Comparison

LEGO® Powered Up vs LEGO® TECHNIC® AR

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LEGO® Powered Up

Control motorized LEGO sets like trains and the Batmobile via Bluetooth. Bring your custom LEGO creations to life by coding movements and sounds using drag-and-drop programming. Experience interactive play with lights, sensors, and motors.

Highlights
  • Bluetooth control for LEGO vehicles
  • Customizable coding for models
  • Drag-and-drop programming
  • Add sounds and lights
  • Control speed and direction
  • Bring custom builds to life
Features
Read full description

Combine this app with the LEGO DC Super Heroes App-Controlled Batmobile (76112), the LEGO City Cargo Train (60198), or the LEGO City Passenger Train (60197) (each sold separately) to operate the motorized engines via Bluetooth controls, or use your imagination and build entirely new creations using LEGO Powered Up components and bring them to life by coding them. Make your models move and respond to real-world events. The LEGO Powered Up app puts you in the driver’s seat of the awesome 4-wheel-drive Batmobile to speed through the streets of GOTHAM CITY™. Drive forwards, backwards, left and right… or pull 360-degree turns! You can even activate cool tricks and stunts as you become the Dark Knight and fight crime. You can customize and code your Batmobile tricks and choose your sounds and movements – pretty awesome! The LEGO Powered Up app also controls LEGO trains to haul goods or pick up passengers around LEGO City. You can control the speed, change directions, and bring even more life to your play with various sounds such as a whistle, passenger announcement, railroad crossing bell, and more! The Bluetooth remote control app and the remote control handset included in the LEGO City train sets aren’t compatible with older infrared remote-controlled LEGO train sets. Thanks to Powered Up components like hubs, motors, sensors, and lights you will be able to bring your customized creations to life. You can also bring your existing LEGO models to life. Is your device compatible? Please go to LEGO.com/devicecheck to check if your device is compatible. Ask your parents’ permission before going online. The LEGO Powered Up App Feature List - Access control panels for DC Super Heroes App-Controlled Batmobile, LEGO City Cargo Train or LEGO City Passenger Train. - Control speed and direction of LEGO vehicles with a variety of exciting interfaces. - Add playful sounds and take your play to the next level. - Use LEGO Powered Up hardware components in your customized models to bring them to life! - Code movements and sounds for your models to create real-life behaviors. - Simple, easy-to-understand programming language based on drag’n’drop coding. LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2019 The LEGO Group

About

LEGO® TECHNIC® AR

Enhance your LEGO Technic building experience with augmented reality. Interact with models through realistic simulations, games, and educational content. Explore vehicles and learn about engineering with interactive AR challenges.

Highlights
  • AR model interaction
  • Realistic sound effects
  • Robotics and engineering learning
  • Racing car simulations
  • Interactive mini-games
  • Life-size model viewing
  • X-ray view
Features
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Take your LEGO® Technic™ experience to a new level of realism: • Get unique experiences designed especially for each LEGO Technic AR model. • Enjoy realistic sound effects and lifelike features and functions. • Learn about robotics, engineering, rock sampling and more when you combine the AR app with the LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance (42158) model. • Explore LEGO Technic racing cars using the AR app to see the racetrack appear in front of you as you test your racing skills, play mini-games and beat your own record, and see trackside features like pitstops or grandstands appear (dependent on the model you are playing with). • Take the Yamaha MT-10 SP for a test drive in AR with throttle, brakes, gear shifting and driver dashboard, all based on the real Yamaha controls. See how the real vehicle or the LEGO model would look, life-size in your room, or use the x-ray view to see inside the motorcycle. Here are some models you can explore with the AR app… • LEGO Technic Formula E® Porsche 99X Electric (42137) • LEGO Technic Ford Mustang Shelby® GT500® (42138) • LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance (42158) • LEGO Technic Yamaha MT-10 SP (42159) … and the list keeps growing! (Remember that each of these sets is sold separately.) Each of these models comes with its own unique AR experience. Whether it’s the Yamaha MT-10 SP, the Formula E Porsche race car, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 or the NASA Mars Rover Perseverance, you’ll be able to put your skills to the test with augmented realism. Is your device compatible? Please go to LEGO.com/devicecheck to check if your device is compatible. Ask your parents’ permission before going online. For app support, contact LEGO Consumer Service. For contact details, refer to http://service.LEGO.com/contactus Our privacy policy and terms of use for apps are accepted if you download this app. Read more on http://aboutus.LEGO.com/legal-notice/privacy-policy and http://aboutus.LEGO.com/legal-notice/terms-of-use-for-apps LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2023 The LEGO Group. Under license of Porsche AG. Formula E is a trademark of Formula E Holdings Ltd. Ford Motor Company Trademarks and Trade Dress used under license to the LEGO Group. Shelby® and GT500® are registered trademarks of Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc. and used under license. NASA Insignia and identifiers provided and used with permission of NASA. JPL logo provided and used with permission of the California Institute of Technology. Yamaha, the Tuning Fork Mark, MT-10 SP and the likeness there of are trademarks of Yamaha Motor Corp., USA & Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd used under license.

