ScratchJr vs Little Scientist
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Program interactive stories
- Create games
- Snap-together programming blocks
- Develop problem-solving skills
- Foster creative expression
- Learn coding fundamentals
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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.
Little Scientist
This educational app introduces children to a wide range of scientific concepts, from quantum physics to rocket science, using phonics and engaging content. It aims to make learning about science, math, and technology fun and accessible for young minds.
- Phonics-based learning
- Quantum physics concepts
- Rocket science exploration
- Newtonian physics
- General relativity basics
- Math and technology topics
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Little scientist app helps kids learn to read through phonics modern science and technology, let you children learn about everything from quantum physics, rocket science, Newtonian physics general relativity., and much more. Let your children learn about everything about science, maths and modern technology to phonics with these educational app that are free and fun for kids.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Little Scientist at 100% against ScratchJr's 67%. Little Scientist also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 months). 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, Little Scientist every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | ScratchJr | Little Scientist |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (1.9K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 157 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Scratch Foundation, Inc. | padhmaranga madhurshika |
Customer experience
ScratchJr
Little Scientist
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
Little Scientist
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ScratchJr
No in-app purchases
Little Scientist
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ScratchJr free?
Is Little Scientist free?
Do ScratchJr or Little Scientist have ads?
Which is updated more often, ScratchJr or Little Scientist?
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