Comparison

Move the Turtle vs codeSpark

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

Head to head
About

Move the Turtle

This app introduces children aged 5 and up to programming fundamentals through interactive challenges and rewards. It teaches core coding concepts like loops, procedures, and variables in a fun, visual environment, empowering kids with 21st-century skills.

Highlights
  • Learn programming basics
  • Interactive challenges
  • Rewards system
  • Teaches loops, procedures, variables
  • Create own programs
  • Visual graphic environment
Features
Read full description

Unlock your child's potential and introduce them to the exciting world of programming with 'Move the Turtle' - the app trusted by parents and educators worldwide. Our fun and easy-to-use platform empowers kids with 21st century skills, helping them learn to code and prepare for a bright future! *** Winner of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award _______________________________________________ "I highly recommend it for all kids, whether or not they want to get into programming. The kind of thinking required to solve the tasks in the app is important for everyone to learn, for every field of study." -- Wired.com / Geek Dad "Are you a computer geek that loves programming or are you a classroom teacher instructing on such skills as angles, measurement and two dimensional geometry? If you answered yes to either these, then you have come to the right educational app" -- IEAR.org "I spent my formative tech-years trundling a robo-turtle around the floor while learning the Logo programming language. Now there's an app for that, although in this case the turtle is virtual" -- The Guardian _______________________________________________ *** Move the Turtle teaches children (ages 5+) the basics of programming (yes, we do mean coding!) *** Challenges and rewards keep children (with parents' assistance) & teenagers (on their own) engaged! -----------------------------------   Do you remember the Logo programming language? A friendly Turtle will introduce your child step by step to the basic concepts of programming in a colourful graphic environment. Who knows, maybe your child will be the next outstanding programmer!   By completing the tasks, one after another, your child learns: *** how to plan complex activities composed of simple elements *** how to reuse previously completed work *** how to use graphics, spatial orientation and sound in programming   Your child will also become familiar with the notions of loops, procedures, variables and conditional instructions.   Programming is about more than completing tasks, it is also about implementing your own ideas using your imagination. With this in mind we give you the opportunity to create your own programs from scratch or based on our inspiring examples. ----- Website: https://movetheturtle.com/ Our new math app: https://correctresult.app/

About

codeSpark

This app offers hundreds of interactive coding games and activities for children aged 3-10. Kids can solve puzzles, design their own games and stories, and even participate in coding contests. It focuses on building essential coding concepts and problem-solving skills in a safe, ad-free environment.

Highlights
  • Hundreds of coding games and activities
  • Create your own games and stories
  • Puzzles to master coding concepts
  • Monthly coding contests
  • Multiplayer coding challenges
  • Pre-coding activities for preschoolers
Read full description

