# ScratchJr vs Minecraft Education

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ScratchJr at none against Minecraft Education's 1. ScratchJr also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Minecraft Education's advantage is ratings volume (42K vs 1.8K) and chart position (#60 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Minecraft Education sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. ScratchJr asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for ScratchJr against 4.0 for Minecraft Education. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Minecraft Education has 42K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 67% and 67% positive.

ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, Minecraft Education every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | ScratchJr | Minecraft Education |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratchjr/id895485086/reviews) | **[4.0 (42K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minecraft-education/id1196524622/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K | **42K** |
| Positive reviews | **66.8% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Subscription |
| Best chart rank | — | **#60** |
| Size | 51 MB | 1.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Scratch Foundation, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1066012912) | [Mojang](https://appshunter.io/developer/479516146) |

## What reviewers say

### ScratchJr

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scratchjr/id895485086)

This app allows young children to create their own interactive stories and games by snapping together graphical programming blocks. It fosters problem-solving, creative expression, and develops early numeracy and literacy skills in a fun, motivating context.

**Highlights:** Program interactive stories, Create games, Snap-together programming blocks, Develop problem-solving skills, Foster creative expression, Learn coding fundamentals

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for kids
- 🚀 Great for coding and creating animations
- 💡 Allows customization of characters and backgrounds
- ⭐ Fun and engaging for young users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy drawing/editing tools
- 🔧 Limited number of frames/scenes per project
- 🎨 Lack of color options and customization
- 🔊 Poor audio quality and limited sound options

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing and crashing issues
- Incorrect character movements and positioning
- Saving and loading problems
- Microphone and recording bugs

**Requested features**

- Add more frames/scenes per project
- Improve drawing/editing tools
- Expand color and customization options
- Enhance audio features and sound library
- Integrate with the full Scratch platform


### Minecraft Education

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minecraft-education/id1196524622)

**Currently charting:** #60 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This game-based platform inspires creative, inclusive learning through play, offering lessons and challenges for various subjects. It helps students develop critical future-ready skills like problem-solving and collaboration in immersive, blocky worlds.

**Highlights:** Game-based learning platform, Lessons and curriculum for various subjects, Multiplayer collaboration, Code Builder for coding, Immersive Reader, Documentation tools (Camera, Book & Quill), Integration with Microsoft Teams and Flipgrid

**Features:** Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 year License | $4.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎓 Educational and engaging
- 👍 Free version of Minecraft
- 🤝 Allows multiplayer with classmates
- 🔍 Coding and chemistry features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Requires school account to play
- ⏱️ Slow updates compared to regular Minecraft
- 🔌 Occasional crashes and loading issues
- 🤔 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to connect to other players' worlds
- Invisible chunks and terrain generation issues
- Nether portal glitches and crashes
- Inconsistent command block functionality

**Requested features**

- Add more furniture and decoration options
- Implement Nether and other recent Minecraft updates
- Allow custom skins and player customization
- Improve multiplayer functionality and server hosting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ScratchJr free?

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

### Is Minecraft Education free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ScratchJr or Minecraft Education?

Minecraft Education is rated higher. ScratchJr averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Minecraft Education averages 4.0 from 42K ratings.

### Do ScratchJr or Minecraft Education have ads?

Neither ScratchJr nor Minecraft Education shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ScratchJr or Minecraft Education?

ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, and Minecraft Education every 3 months. Most recently, ScratchJr was updated on October 17, 2026 and Minecraft Education on October 17, 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.*