Comparison

Lightbot Jr vs Codenames

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lightbot Jr

Introduce young children to programming concepts through engaging puzzles. Players guide characters to solve challenges using sequencing, debugging, and loops, fostering a foundational understanding of computer science. Supports multiple players and languages.

Highlights
  • Sequencing instructions
  • Debugging problems
  • Creating reusable procedures
  • Executing loops
  • 42 challenging levels
  • Multiple player profiles
  • Multilingual support
Features
Read full description

Apple Features, in over 100 countries: *Best New Apps and Games* *Best for Learning to Code* *Best in Hot Educational Games* It's never too early to start programming! Lightbot Junior gets your little ones 'coding' within minutes! Lightbot Junior is specifically designed for ages 4-8, and is an easier version of the popular Lightbot: featuring a gentler learning curve and not-as-complex puzzles. You can play as Boybot or Girlbot as you solve puzzles that use game mechanics that are based on Computer Science ideas; Lightbot Junior cultivates a real understanding of sequencing instructions, debugging problems, creating reusable procedures and executing loops. Educators around the world are choosing to use Lightbot first when introducing their students to programming, coding and Computer Science. Lightbot Junior features 42 levels. This version can be played in English, French, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Norwegian, Slovenian, Romanian, Indonesian, German, Polish, Danish, Croatian, Dutch, Slovak, Czech, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Thai, Hindi, Swedish, Finnish and Hungarian! Just hit the associated flag icon on the main screen to select a language. Lightbot features multiple save slots and separate progress tracking for multiple players. Multiple players can advance at their own pace in their own save slot, and also compete on number of levels finished, number of stars collected and number of overall commands used to complete the game. There are NO in-app purchases in Lightbot Junior.

About

Codenames

Engage in a strategic word game of deduction and teamwork. Give one-word clues to help your team guess associated words before the opposing team. Enjoy a blend of casual fun and deep thinking with turn-based multiplayer matches.

Highlights
  • Turn-based multiplayer
  • One-word clue system
  • Teamwork and deduction
  • Multiple game modes
  • Spymaster and Operative roles
  • Logic and creativity challenges
Read full description

Codenames is available in ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, ARABIC, ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, and CZECH. Codenames is a clever word game of deduction, teamwork, and strategy, inspired by the popular board game loved worldwide. Give one-word clues, link multiple words, and read your teammates’ minds to win before the other team does. Easy to learn, hard to master Codenames is simple to understand and instantly rewarding. Every match tests your logic, creativity, and intuition — a perfect blend of casual fun and deep thinking. Play at your own pace Turn-based matches let you play whenever you want, as much as you want. Start several games at once and return when it’s your turn — perfect for busy players. Smart fun for sharp minds If you enjoy games that make you think, this is for you. Every clue and guess matters — there’s no autoplay, no idle waiting, just pure wordplay and deduction. Why players love Codenames • Turn-based multiplayer — play with friends or online opponents. • Based on a beloved board game concept: give one-word clues, guess multiple words. • Exclusive twists and new game modes available exclusively in this version. • Choose your role — Spymaster or Operative — and master both perspectives. • One-time purchase unlocks a full experience — no freemium grind, no intrusive ads—just the pure enjoyment for the price of a cup of coffee for the dev team. Join millions of players and test how well you can get into the minds of others. Download Codenames today — the top multiplayer word game for clever thinkers.

Screenshots

Lightbot Jr3 screens
Codenames4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Codenames at 4.7 against Lightbot Jr's 4.2. Codenames also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 11) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Lightbot Jr's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 66%) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Lightbot Jr costs $2.99 and Codenames $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Codenames holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Codenames has 1.1K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Lightbot Jr's written reviews are positive against 66% of Codenames's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightbot Jr ships an update every 2 months, Codenames fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Lightbot Jr versus Codenames: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightbot JrCodenames
Price$2.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.2 (11 ratings)4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.9% of reviews — better66.4% of reviews
Number of ratings111.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#13 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS5.1.1 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB221 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSpriteBox LLCCGE Digital s.r.o.

Customer experience

Lightbot Jr

All ratings11 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral9.1%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive78.9%
Neutral5.3%
Negative15.8%

Codenames

All ratings1,129 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews441 reviews
Positive66.4%
Neutral14.5%
Negative19.0%

Bugs and requests

Lightbot Jr

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Codenames

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Initial launch with only Czech language support
  • Occasional app crashes and server disconnections

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Codenames Duet mode
  • Implement AI/bot players for faster games
  • Allow custom word packs and themes
  • Add a 'speed mode' for faster gameplay
  • Improve the jury system to maintain game integrity

In-app purchases

None

Lightbot Jr

No in-app purchases

None

Codenames

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lightbot Jr free?
Lightbot Jr costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Codenames free?
Codenames costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Lightbot Jr or Codenames?
Codenames is rated higher. Lightbot Jr averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Codenames averages 4.7 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Lightbot Jr or Codenames have ads?
Neither Lightbot Jr nor Codenames shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lightbot Jr or Codenames?
Lightbot Jr ships an update every 2 months, and Codenames fortnightly. Most recently, Lightbot Jr was updated on October 11, 2026 and Codenames on October 12, 2026.

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