors to POWERUP 4.0. That means you’ve got double the thrust, additional maneuvering possibilities, and sharper turns. And together with the flight assist, you can fly just about anything Now you can learn to fly like a pro. We’re showing you real-time analytics including heading direction, thrust level and turning angles. We’ve made it a lot easier and way cooler to fly POWERUP 4.0 at night. Optional LED lights will enable you to light up the night - making for awesome visuals and round-the-clock fun. 2 rear wheels and 1 front wheel give your paper plane more style and make for easier takeoff and landing. They also make it possible to launch off of a surface rather than hand-launching. We partnered with the best RC hobby vloggers on the planet – FliteTest! They have put together their incredibly creative minds to develop a foam jet inspired by the F22 for the 4.0. It is made from a special laser cut foam board they created and make in the USA. Intuitive control makes it easy to fly. Simply tilt your phone in the direction you want your plane to fly. It’s really that easy. POWERUP is an incredibly helpful tool when it comes to teaching and learning aeronautics. Students can test multiple designs, analyze their work and improve their planes. Through trial and error, they can understand what makes their plane fly smoother, longer and farther- key lessons in airplane design.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Sphero Play at 4.8 against POWERUP 4.0's 3.8. Sphero Play also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (37K vs 125). POWERUP 4.0's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Sphero Play holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Play has 37K ratings behind it against 125, 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 45% of POWERUP 4.0's.
Sphero Play ships an update every 2 months, POWERUP 4.0 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sphero Play | POWERUP 4.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (37K ratings) — better | 3.8 (125 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.1% of reviews — better | 45.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 37K — better | 125 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 193 MB | 143 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sphero, Inc. | Tailor Toys LTD |
Customer experience
Sphero Play
POWERUP 4.0
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
POWERUP 4.0
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sphero Play
No in-app purchases
POWERUP 4.0
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sphero Play free?
Is POWERUP 4.0 free?
Which has better reviews, Sphero Play or POWERUP 4.0?
Do Sphero Play or POWERUP 4.0 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sphero Play or POWERUP 4.0?
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