Coding Express LEGO® Education vs VEXcode EXP
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Coding Express LEGO® Education
This app introduces preschoolers to early coding concepts and 21st-century skills using a LEGO DUPLO train set. It offers four engaging activity areas: Journeys, Characters, Math, and Music, fostering problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity.
- Early coding concepts for preschoolers
- LEGO DUPLO train set integration
- Four activity areas: Journeys, Characters, Math, Music
- Develops sequencing, problem-solving, and collaboration
- Teacher guides and lesson plans included
- Supports social and emotional development
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All on board the Coding Express! Coding Express LEGO® Education introduces early coding concepts and 21st century skills to preschoolers. Using the popular LEGO® DUPLO® train set, teacher guide and an easy-to-use app, preschool teachers have all they need to teach early coding concepts. TEACHER QUOTES “I have never seen anything like Coding Express and I am very intrigued with its structure and the varying ways it can teach children specific skills they might not have gained through play before. I love its versatility and how the many different areas of play will keep most children occupied for a very long time.” Kate, preschool teacher, USA “Coding Express gives preschoolers a very different learning experience. Building different shapes with the train track helps them to understand the coding concept and combined with the educational activities and teacher material it makes early coding intuitive, fun and educational. The app enhances the experience and it gives the early learners more ways to learn about coding.” Wenting, pre-school and kindergarten teacher, China With the Coding Express app and LEGO® DUPLO® solution you will get: • 234 LEGO® DUPLO® bricks, including Push & Go train with lights and sounds, motor, color sensor, 5 color-coded action bricks, 2 railroad switches and 3.8 meters of train track • Teaching materials that includes 8 online lessons, introduction guide, poster, 3 building inspiration cards for building 12 unique models, 5 getting started activities and 8 simple video tutorials • Free app featuring 4 fun and educational activity areas, including: o Journeys: Explore destinations and traffic signs. Learn about the sequencing of events, making predictions, planning and problem solving. Characters: Support children’s social and emotional development. Children identify and examine the feelings of characters, considering the consequences for others. Math: Explore and understand how to measure, estimate distance and identify numbers. Music: Learn about sequencing and looping. Compose simple melodies, explore different animal and instruments sounds. • Key learning values include sequencing, looping, conditional coding, problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, language and literacy, and expressing ideas with digital elements • Teaching solution and early coding toy for preschool children 2-5 years old; Developed using science, math and technology from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the 21st Century Early Learning Framework (P21 ELF) and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. *** IMPORTANT*** This is not a standalone educational app. This app is used to program the LEGO® Education Coding Express set, which is sold separately. Please contact your local LEGO Education reseller for further information. Getting Started: www.legoeducation.com/codingexpress Lesson Plans: www.legoeducation.com/lessons/codingexpress Support: www.lego.com/service Twitter: www.twitter.com/lego_education Facebook: www.facebook.com/LEGOeducationNorthAmerica Instagram: www.instagram.com/legoeducation Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/legoeducation LEGO, the LEGO logo and DUPLO are trademarks and/or copyrights of the LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved.
VEXcode EXP
This coding environment helps students of all ages learn to program robots through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It offers a consistent experience across different VEX robot platforms and age groups, making computer science accessible and engaging.
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
- Consistent across VEX robot platforms
- Supports multiple programming languages (Blocks/Text)
- Built-in video tutorials
- Extensive example projects
- Device manager for robot setup
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From elementary school through college, VEXcode is a coding environment that meets students at their level. The intuitive layout of VEXcode allows students to get started quickly and easily. VEXcode is consistent across Blocks and Text, across VEX 123, VEX GO, VEX IQ, VEX EXP, and VEX V5. As students progress from elementary, middle, and high school, they never have to learn a different blocks, code, or toolbar interface. As a result, students can focus on creating with technology, not trying to navigate a new layout. Drive Forward is the new Hello World We all know that robots attract kids to learn. VEX Robotics and VEXcode are providing opportunities for students of all ages to participate in learning the code that makes these robots work. VEX makes computer science come to life through collaborations, hands-on projects, and engaging experiences. From classrooms to competitions, VEXcode helps to create the next generation of innovators. Drag. Drop. Drive. VEXcode Blocks is the perfect platform for those new to coding. Students use the simple drag and drop interface to create functioning programs. Each block's purpose can easily be identified using the visual cues like its shape, color, and label. We've designed VEXcode Blocks to allow those who are new to robotics to get their robot up and running faster. Now, students can focus on being creative and learning computer science concepts, not stuck trying to figure out the interface. More accessible than ever VEXcode even helps across language barriers, allowing student to read blocks and comment programs in their native language. Drag & Drop. Powered by Scratch Blocks. Students and Teachers will feel instantly at home with this familiar environment. Video Tutorials. Grasp concepts faster. Built-in tutorials cover every aspect needed to get up to speed fast. And more tutorials are coming. Help is always there. Getting information on blocks is fast and easy. These resources were written by educators, in a form both teachers and students will grasp quickly. Drivetrain Blocks. A breakthrough in simplicity. From driving forward, making precise turns, setting speed, and stopping precisely, VEXcode makes it easier than ever to control a robot. Setup your VEX robot. Fast. VEXcode's device manager is simple, flexible, and powerful. In no time at all you can setup your robot's drivetrain, controller features, motors, and sensors. 60+ Example projects to choose from. Jumpstart your learning by starting with an existing project, covering every aspect of coding, controlling robots, and learning to use sensors. VEXcode Privacy Policy: https://www.vexrobotics.com/software-privacy-policy
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: VEXcode EXP at 100% against Coding Express LEGO® Education's 50%. VEXcode EXP also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 8 months). Coding Express LEGO® Education's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (250 vs 2). 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.
Coding Express LEGO® Education holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Coding Express LEGO® Education has 250 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Coding Express LEGO® Education's written reviews are positive against 100% of VEXcode EXP's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Coding Express LEGO® Education ships an update every 8 months, VEXcode EXP every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Coding Express LEGO® Education | VEXcode EXP |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (250 ratings) — better | 3.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 250 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 855 MB | 531 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | LEGO Education | VEX Robotics, Inc. |
Customer experience
Coding Express LEGO® Education
VEXcode EXP
In-app purchases
Coding Express LEGO® Education
No in-app purchases
VEXcode EXP
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Coding Express LEGO® Education free?
Is VEXcode EXP free?
Which has better reviews, Coding Express LEGO® Education or VEXcode EXP?
Do Coding Express LEGO® Education or VEXcode EXP have ads?
Which is updated more often, Coding Express LEGO® Education or VEXcode EXP?
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