# Hopscotch vs Photon Robot

The clearest difference is rating: Hopscotch at 4.5 against Photon Robot's 3.7. Hopscotch also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Photon Robot's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hopscotch sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Photon Robot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hopscotch holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hopscotch has 15K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Hopscotch ships an update every 2 weeks, Photon Robot every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hopscotch | Photon Robot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopscotch-programming-for-kids/id617098629/reviews)** | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-robot/id1281702820/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 70.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 203 MB | 158 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hopscotch Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/490514281) | [Photon Entertainment sp. z o.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1281702819) |

## What reviewers say

### Hopscotch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopscotch-programming-for-kids/id617098629)

This app allows children to create their own games, art, and stories using kid-friendly programming. Users can share their creations with a moderated community, play and remix projects from others, and learn to code through interactive video tutorials.

**Highlights:** Create games, art, and stories, Kid-friendly programming interface, Share creations with a moderated community, Play and remix projects from other users, Learn coding through video tutorials, Build advanced games and apps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Subscription with free trial | $7.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Monthly Subscription | $7.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Hopscotch Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription with free trial | $79.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Subscription with free trial | $79.99 | per year |
| Hopscotch Yearly Subscription | $79.99 | per year |
| Hopscotch Yearly Subscription | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for beginners
- 🚀 Powerful coding tools
- 💡 Encourages creativity and problem-solving
- 👍 Supportive community
- 🚀 Great for learning coding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model restricts free access
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Limited account/login options
- 🔒 Concerns about child safety and moderation

**Reported bugs**

- Projects disappearing or not saving properly
- Shapes/objects not displaying correctly
- Crashes and freezes when using certain features
- Subscription/login issues

**Requested features**

- Add cloud variables and multiplayer support
- Allow custom sounds and profile pictures for free
- Improve the 'Newest' tab to better showcase new projects
- Restore old features like unlimited free projects
- Add a 'reset' button for projects


### Photon Robot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-robot/id1281702820)

This educational app allows children to program a robot companion, unlocking new abilities and senses as they complete tasks. Progress is visualized, serving as a motivational tool for learning programming concepts.

**Highlights:** Robot programming, Unlockable abilities, Skill progression, Motivational learning, Interactive companion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hopscotch free?

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

### Is Photon Robot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hopscotch or Photon Robot?

Hopscotch is rated higher. Hopscotch averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Photon Robot averages 3.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Hopscotch or Photon Robot have ads?

Neither Hopscotch nor Photon Robot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hopscotch or Photon Robot?

Hopscotch ships an update every 2 weeks, and Photon Robot every 2 months. Most recently, Hopscotch was updated on October 31, 2026 and Photon Robot 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.*