# Tynker vs Maker Studio

The clearest difference is monetization model: Tynker at freemium against Maker Studio's subscription. Tynker also leads on ratings volume (18K vs 430). Maker Studio's advantage is review sentiment (71% vs 56%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tynker sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month and Maker Studio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tynker holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tynker has 18K ratings behind it against 430, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of Tynker's written reviews are positive against 71% of Maker Studio's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tynker | Maker Studio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tynker-coding-for-kids/id805869467/reviews)** | [4.4 (430 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maker-studiokids/id1519720747/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 430 |
| Positive reviews | 56.1% of reviews | **71.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 153 MB | 802 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tynker](https://appshunter.io/developer/805869470) | [Arjun Gupte](https://appshunter.io/developer/620272974) |

## What reviewers say

### Tynker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tynker-coding-for-kids/id805869467)

This app offers a fun and engaging platform for children to learn coding and artificial intelligence. It guides them from visual block coding to text-based languages like Python and JavaScript, with opportunities to mod Minecraft and create AR apps.

**Highlights:** Block-to-text coding transition, AI and Machine Learning basics, Minecraft modding and creation, Augmented Reality (AR) app development, Coding tutorials and game building, Robotics programming

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tynker Web + Mobile Plan | $24.99 | per month |
| Tynker Web + Mobile Plan | $59.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly All-Access Plan | $119.99 | per year |
| Tynker Web + Mobile Plan | $314.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Coding made fun
- 👍 Great for learning
- 🎨 Customizable Minecraft mods
- 💡 Potential for more features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paywall for full access
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🤔 Limited Minecraft functionality
- ⏱️ Slow project publishing

**Reported bugs**

- Minecraft mods not working as expected
- Syncing and publishing issues
- Disappearing projects and progress
- Compatibility problems with newer Minecraft versions

**Requested features**

- More Minecraft block and mob customization
- Offline access
- Improved community moderation
- Ability to save and restore projects


### Maker Studio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maker-studiokids/id1519720747)

This app empowers children to unleash their creativity by building 3D worlds, animating characters, and drawing cartoons. Kids can design and share their projects as movies, flipbooks, or even 3D prints, with augmented reality features to bring creations to life.

**Highlights:** Create 3D worlds and cities, Animate characters, Draw 2D cartoons and flipbooks, 3D print creations, Augmented Reality projection, Stopmotion animation, Learn 2D/3D visualization

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $44.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Creative animation and 3D modeling tools
- 👍 User-friendly interface for kids
- 🎯 Educational and developmental value
- 🌈 Colorful and engaging graphics
- 📱 No ads in the app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Aggressive paywall after free trial
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and data loss
- ⚠️ Limited free content
- 🔴 Performance issues and lag
- 🎮 Confusing interface for beginners

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after 3 minutes of gameplay with data loss
- Black screen appearing during gameplay
- World building mode doesn't allow deletion or undo
- Augmented reality missing delete functionality
- iPad compatibility issues with city worlds

**Requested features**

- Delete/undo button for all activities and world building
- Eraser tool for objects in activities
- More character models
- Walking/exploration in cities
- More frequent content updates


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tynker free?

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

### Is Maker Studio free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tynker or Maker Studio?

Tynker is rated higher. Tynker averages 4.6 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Maker Studio averages 4.4 from 430 ratings.

### Do Tynker or Maker Studio have ads?

Neither Tynker nor Maker Studio shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tynker or Maker Studio?

Tynker ships an update every 3 weeks, and Maker Studio every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tynker was updated on October 14, 2026 and Maker Studio on October 12, 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.*