codeSpark: The Award-Winning Learn-to-Code App for Kids (Ages 3–10) 100s of coding games & activities—plus tools to create your own! Kids as young as 3 can start coding through play with puzzles, storytelling, and creativity tools designed just for them. Older kids can design and publish their own games, join monthly contests, and explore projects created by other kid coders. Get full access with a monthly or annual subscription—try membership free for 7 days! Annual subscribers can create up to 5 child profiles, making codeSpark perfect for families with multiple learners. OR play limited content through Hour of Code with no credit card required. Learn Coding Through Play - Puzzles – Master core coding and problem-solving concepts level by level - Create – Design and code your own games and interactive stories - Made by Kids – Play and explore games created by other young coders around the world - Monthly Coding Contests – Showcase creativity, code projects, and win prizes - Code Together – Join friends in a multiplayer water balloon fight while practicing coding logic - Pre-Coding for Preschoolers – Activities designed for early learners ages 3–4 - Adventure Maps – Unlock new puzzles and challenges while progressing through fun coding worlds Educational Benefits Backed by Research codeSpark’s curriculum is based on research from MIT, Princeton, and Carnegie Mellon. Kids learn the basics of computer science in a fun, accessible way—without words. - Coding concepts: sequencing, loops, conditionals, events, and debugging - Computational thinking: problem-solving, logic, pattern recognition, and creativity - Reinforces early skills: reading, math, and critical thinking - Builds confidence, perseverance, and collaboration through play - Encourages design thinking by letting kids turn ideas into working games and stories Kid-Safe & Ad-Free - Every game and story is reviewed before publishing to ensure safety - No ads, no micro-transactions, no distractions - Parent dashboard to manage profiles and track progress - A trusted environment for independent learning Praise from Parents & Teachers “My daughters are 6 and 8, and this is their new favorite game. Now they want to be programmers!” – Parent Review “I loved seeing how my children enjoyed working together on the puzzles.” – Parent Review Teachers and parents worldwide use codeSpark to introduce coding in classrooms, after-school programs, and at home. Kids stay motivated because the learning feels like play, and they are proud to share their creations. - Awards & Recognition - The LEGO Foundation – Pioneer in Reimagining Learning & Play - Children’s Technology Review – Editor’s Choice Award - Parent’s Choice Award – Gold Medal - Collision Conference – Kids & Family Silver Winner Why Families Choose codeSpark - Designed for kids ages 3–10 with no reading required - Builds STEM skills through fun, engaging coding challenges - Supports creativity with open-ended game and story design tools - Encourages collaboration through multiplayer games and contests - Trusted by parents, teachers, and schools worldwide - Helps kids see themselves as creators, problem-solvers, and future innovators Subscription & Download Start with a 7-day free membership trial. Subscriptions renew automatically; manage or cancel anytime in Account Settings. Annual subscribers can create up to 5 child profiles, making it easy to support the whole family. Privacy Policy: http://codespark.com/privacy/ Terms of Use: http://codespark.com/terms/ Start your child’s coding journey today with codeSpark—the award-winning learn-to-code app that makes programming fun, safe, and accessible for every kid ages 3–10!

Screenshots

Move the Turtle4 screens
codeSpark4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: codeSpark at Free against Move the Turtle's $3.99. codeSpark also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). Move the Turtle's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and review sentiment (75% vs 52%). On ads and device support 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

codeSpark is free to download; Move the Turtle costs $3.99 up front. codeSpark sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Move the Turtle asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

codeSpark holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: codeSpark has 41K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Move the Turtle's written reviews are positive against 52% of codeSpark's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Move the Turtle ships an update every 6 months, codeSpark every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Move the Turtle versus codeSpark: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMove the TurtlecodeSpark
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (14 ratings)4.6 (41K ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.4% of reviews — better51.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1441K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.3 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB134 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKrzysztof Haft-SzatynskiHomer

Customer experience

Move the Turtle

All ratings14 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral14.3%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews57 reviews
Positive75.4%
Neutral14.0%
Negative10.5%

codeSpark

All ratings40,560 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral2.8%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews1,433 reviews
Positive51.5%
Neutral6.3%
Negative42.2%

Bugs and requests

Move the Turtle

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

codeSpark

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Disappearing progress and lost stories
  • Inconsistent performance and crashes
  • Incorrect item purchases and coin deductions
  • Inability to access drafts and profiles
  • Incompatibility issues with newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more pet foos and customization options
  • Improve story sharing and collaboration features
  • Introduce more puzzles and challenges
  • Allow custom character and block creation
  • Implement better communication between coders

In-app purchases

None

Move the Turtle

No in-app purchases

11 purchases

codeSpark

Subscriptions11
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 8 more
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial2 variants$12.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$15.001 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$23.993 Months
  • codeSpark Holiday Annual Membership7 Days trial$63.001 Year
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial2 variants$79.991 Year
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$90.001 Year
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Move the Turtle free?
Move the Turtle costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is codeSpark free?
codeSpark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Move the Turtle or codeSpark?
codeSpark is rated higher. Move the Turtle averages 4.0 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while codeSpark averages 4.6 from 41K ratings.
Do Move the Turtle or codeSpark have ads?
Neither Move the Turtle nor codeSpark shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Move the Turtle or codeSpark?
Move the Turtle ships an update every 6 months, and codeSpark every 2 weeks. Most recently, Move the Turtle was updated on October 11, 2026 and codeSpark on October 13, 2026.

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