# Hopscotch vs Lightbot

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lightbot at none against Hopscotch's 10. Lightbot also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 70%) and iOS requirement (5.1.1 vs 13.0). Hopscotch's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and rating (4.5 vs 4.1). 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. Lightbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hopscotch holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hopscotch has 15K ratings behind it against 242, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Hopscotch's written reviews are positive against 80% of Lightbot's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hopscotch ships an update every 2 weeks, Lightbot every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hopscotch | Lightbot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopscotch-programming-for-kids/id617098629/reviews)** | [4.1 (242 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-code-hour/id873943739/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 242 |
| Positive reviews | 70.2% of reviews | **79.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 203 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **5.1.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hopscotch Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/490514281) | [SpriteBox LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/517384301) |

## 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


### Lightbot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-code-hour/id873943739)

This programming puzzle game introduces players to coding logic through interactive challenges. Guide a robot using commands to solve levels, learning concepts like procedures, loops, and conditionals. It's designed for beginners, making coding accessible and fun for students.

**Highlights:** Programming puzzle gameplay, Introduces programming logic, Teaches procedures, loops, conditionals, 20 levels for beginners, Multiplayer progress tracking, Supports multiple languages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great level design
- 🤩 Fun and addictive
- 🧠 Helps develop coding skills
- 🎓 Good for kids and beginners
- 🏆 Awesome game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Levels too difficult
- 🤏 Not enough space for code
- 🕰️ Game too short
- 🙄 Unclear tutorial
- 🎵 Bad music

**Reported bugs**

- Level 1-7 impossible to complete
- Procedures level 5 glitched
- Robot not moving as expected

**Requested features**

- More levels and content
- Ability to create own games
- Better tutorial and instructions
- More music options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hopscotch free?

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

### Is Lightbot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hopscotch or Lightbot?

Hopscotch is rated higher. Hopscotch averages 4.5 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Lightbot averages 4.1 from 242 ratings.

### Do Hopscotch or Lightbot have ads?

Neither Hopscotch nor Lightbot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hopscotch or Lightbot?

Hopscotch ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lightbot every 6 months. Most recently, Hopscotch was updated on October 13, 2026 and Lightbot on October 7, 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.*