# Tynker vs Institum

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Institum at none against Tynker's 4. Tynker's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tynker sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per month. Institum asks for nothing beyond the download.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tynker | Institum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tynker-coding-for-kids/id805869467/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 153 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tynker](https://appshunter.io/developer/805869470) | [Khalil Berakdar](https://appshunter.io/developer/6781389958) |

## 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


### Institum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/institum/id6781389956)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tynker free?

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

### Is Institum free?

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

### Do Tynker or Institum have ads?

Neither Tynker nor Institum shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tynker or Institum?

Tynker ships an update every 3 weeks, and Institum every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tynker was updated on October 20, 2026 and Institum on October 9, 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.*