Comparison

ScratchJr vs Tinkercad

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

Head to head
About

ScratchJr

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
Read full description

With ScratchJr, young children (ages 5-7) learn important new skills as they program their own interactive stories and games. By snapping together graphical programming blocks, children can make characters move, jump, dance, and sing. In the process, children learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer. They also use math and language in a meaningful and motivating context, supporting the development of early-childhood numeracy and literacy. With ScratchJr, children don’t just learn to code, they code to learn. ScratchJr was inspired by the popular Scratch programming language (http://scratch.mit.edu), used by millions of people (ages 8 and up) around the world. The ScratchJr interface and programming language were redesigned to make them appropriate for younger children’s cognitive, personal, social, and emotional development. ScratchJr is a collaboration between the Lifelong Kindergarten research group at the MIT Media Lab, the Developmental Technologies research group at Tufts University, and the Playful Invention Company. The ScratchJr project has received generous financial support from the National Science Foundation (NSF DRL-1118664), Scratch Foundation, LEGO Foundation, and British Telecommunications. If you enjoy using this free app, please consider making a donation to the Scratch Foundation (www.scratchfoundation.org), a nonprofit organization that provides ongoing support for ScratchJr. We appreciate donations of all sizes, large and small.

About

Tinkercad

This app empowers aspiring designers and engineers with essential skills in 3D design, electronics, and coding. Learn through hands-on projects, build confidence, and bring your creations to life in the real world. It's a safe, ad-free environment for all ages to explore innovation.

Highlights
  • 3D design optimized for mobile
  • Circuit simulation with Arduino/micro:bit
  • 3D design from code (Codeblocks)
  • AR viewer for designs
  • Import/export various file formats
  • Educational tools for teachers
Read full description

Tinkercad is a free app that equips the next generation of designers and engineers with the foundational skills for innovation: 3D design, electronics, and coding. • FREE FOR EVERYONE: No strings attached. Start creating from the first click. • LEARN BY DOING: Build confidence, persistence, and problem-solving skills. • SAFE FOR ALL AGES: Ad-free. kidSAFE certified. Privacy first. KEY FEATURES • Easily build 3D with controls optimized for your device. • Connect, code, and simulate circuit components with Arduino and micro:bit microcontrollers. • Make 3D designs from code using Tinkercad Codeblocks. • Bring your designs into the real world with the Tinkercad AR viewer. • Import STL, OBJ and SVG files into the 3D design space to build on an existing design. • Export your files including STL, OBJ, USDZ, and SVG or send them to other programs. • All you need is a device and an internet connection. • Apple Pencil compatible. FOR EDUCATORS • Tinkercad Classrooms allows teachers to assign Activities, send and receive assignments, invite co-teachers, and monitor student progress—all from your dashboard. • Tinkercad Lesson Plans and starters available for students to get started with 3D CAD design, electronics simulation, and block-based programming. • Compatible with Google Classroom. Tinkercad is a free product from Autodesk, a leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software. Tomorrow's innovators start here. Children’s Privacy Statement: https://www.autodesk.com/company/legal-notices-trademarks/privacy-statement/childrens-privacy-statement

Screenshots

ScratchJr1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Tinkercad at 4.6 against ScratchJr's 3.9. Tinkercad also leads on ratings volume (19K vs 1.8K). ScratchJr's advantage is update cadence (every 6 months vs every 13 months) and review sentiment (67% vs 59%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Tinkercad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tinkercad has 19K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of ScratchJr's written reviews are positive against 59% of Tinkercad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, Tinkercad every 13 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ScratchJr versus Tinkercad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScratchJrTinkercad
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (1.8K ratings)4.6 (19K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.8% of reviews — better58.6% of reviews
Number of ratings1.8K19K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 months — betterEvery 13 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScratch Foundation, Inc.Autodesk Inc.

Customer experience

ScratchJr

All ratings1,812 ratings
Positive72.5%
Neutral7.1%
Negative20.4%
Written reviews584 reviews
Positive66.8%
Neutral10.8%
Negative22.4%

Tinkercad

All ratings19,423 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.9%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews638 reviews
Positive58.6%
Neutral8.8%
Negative32.6%

User reviews

ScratchJr

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Tinkercad

From 19K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Powerful 3D modeling capabilities
  • 💡 Lots of built-in shapes and templates
  • 👍 Good for beginners
  • 👍 Smooth performance on iPad

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Buggy controls and UI issues
  • 🐛 Compatibility problems on some devices
  • 🐛 Unreliable saving and loading of designs
  • 🐛 Lack of advanced modeling tools

Bugs and requests

ScratchJr

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

Tinkercad

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Login issues and lost connection problems
  • Dimensions box repeatedly appearing
  • Designs reverting to earlier versions
  • Overlapping UI elements

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for Apple Pencil and trackpad
  • Improve alignment and grouping tools
  • Provide offline functionality
  • Expand library of shapes and templates
  • Implement better tutorial and documentation

In-app purchases

None

ScratchJr

No in-app purchases

None

Tinkercad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ScratchJr free?
ScratchJr is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Tinkercad free?
Tinkercad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ScratchJr or Tinkercad?
Tinkercad is rated higher. ScratchJr averages 3.9 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Tinkercad averages 4.6 from 19K ratings.
Do ScratchJr or Tinkercad have ads?
Neither ScratchJr nor Tinkercad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ScratchJr or Tinkercad?
ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, and Tinkercad every 13 months. Most recently, ScratchJr was updated on September 24, 2026 and Tinkercad on September 24, 2026.

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