ScratchJr vs Code Ninjas
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.
Code Ninjas
This app allows members to manage their accounts and communicate with their local Code Ninjas. Users can receive important notifications and easily register for programs, events, and classes.
- Account management
- Enhanced messaging
- Receive notifications
- Register for programs
- Register for events
- Register for classes
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Easily manage your account with enhanced messaging with your Code Ninjas location. Receive important notifications. Easily register for programs, events, classes.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Code Ninjas at 4.8 against ScratchJr's 3.9. ScratchJr's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 39%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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.
Code Ninjas holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.9K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of ScratchJr's written reviews are positive against 39% of Code Ninjas's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, Code Ninjas every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScratchJr | Code Ninjas |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (1.9K ratings) | 4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.9% of reviews — better | 39.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K — better | 1.5K |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 5 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 11.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Scratch Foundation, Inc. | CODE NINJAS, LLC |
Customer experience
ScratchJr
Code Ninjas
User reviews
ScratchJr
From 1.9K App Store ratingsWhat 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
Code Ninjas
From 1.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Friendly and knowledgeable staff
- 👍 Supportive environment for children
- 👍 Children enjoy the coding classes
- 👍 Helps build strong foundations in coding
Room to improve
- 🐛 App issues (crashes, not loading, etc.)
- 🕰️ Limited scheduling flexibility
- 💰 Unfair charges even after quitting the program
- 🙍♀️ Poor customer service and management
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
Code Ninjas
Reported bugs
3 issues- App not loading or crashing
- Scheduling issues and unreliable class information
- Billing problems and unexpected charges
Requested features
4 requests- Calendar integration for class scheduling
- Ability to view session usage and carry-over hours
- Improved app design and user experience
- Removal of unnecessary features (e.g., Studio Code)
In-app purchases
ScratchJr
No in-app purchases
Code Ninjas
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ScratchJr free?
Is Code Ninjas free?
Which has better reviews, ScratchJr or Code Ninjas?
Do ScratchJr or Code Ninjas have ads?
Which is updated more often, ScratchJr or Code Ninjas?
Other comparisons
