# Bee vs micro

The clearest difference is rating: Bee at 3.7 against micro's 3.3. On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Bee holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 89 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of Bee's written reviews are positive against 44% of micro's.

Bee ships an update every 4 months, micro every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on June 9, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bee | micro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.7 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bee-bot/id500131639/reviews)** | [3.3 (89 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbit/id1092687276/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 47 | **89** |
| Positive reviews | **51.0% of reviews** | 43.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 57 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TTS Group Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/500131642) | [Micro:bit Educational Foundation](https://appshunter.io/developer/1484783422) |

## What reviewers say

### Bee

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bee-bot/id500131639)

This app allows children to practice directional language and programming sequences. It's designed for enjoyable gameplay, helping to expand computer science lessons and other curriculum areas for young learners.

**Highlights:** Directional language practice, Programming sequences, Forward, backward, left, right turns, Curriculum expansion, Optimized for game play, Suitable for ages 4+

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎓 Great for teaching coding fundamentals
- 👶 Age-appropriate for young learners
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 📚 Educational value for schools
- 🐝 Cute and appealing character design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- ❌ Controls don't respond as expected
- 🔄 Directional input issues (left/right reversed)
- ⏱️ Game pace too fast for some users
- 😕 Confusing rotation mechanics

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when reaching level objectives (flower, eggs)
- App crashes on level 2 and level 3
- Controls unresponsive - pressing buttons twice executes wrong commands
- Directional controls inverted or reversed
- App closes unexpectedly on iPadOS

**Requested features**

- New levels (Space, Disco, Dinosaur, Eco themes) - long awaited
- Home/Reset button to return bee to starting position
- Display code chain/command sequence on screen
- Ability to edit and correct programming mistakes
- More challenging levels for older age groups


### micro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microbit/id1092687276)

This app is the essential companion for the BBC micro:bit, a pocket-sized programmable computer. It allows you to wirelessly beam programs to your micro:bit via Bluetooth and includes access to a block-based programming editor. Monitor sensor data and control your micro:bit in real-time.

**Highlights:** Wireless flashing of micro:bit hex files, Access to Microsoft MakeCode editor, Bluetooth beaming of programs, Real-time sensor data monitoring, Control micro:bit buttons and pins, Debug running program code, Store and manage HEX files

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and quick to set up
- 💻 Allows coding on mobile devices
- 🎓 Great for learning and education
- ⚡ Fast download and installation
- 🔧 Works well once properly configured

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent Bluetooth pairing failures
- 🐛 App crashes during code flashing
- 🐛 Connection drops after flashing
- 📱 Poor optimization for phone screens
- 🔌 Requires frequent device reconnection

**Reported bugs**

- Bluetooth pairing fails or shows false success
- App crashes when flashing code to micro:bit
- Connection lost after code flashing
- White screen display issue
- Login fails with Google accounts

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for iOS
- Integrated IDE in app instead of Safari redirect
- Support for multiple languages
- Persistent Bluetooth connection after flashing
- Mute audio functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bee free?

Bee is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is micro free?

micro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bee or micro?

Bee is rated higher. Bee averages 3.7 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while micro averages 3.3 from 89 ratings.

### Do Bee or micro have ads?

Neither Bee nor micro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bee or micro?

Bee ships an update every 4 months, and micro every 7 months. Most recently, Bee was updated on June 9, 2026 and micro on September 19, 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.*