ScratchJr vs Shenmo Abacus
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.
Shenmo Abacus
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Shenmo Abacus (Shenmo Academy International English Version) App is an online practice tool provided by Shenmo Education specifically for international students.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ScratchJr at none against Shenmo Abacus's 3. Shenmo Abacus's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Shenmo Abacus sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. ScratchJr asks for nothing beyond the download.
ScratchJr ships an update every 6 months, Shenmo Abacus fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and May 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScratchJr | Shenmo Abacus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (1.8K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.8K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 76 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Scratch Foundation, Inc. | beijing shenmo culture company |
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
Shenmo Abacus
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ScratchJr
No in-app purchases
Shenmo Abacus
- Monthly card (1 month)$0.99
- VIP half year card (6 months)$5.99
- VIP Annual Card(12 months)$9.99
Questions
Is ScratchJr free?
Is Shenmo Abacus free?
Do ScratchJr or Shenmo Abacus have ads?
Which is updated more often, ScratchJr or Shenmo Abacus?
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