Kodable Basics vs KidBot Start
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kodable Basics
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.
- Game-based learning approach
- Develops critical thinking
- Teaches coding concepts
- Builds foundational computer science skills
- Creative activities
- Seasonal events
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The coding curriculum used in over 50% of U.S. elementary schools, now at home! Kids go from solving their first maze at age 4 to writing real JavaScript by 5th grade, through games they actually ask to play. LOVED BY KIDS, TRUSTED BY SCHOOLS Rated 4.7 stars by 21,000+ families. Over 25 million downloads. Built with elementary teachers for more than a decade, and aligned to Common Core and CSTA standards, the same curriculum kids use in class. WHAT KIDS LEARN Ages 4-6 (no reading required): sequencing, patterns, and problem-solving through maze puzzles. This is the logic underneath all programming. Ages 7-10: conditions, loops, functions, and variables, leading to real typed JavaScript Every level builds critical thinking they'll use far beyond the screen MORE THAN LESSONS Kids design their own characters, build and share their own games, and jump into seasonal events. Creativity keeps them coming back long after the lesson ends. USING KODABLE AT SCHOOL? Sign in with your school account and your child's progress comes home with them. Some class content carries over free; Kodable Pro unlocks the full library at home. BUILT FOR FAMILIES No ads. Ever. Works offline for road trips, flights, and waiting rooms Designed to meet the strict privacy standards schools require TEACHERS: A complete K-5 STEM curriculum with 80+ scripted lesson plans and Google Classroom, Clever, and roster integrations is available at kodable.com. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION – Payment will be charged to iTunes Account – Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period – Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal – Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase – Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable.
KidBot Start
This app teaches children the fundamentals of programming through an engaging puzzle game. Players command a robot to collect toys using a visual, puzzle-like interface that introduces concepts like sequencing, loops, and conditions.
- Visual programming interface
- Robot command puzzles
- Instruction sequencing
- Conditional execution
- Loops and jumps
- Offline play
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Programming is the new literacy, and you better start early! Kidbot introduces kids to programming through a fun puzzle game. A room. Toys all over. A robot under your command. Few commands, endless possibilities. Move around. Gather the toys. Get to the basket. Kidbot uses a unique programming model, both powerful and intuitive. Instructions, conditions and jumps build on a familiar analogy with jigsaw puzzles, where the form of the piece indicates where it can fit. KidBot lets kids and even teenagers gain understanding of the basic concepts behind coding and robot building: INSTRUCTION SEQUENCING IDENTIFYING COMMON PATTERNS AS PROCEDURES CONDITIONAL EXECUTION LOOPS Safe for kids NO ADS NO NETWORK CONNECTION REQUIRED NO ACCOUNTS NO SOCIAL FEATURES The programming aspect (language) of the game is inspired by the fundamental ARM architecture. This means that the child learns how computers and programming work on a very low level, how basic loops and conditional execution are built by basic blocks. The game has a very smooth learning curve, guiding the child in with many tutorials and tips. While the tips are only in English, the game can be played without the child being able to read yet, because of the very interactive tutorials that show the kid what to do action by action. KidBot Start features 12 levels, which cover sequencing and subprograms. KidBot Full features 48 levels and adds condition operators as well as jumps and recursion.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: KidBot Start at 100% against Kodable Basics's 55%. KidBot Start also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Kodable Basics's advantage is ratings volume (21K vs 2) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Kodable Basics sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. KidBot Start asks for nothing beyond the download.
KidBot Start holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kodable Basics has 21K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Kodable Basics's written reviews are positive against 100% of KidBot Start's.
Kodable Basics ships an update monthly, KidBot Start every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kodable Basics | KidBot Start |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (21K ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 54.8% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 21K — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 422 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SurfScore, Inc | KONSTANTIN ILIEV VASSILEV |
Customer experience
Kodable Basics
KidBot Start
Bugs and requests
Kodable Basics
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
4 requests- More free content and levels
- Improved stability and performance
- Customization options for parents/teachers
- Better customer support and communication
KidBot Start
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Kodable Basics
- Kodable Monthly Plan7 Days trial$24.991 Month
- Kodable Yearly Plan7 Days trial$119.991 Year
- 3-day Parent TrialFree
- Fuzzes to Support Computer Science$4.99
- Pre-Trial Parent Plan$19.99
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- Parent Plan$29.99
- Kodable Lifetime Plan$199.99
KidBot Start
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Kodable Basics free?
Is KidBot Start free?
Which has better reviews, Kodable Basics or KidBot Start?
Do Kodable Basics or KidBot Start have ads?
Which is updated more often, Kodable Basics or KidBot Start?
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