Photon Robot vs OctoStudio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Photon Robot
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.
- Robot programming
- Unlockable abilities
- Skill progression
- Motivational learning
- Interactive companion
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The robot develops along his owner by gaining new abilities, senses and functionalities with each programming related task completed. Completing a quest to create a simple program may let the kid pick some sort of upgrade for Photon, like the ability to see or detect obstacles. This way, progress is visible right away and works as wonderful motivational tool. It's not just another toy, it's a true friend and companion.
OctoStudio
Create animations and games using coding blocks on your mobile device. Bring your own photos and sounds to life, and share your interactive projects with others. Developed by the creators of Scratch at MIT, it's a free and fun way to learn coding.
- Create animations and games
- Use coding blocks
- Incorporate photos and sounds
- Interactive project features
- Share projects as video or GIF
- Offline project creation
- Learn coding through play
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With OctoStudio, you can create animations and games on your mobile phone or tablet. Made by the creators of Scratch at MIT. Code an animated story or game using your own artwork, sounds, and ideas. OctoStudio is completely free of charge - with no ads, no in-app purchases, and no data collected. Create projects without needing an internet connection. Available in more than 30 languages. OctoStudio is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten group, the MIT Media Lab team that invented Scratch, the world’s most popular coding language for kids. Create • Create animations, games, and anything else you can imagine • Combine emojis, photos, drawings, sounds, and movement • Make your projects come alive with coding blocks Interact • Make interactive games you can play by tilting your phone • Shake your phone or use a magnet to start your project • Make your projects speak aloud • Code your phone to buzz or turn on and off the flashlight • Collaborate across phones using the beam block Share • Record your project as a video or animated GIF • Export your project file for others to play • Send to family and friends Learn • Get started with intro videos and ideas • Explore and remix sample projects • Develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills • Learn to code in a playful and meaningful way OctoStudio has been designed in collaboration with educators in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, India, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, United States, and other countries around the world. To learn more about OctoStudio or share your feedback, please visit us at www.octostudio.org
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: OctoStudio at 4.8 against Photon Robot's 3.7. OctoStudio also leads on ratings volume (64 vs 3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). 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.
OctoStudio holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OctoStudio has 64 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Photon Robot ships an update every 2 months, OctoStudio monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Photon Robot | OctoStudio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (3 ratings) | 4.8 (64 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 83.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 64 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 158 MB | 51 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Photon Entertainment sp. z o.o. | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Customer experience
Photon Robot
OctoStudio
In-app purchases
Photon Robot
No in-app purchases
OctoStudio
No in-app purchases
