Comparison

Sphero Edu Jr vs SAM Studio

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

Head to head
About

Sphero Edu Jr

This app allows users to connect to a robot and customize its actions using visual programming blocks. Create mazes, play games, and compose music while learning fundamental coding logic.

Highlights
  • Block programming interface
  • Customize lights, sounds, and movements
  • Create mazes and games
  • Learn basic programming logic
  • Classic and new drive modes
Read full description

With Sphero Edu Jr you can connect to your indi and customize its behavior with simple yet powerful programming blocks. By coding the lights, sounds, and movements of indi, you can create unique mazes, play games, write simple songs, and ultimately learn the basic logic of programming. Features include: • All new block programming experience, designed for the uniqueness of indi. • Drive modes, including the classic Sphero driving experience and a new mode designed specifically for indi.

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

Sphero Edu Jr4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SAM Studio at 100% against Sphero Edu Jr's 44%. SAM Studio also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.6) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 17 months). Sphero Edu Jr's advantage is ratings volume (15 vs 3) and device support (3 vs 1). 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

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

SAM Studio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sphero Edu Jr has 15 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Sphero Edu Jr's written reviews are positive against 100% of SAM Studio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sphero Edu Jr ships an update every 17 months, SAM Studio every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sphero Edu Jr versus SAM Studio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSphero Edu JrSAM Studio
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.6 (15 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews44.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 5 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size128 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSphero, Inc.SAM Labs

Customer experience

Sphero Edu Jr

All ratings15 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative55.6%

SAM Studio

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Sphero Edu Jr

No in-app purchases

None

SAM Studio

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sphero Edu Jr free?
Sphero Edu Jr is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SAM Studio free?
SAM Studio is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sphero Edu Jr or SAM Studio?
SAM Studio is rated higher. Sphero Edu Jr averages 3.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while SAM Studio averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Sphero Edu Jr or SAM Studio have ads?
Neither Sphero Edu Jr nor SAM Studio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sphero Edu Jr or SAM Studio?
Sphero Edu Jr ships an update every 17 months, and SAM Studio every 5 months. Most recently, Sphero Edu Jr was updated on September 21, 2026 and SAM Studio on June 1, 2026.

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