# Lightbot vs AlgoRun

The clearest difference is price: AlgoRun at Free against Lightbot's $2.99. AlgoRun also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Lightbot's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (85% vs 57%). On ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

AlgoRun is free to download; Lightbot costs $2.99 up front. AlgoRun sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Lightbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

AlgoRun holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38 and 65 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Lightbot's written reviews are positive against 57% of AlgoRun's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lightbot ships an update every 2 months, AlgoRun every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightbot | AlgoRun |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.5 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-programming-puzzles/id657638474/reviews) | **[4.8 (65 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algorun-learn-to-code/id1517210466/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **65** |
| Positive reviews | **84.7% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SpriteBox LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/517384301) | [bitcrumbs s.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503498469) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightbot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-programming-puzzles/id657638474)

This game teaches programming logic through engaging puzzles. Players guide a robot using commands to solve levels, fostering an understanding of procedures, loops, and conditionals. It's an excellent introduction to coding for kids and puzzle enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Programming logic puzzles, Robot guidance with commands, Teaches procedures, loops, conditionals, 50 levels and 20 challenge stars, Multiplayer progress tracking, Multiple language support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for learning programming
- 💡 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 🧠 Thought-provoking puzzles
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Good for kids and adults
- ✨ Well-designed and polished

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- ⏳ Game is too short
- ❌ Difficulty spikes
- 🎧 Cannot listen to music while playing
- 🐞 Some levels have bugs

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on open/startup
- App crashes during gameplay/levels
- Conditional level 2 bug
- Play button covers code in Conditional level
- Not loading due to iOS version

**Requested features**

- More levels
- Puzzle editor/user-created levels
- Hint system
- Ability to listen to music while playing
- Unlockable content/robot customization


### AlgoRun

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algorun-learn-to-code/id1517210466)

This game teaches fundamental coding concepts through interactive puzzles. It uses game mechanics inspired by programming principles like functions, loops, and conditionals to build algorithmic thinking skills in a fun and engaging way.

**Highlights:** Algorithmic thinking puzzles, Sequential instruction execution, Functions and recursive loops, Conditionals, Step-by-step debugging

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Algorun Premium | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightbot free?

Lightbot costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AlgoRun free?

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

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

AlgoRun is rated higher. Lightbot averages 4.5 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while AlgoRun averages 4.8 from 65 ratings.

### Do Lightbot or AlgoRun have ads?

Neither Lightbot nor AlgoRun shows ads.

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

Lightbot ships an update every 2 months, and AlgoRun every 3 weeks. Most recently, Lightbot was updated on September 25, 2026 and AlgoRun on September 14, 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.*