# BrainPOP vs Hopscotch

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BrainPOP at 93% against Hopscotch's 70%. BrainPOP also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Hopscotch's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BrainPOP sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Hopscotch sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BrainPOP holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34K and 15K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of BrainPOP's written reviews are positive against 70% of Hopscotch's.

BrainPOP ships an update every 2 months, Hopscotch every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainPOP | Hopscotch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainpop/id364894352/reviews)** | [4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopscotch-programming-for-kids/id617098629/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 15K |
| Positive reviews | **92.6% of reviews** | 70.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 25 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BrainPOP®](https://appshunter.io/developer/364894355) | [Hopscotch Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/490514281) |

## 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


### Hopscotch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopscotch-programming-for-kids/id617098629)

This app allows children to create their own games, art, and stories using kid-friendly programming. Users can share their creations with a moderated community, play and remix projects from others, and learn to code through interactive video tutorials.

**Highlights:** Create games, art, and stories, Kid-friendly programming interface, Share creations with a moderated community, Play and remix projects from other users, Learn coding through video tutorials, Build advanced games and apps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription with free trial | $7.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription with free trial | $79.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription with free trial | $79.99 | per year |
| Hopscotch Yearly Subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| Hopscotch Yearly Subscription | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for beginners
- 🚀 Powerful coding tools
- 💡 Encourages creativity and problem-solving
- 👍 Supportive community
- 🚀 Great for learning coding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model restricts free access
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Limited account/login options
- 🔒 Concerns about child safety and moderation

**Reported bugs**

- Projects disappearing or not saving properly
- Shapes/objects not displaying correctly
- Crashes and freezes when using certain features
- Subscription/login issues

**Requested features**

- Add cloud variables and multiplayer support
- Allow custom sounds and profile pictures for free
- Improve the 'Newest' tab to better showcase new projects
- Restore old features like unlimited free projects
- Add a 'reset' button for projects


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainPOP free?

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

### Is Hopscotch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BrainPOP or Hopscotch?

BrainPOP is rated higher. BrainPOP averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while Hopscotch averages 4.5 from 15K ratings.

### Do BrainPOP or Hopscotch have ads?

Neither BrainPOP nor Hopscotch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrainPOP or Hopscotch?

BrainPOP ships an update every 2 months, and Hopscotch every 2 weeks. Most recently, BrainPOP was updated on October 25, 2026 and Hopscotch on October 25, 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.*