Screenshots

LEGO® Powered Up4 screens
LEGO® TECHNIC® AR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LEGO® TECHNIC® AR at 4.7 against LEGO® Powered Up's 3.6. LEGO® TECHNIC® AR also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 42%) and ratings volume (3.1K vs 554). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LEGO® TECHNIC® AR holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LEGO® TECHNIC® AR has 3.1K ratings behind it against 554, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of LEGO® Powered Up's written reviews are positive against 72% of LEGO® TECHNIC® AR's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
LEGO® Powered Up versus LEGO® TECHNIC® AR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLEGO® Powered UpLEGO® TECHNIC® AR
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (554 ratings)4.7 (3.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.5% of reviews72.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5543.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.5 GB853 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLEGOLEGO

Customer experience

LEGO® Powered Up

All ratings550 ratings
Positive61.8%
Neutral8.2%
Negative30.0%
Written reviews407 reviews
Positive41.5%
Neutral15.2%
Negative43.2%

LEGO® TECHNIC® AR

All ratings3,060 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.3%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews185 reviews
Positive72.4%
Neutral10.3%
Negative17.3%

User reviews

LEGO® Powered Up

From 554 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Works great
  • 🚀 Excellent app
  • 🚀 Awesome thing
  • 👍 Good app
  • 👍 Works like a dream

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Doesn't work
  • 🐛 Wouldn't work
  • 🐛 Not working
  • 🐛 Terrible
  • 🐛 Doesn't work at all

LEGO® TECHNIC® AR

From 3.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Jaw-dropping experience
  • 👍 Realistic racing and AR
  • 🤩 Amazing build experience
  • 💡 Customizable and competitive
  • 🤩 Immersive and engaging

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Scanning issues and glitches
  • 🔋 Battery-intensive
  • 🤔 Limited content and features
  • 🤨 Unnecessary for some users

Bugs and requests

LEGO® Powered Up

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Bluetooth connection drops
  • Motors not controllable through app
  • Timer blocks don't work
  • Motor code blocks don't work
  • Coding canvas is broken
Show 7 more
  • Loses Bluetooth connection randomly
  • Coding blocks not working properly
  • App doesn't run in background
  • Doesn't work on latest iOS
  • Doesn't work with new hubs and motors
  • Can only connect one hub at a time
  • Train stops when app closes

Requested features

12 requests
  • Add more sound effects
  • Add more music to the playlist
  • Allow custom sounds
  • Improve parameters
  • Add more controls
Show 7 more
  • Add more widgets
  • Allow custom themes
  • Add documentation
  • Add support for LEGO Boost and Mindstorms
  • Add loop option for sounds
  • Add dark mode option
  • Add advanced analytics dashboard

LEGO® TECHNIC® AR

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Freezing and crashing issues
  • Inability to scan or detect models
  • Glitchy track movement and positioning

Requested features

4 requests
  • More compatible LEGO sets
  • Additional tracks and modes
  • Offline or standalone gameplay
  • Improved scanning and stability

In-app purchases

None

LEGO® Powered Up

No in-app purchases

None

LEGO® TECHNIC® AR

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LEGO® Powered Up free?
LEGO® Powered Up is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is LEGO® TECHNIC® AR free?
LEGO® TECHNIC® AR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, LEGO® Powered Up or LEGO® TECHNIC® AR?
LEGO® TECHNIC® AR is rated higher. LEGO® Powered Up averages 3.6 out of 5 from 554 ratings, while LEGO® TECHNIC® AR averages 4.7 from 3.1K ratings.
Do LEGO® Powered Up or LEGO® TECHNIC® AR have ads?
Neither LEGO® Powered Up nor LEGO® TECHNIC® AR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LEGO® Powered Up or LEGO® TECHNIC® AR?
LEGO® Powered Up ships an update every 2 months, and LEGO® TECHNIC® AR every 2 months. Most recently, LEGO® Powered Up was updated on October 26, 2026 and LEGO® TECHNIC® AR on October 27, 2026.

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