VEX Classroom vs SAM Studio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VEX Classroom
Manage VEX GO robotics hardware in your classroom. Update firmware, rename devices, and locate your VEX GO brains with this educational tool.
- Update VEX GO brain firmware
- Rename VEX GO brains
- Locate VEX GO brains
- Classroom hardware management
Read full descriptionHide full description
The VEX Classroom app allows users to manage their classrooms full of VEX GO robotics hardware. Users can use VEX Classroom to: - Update their VEX GO brains to the latest firmware version - Rename their VEX GO brains - Locate their VEX GO brains
SAM Studio
This platform offers tools and curriculum-aligned lesson plans for engaging STEAM and coding education. It features intuitive visual coding apps and wireless electronic blocks to bring computational thinking to life in the classroom.
- Curriculum-aligned lesson plans
- Intuitive visual flow-based and block-based coding
- Wireless Bluetooth electronic blocks
- Lesson Builder tool
- Teacher support and training
- Support for various sensors and motors
Read full descriptionHide full description
SAM Labs provides everything you need to deliver the most engaging STEAM and Coding learning experiences in your classroom. Giving you the tools and support to make the most of your lessons, SAM Labs makes learning interactive and engaging. This includes curriculum-aligned lesson plans, intuitive visual flow-based and block-based apps, wireless electronic blocks that connect seamlessly to provide stimulating challenges. Design lessons with algorithms, programs and systems to bring computational thinking to life! Why use SAM Labs? - A fun and interactive way to bring coding to life - An intuitive visual, flow-based and block-based coding tailored for any classroom or ability level - SAM Blockly enables progression to block-based programming - Easy-to-use, wireless Bluetooth SAM Blocks that are made to last - NEW! Build your own lessons to integrate within your current or upcoming units of study - Unparalleled teacher support, onboarding, and training - Versatile technology that can be used across a variety of subjects Incredibly easy to bring into the classroom – and simple to teach with. You can use the SAM Studio App virtually or bring your projects to life using physical SAM Labs blocks, sensors and devices, including: - Buttons, RGB Light, Buzzer - Multiple sensors: Light, Proximity, Heat, Tilt, Pressure - Controller & Sliders - DC & Servo motors - Wheels, car chassis & roller ball - LEGO®-compatible gear attachments - Chargers and charging station A subscription to SAM Studio also gives you access to our standards-aligned course content, including easy-to-follow lesson plans, editable presentations, step-by-step guides, an engaging interactive Lesson Builder tool, and more! Link: https://store.samlabs.com For more information, book a quick demo: https://go.samlabs.com/book-a-demo Supported languages: English (US), English (UK), Chinese, Italian, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hebrew Supported Bluetooth: Our app runs on devices that support Bluetooth 4.0 and up. LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this site.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SAM Studio at 5.0 against VEX Classroom's 3.7. VEX Classroom's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SAM Studio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 3 respectively.
VEX Classroom ships an update every 2 months, SAM Studio every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VEX Classroom | SAM Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.4 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | VEX Robotics, Inc. | SAM Labs |
Customer experience
VEX Classroom
SAM Studio
In-app purchases
VEX Classroom
No in-app purchases
SAM Studio
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is VEX Classroom free?
Is SAM Studio free?
Which has better reviews, VEX Classroom or SAM Studio?
Do VEX Classroom or SAM Studio have ads?
Which is updated more often, VEX Classroom or SAM Studio?
Other comparisons















