# BrainPOP vs Kodable Basics

BrainPOP and Kodable Basics both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 93% of BrainPOP's written reviews are positive against 55% of Kodable Basics's. Kodable Basics's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BrainPOP sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Kodable Basics sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for BrainPOP against 4.7 for Kodable Basics. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34K and 21K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of BrainPOP's written reviews are positive against 55% of Kodable Basics's.

BrainPOP ships an update every 2 months, Kodable Basics every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainPOP | Kodable Basics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainpop/id364894352/reviews) | [4.7 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kodable-basics/id577673067/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 21K |
| Positive reviews | **92.7% of reviews** | 54.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 422 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BrainPOP®](https://appshunter.io/developer/364894355) | [SurfScore, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/577654768) |

## What reviewers say

### BrainPOP

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainpop/id364894352)

This app offers award-winning animated educational videos, interactive activities, and quizzes designed by educators. It aims to transform passive screen time into active, enriched learning experiences for children in grades 3-8 across all subjects.

**Highlights:** Animated educational movies, Interactive activities, Quizzes, Content for grades 3-8, All subjects covered, Research-backed learning platform

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BrainPOP Explorer Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| BrainPOP Full Access | $15.99 | per month |
| BrainPOP Combo Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| BrainPOP Full Access Yearly | $129.99 | per year |
| BrainPOP Combo Yearly | $159.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and educational
- 🚀 Helpful for learning
- 👍 Great for kids
- 👍 Funny and entertaining
- 👍 Informative videos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 💰 Limited free content
- 🙄 Biased or one-sided content
- 🙄 Lacks detail in some topics

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Playback problems
- Syncing issues across devices

**Requested features**

- More topics and content
- Lower subscription cost
- Better organization of content
- More character diversity
- Support for older devices


### Kodable Basics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kodable-basics/id577673067)

This app teaches children aged 4-10 foundational computer science concepts through engaging, game-based activities. It helps kids develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by guiding them through mazes and allowing them to create their own games. The curriculum is designed to transition from basic logic to writing real code.

**Highlights:** Game-based learning approach, Develops critical thinking, Teaches coding concepts, Builds foundational computer science skills, Creative activities, Seasonal events

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kodable Monthly Plan | $24.99 | per month |
| Kodable Yearly Plan | $119.99 | per year |
| 3-day Parent Trial | Free | one-time |
| Fuzzes to Support Computer Science | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pre-Trial Parent Plan | $19.99 | one-time |
| Parent Plan | $29.99 | one-time |
| Kodable Lifetime Plan | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Fun and educational coding game
- 👍 Helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- 🚀 Engaging for kids of various ages
- 🎨 Ability to create custom characters and games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription-based model with high costs
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Misleading trial period and automatic subscription
- 📉 Declining quality and value over time

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to access app after subscription cancellation
- Persistent crashes at certain levels or stages
- Syncing and progress issues across devices
- Unresponsive controls and UI elements

**Requested features**

- More free content and levels
- Improved stability and performance
- Customization options for parents/teachers
- Better customer support and communication


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainPOP free?

BrainPOP is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Kodable Basics free?

Kodable Basics is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BrainPOP or Kodable Basics?

BrainPOP and Kodable Basics are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 34K and 21K ratings respectively.

### Do BrainPOP or Kodable Basics have ads?

Neither BrainPOP nor Kodable Basics shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrainPOP or Kodable Basics?

BrainPOP ships an update every 2 months, and Kodable Basics every 3 weeks. Most recently, BrainPOP was updated on October 13, 2026 and Kodable Basics on October 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*