# Photon Robot vs SAM Root

The clearest difference is ratings volume: SAM Root at 42 against Photon Robot's 3. SAM Root also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.7 for Photon Robot against 3.8 for SAM Root. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SAM Root has 42 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Photon Robot ships an update every 2 months, SAM Root monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photon Robot | SAM Root |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-robot/id1281702820/reviews) | **[3.8 (42 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-root/id1524652548/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **42** |
| Positive reviews | — | 46.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 158 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Photon Entertainment sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281702819) | [SAM Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1033131753) |

## What reviewers say

### Photon Robot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-robot/id1281702820)

This educational app allows children to program a robot companion, unlocking new abilities and senses as they complete tasks. Progress is visualized, serving as a motivational tool for learning programming concepts.

**Highlights:** Robot programming, Unlockable abilities, Skill progression, Motivational learning, Interactive companion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SAM Root

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-root/id1524652548)

Learn programming through interactive robotics with three progressive coding levels, from graphical blocks to Python 3. Control robots in real-time or test your code with a built-in 3D simulator.

**Highlights:** Three progressive coding levels, Graphical blocks to Python 3, Real-time robot control, Built-in 3D simulator, Seamless level switching, Bluetooth robot pairing

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photon Robot free?

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

### Is SAM Root free?

SAM Root is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Photon Robot or SAM Root?

SAM Root is rated higher. Photon Robot averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while SAM Root averages 3.8 from 42 ratings.

### Do Photon Robot or SAM Root have ads?

Neither Photon Robot nor SAM Root shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photon Robot or SAM Root?

Photon Robot ships an update every 2 months, and SAM Root monthly. Most recently, Photon Robot was updated on June 4, 2026 and SAM Root on September 7, 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.*