# Lightbot Jr vs Osmo Newton

The clearest difference is price: Osmo Newton at Free against Lightbot Jr's $2.99. Osmo Newton also leads on ratings volume (383 vs 11). Lightbot Jr's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 65%) and chart position (#157 vs unranked). On rating, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Osmo Newton is free to download; Lightbot Jr costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Lightbot Jr against 4.1 for Osmo Newton. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Osmo Newton has 383 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Lightbot Jr's written reviews are positive against 65% of Osmo Newton's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lightbot Jr | Osmo Newton |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.2 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-jr-coding-puzzles-for-ages-4-plus/id858640629/reviews)** | [4.1 (383 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/osmo-newton/id876524974/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **383** |
| Positive reviews | **78.9% of reviews** | 65.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#157** | — |
| Size | 54 MB | 451 MB |
| Requires iOS | **5.1.1** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SpriteBox LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/517384301) | [Tangible Play](https://appshunter.io/developer/799157444) |

## What reviewers say

### Lightbot Jr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightbot-jr-coding-puzzles-for-ages-4-plus/id858640629)

**Currently charting:** #157 Top Paid · Puzzle (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Osmo Newton

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/osmo-newton/id876524974)

Engage with creative physics puzzles by drawing or placing physical objects. Guide falling balls into target zones using everyday items. Experience a blend of physical and digital play.

**Highlights:** Draw lines to solve puzzles, Place physical objects to interact, Guide falling balls into targets, Works with everyday items, Hands-on learning experience, Promotes creativity and problem-solving

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging and fun gameplay for all ages
- 🧠 Educational value with physics and problem-solving
- ✨ Satisfying visual feedback and animations
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great for family bonding and social play
- 🎨 Creative drawing mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iPad models and iOS versions
- 👁️ Line detection sensitivity problems
- 🖐️ Hand obstruction during gameplay
- 💡 Poor lighting recognition for drawn lines

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or during gameplay
- Unresponsive app after recent updates
- Lorem Ipsum placeholder text stuck on screen
- Achievement page frozen preventing gameplay
- App incompatible with iPad Air 2 and 11-inch iPad

**Requested features**

- Back/front camera option for better positioning
- Pause menu functionality
- More levels beyond the current 61
- Grid screen option for better line detection
- Adjustable camera sensitivity settings


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lightbot Jr free?

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

### Is Osmo Newton free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lightbot Jr or Osmo Newton?

Lightbot Jr is rated higher. Lightbot Jr averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Osmo Newton averages 4.1 from 383 ratings.

### Do Lightbot Jr or Osmo Newton have ads?

Neither Lightbot Jr nor Osmo Newton shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lightbot Jr or Osmo Newton?

Lightbot Jr ships an update every 2 months, and Osmo Newton every 2 months. Most recently, Lightbot Jr was updated on October 11, 2026 and Osmo Newton 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.*