# Mathtopia vs PBS KIDS ScratchJr

The clearest difference is rating: PBS KIDS ScratchJr at 4.0 against Mathtopia's 3.2. PBS KIDS ScratchJr also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ratings volume (356 vs 10). Mathtopia's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 12 months) and review sentiment (89% vs 62%). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mathtopia sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. PBS KIDS ScratchJr asks for nothing beyond the download.

PBS KIDS ScratchJr holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS KIDS ScratchJr has 356 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of Mathtopia's written reviews are positive against 62% of PBS KIDS ScratchJr's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Mathtopia ships an update every 4 weeks, PBS KIDS ScratchJr every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mathtopia | PBS KIDS ScratchJr |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathtopia/id569333308/reviews) | **[4.0 (356 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-kids-scratchjr/id1047840202/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **356** |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 62.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 12 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 21 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 11.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Omega Labs Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/567183613) | [PBS KIDS](https://appshunter.io/developer/324323339) |

## What reviewers say

### Mathtopia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mathtopia/id569333308)

This educational puzzle game uses a tile-matching mechanic to help children practice math skills. Players solve equations by matching answer tiles, earning stars and trophies for speed and accuracy. It offers a fun and engaging way to reinforce addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division concepts.

**Highlights:** Tile-matching math puzzles, Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division practice, Earn stars and trophies, Multi-touch swap for complex matching, Game Center integration for competition, Unlock secret levels

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mathtopia Subtraction | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mathtopia Division | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mathtopia Addition | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mathtopia Multiplication | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mathtopia Fractions | $0.99 | one-time |
| Roman Numerals for Mathtopia | $0.99 | one-time |


### PBS KIDS ScratchJr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-kids-scratchjr/id1047840202)

This app allows children ages 5-8 to create their own interactive stories and games using simple programming blocks. Kids can make characters move, jump, and sing, while learning foundational coding concepts and problem-solving skills. It features beloved PBS KIDS characters and offers creative tools like painting and voice recording.

**Highlights:** Create interactive stories and games, Learn basic coding concepts, Use colorful programming blocks, Incorporate PBS KIDS characters, Paint and edit characters/backgrounds, Record voice for projects, Utilize story starters for inspiration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👨‍👧‍👦 Great for teaching kids to code
- 🎨 Fun creative storytelling and animation features
- 🎭 PBS Kids characters and themed content
- 💰 Free app with no paywall
- 📚 Educational value for young learners

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent bugs and glitches
- ❌ Limited coding blocks compared to original ScratchJr
- 🎭 Character roster hasn't been updated in years
- ⚠️ Drawing/text tools produce poor quality output
- 🔊 Sound and voice recording features broken or missing

**Reported bugs**

- Home button causes character to revert to previous position
- Projects fail to load when creating or opening
- Voice recording feature not working or missing
- How-to tutorial videos don't play
- Drawing tool corrupts custom characters

**Requested features**

- Add more PBS Kids shows (Let's Go Luna, Dinosaur Train, Elinor Wonders Why, Hero Elementary, Wordgirl, Rosie's Rules, Alma's Way)
- Unlimited pages/slides instead of 4-slide limit
- More coding blocks from original Scratch (text-to-speech, etc.)
- Custom character creation on blank canvas
- Level maker and world maker features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mathtopia free?

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

### Is PBS KIDS ScratchJr free?

PBS KIDS ScratchJr is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Mathtopia or PBS KIDS ScratchJr?

PBS KIDS ScratchJr is rated higher. Mathtopia averages 3.2 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while PBS KIDS ScratchJr averages 4.0 from 356 ratings.

### Do Mathtopia or PBS KIDS ScratchJr have ads?

Neither Mathtopia nor PBS KIDS ScratchJr shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mathtopia or PBS KIDS ScratchJr?

Mathtopia ships an update every 4 weeks, and PBS KIDS ScratchJr every 12 months. Most recently, Mathtopia was updated on October 15, 2026 and PBS KIDS ScratchJr on October 24, 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.*