Comparison

Kodable Basics vs Sparky's Fun House

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Game-based learning approach
  • Develops critical thinking
  • Teaches coding concepts
  • Builds foundational computer science skills
  • Creative activities
  • Seasonal events
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Sparky's Fun House

This educational app teaches fire safety through interactive play. Children help a dog escape a simulated fire and then enjoy mini-games focused on math and spelling. It's designed for young learners to practice essential skills in a fun, engaging way.

Highlights
  • Fire escape plan simulation
  • Math mini-game (addition facts)
  • Spelling mini-game (word coaster)
  • Standards-aligned learning
  • Fire safety education resources for educators
Features
Read full description

Help Sparky the Fire Dog® practice his home fire escape plan before going to the carnival! When you hear the Beep, Beep, Beep of a smoke alarm, help him find a safe way to his outside meeting place. Once you help Sparky get outside safely, you'll unlock three fun mini-games. Toss balloons to dunk Sparky in the dunk tank, solve addition facts to squirt robots with water and send Sparky on a roller coaster ride by spelling words correctly! Standards-aligned math problems included in the Bot Blaster mini-game get more challenging as children progress through the levels, giving kids useful practice with addition facts ideal for students in grades 1-2. On the Word Coaster mini-game, students will show off their spelling talents with words typically used in first and second grade classrooms. As the game progresses, the challenge level increases giving students a chance to build spelling confidence. At SparkySchoolhouse.org, find ideas for educators about how to incorporate the app into group lessons and activities to help kids learn essential fire-safety skills. You will also find fire-safety activities aligned with math, literature, science, social studies and other core content. Sparky’s Fun House was produced by the National Fire Protection Association. Sparky® and Sparky the Fire Dog® are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection Association. © National Fire Protection Association 2017. To view NFPA's privacy policy, please visit: http://www.nfpa.org/privacypolicy.

Screenshots

Kodable Basics4 screens
Sparky's Fun House4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Kodable Basics at 4.7 against Sparky's Fun House's 3.7. Kodable Basics also leads on ratings volume (21K vs 3). Sparky's Fun House's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Kodable Basics sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Sparky's Fun House asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kodable Basics holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kodable Basics has 21K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kodable Basics versus Sparky's Fun House: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKodable BasicsSparky's Fun House
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (21K ratings) — better3.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings21K — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size422 MB29 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSurfScore, IncNFPA

Customer experience

Kodable Basics

All ratings21,468 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews411 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral5.4%
Negative40.1%

Sparky's Fun House

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

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

Sparky's Fun House

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Kodable Basics

Subscriptions2
  • Kodable Monthly Plan7 Days trial$24.991 Month
  • Kodable Yearly Plan7 Days trial$119.991 Year
One-time5
  • 3-day Parent TrialFree
  • Fuzzes to Support Computer Science$4.99
  • Pre-Trial Parent Plan$19.99
Show 2 more
  • Parent Plan$29.99
  • Kodable Lifetime Plan$199.99
None

Sparky's Fun House

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kodable Basics free?
Kodable Basics is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sparky's Fun House free?
Sparky's Fun House is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Kodable Basics or Sparky's Fun House?
Kodable Basics is rated higher. Kodable Basics averages 4.7 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while Sparky's Fun House averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Kodable Basics or Sparky's Fun House have ads?
Neither Kodable Basics nor Sparky's Fun House shows ads.

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