Pyonkee vs microbitIR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pyonkee
This app offers a real programming environment for creating games, animations, and stories using visual blocks. It's inspired by Scratch and optimized for touch devices, allowing users to learn logic, creativity, and collaboration through coding.
- Visual block-based programming
- Create games, animations, and stories
- Optimized for touch devices
- Import sounds and pictures
- Share projects easily
- Connect with micro:bit
- Utilize iPad sensors
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Tired of consuming? Let's enjoy creating! Based on Scratch, Pyonkee provides a real, programming environment, anytime, anywhere! Pyonkee is a new dynamic media for developing various ideas. By combining visual blocks, kids/adults are able to create original games, animations, and stories on their own. Through the programming process, we will learn about logics, productivity, creativity, and collaborations. Pyonkee has been developed from the open-source code of "Scratch 1.4" from MIT Media Lab. Since Pyonkee is fully compatible with Scratch 1.4, millions of existing Scratch projects can be used for reference. Pyonkee's user interface is optimized for touch devices. We do not need cumbersome typing, even a mouse. Just write programs wherever you like. Pyonkee nicely supports pinch-in/out, and font scaling for small devices. Moreover, sound recorder and camera are provided for importing your sounds and pictures into the projects. We can mix various media on Pyonkee and program them. Moreover, you can share your projects via AirDrop, e-mail, iCloud, and other cloud storage services. From the version 2.1, you are able to create programs using various iPad sensors and Mesh network protocol. From the version 2.3, more than 100 instruments are available in sound block. You can even play other synth app's sounds by enabling Virtual MIDI. From the version 2.20, Pyonkee is able to connect to micro:bit. You can get values from various sensors and send analog/digital signals to the pins. By combining the micro:bit with Pyonkee, you can enjoy an even wider world of programming. Dive into the fun of visual programming!
microbitIR
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micro:bitにM5Stack IR-UNIT（赤外線送受信ユニット）をつないで、GitHubに置いてあるプログラムを書き込むことで、スマホからBluetooth通信でコントロールできる学習リモコンを実現できます。 設定方法： 1）左上のボタンを押してmicro:bitとBluetooth接続します。（予めペアリングしておきます） 2）右上の歯車ボタンを押して設定モードに入ります。 3）設定したいボタンを押します。 4）ボタンメニューが出るので、テキストを設定するか、用意されているボタンを選択します。 5）micro:bitに「↓」が表示されるので、10秒以内にリモコンを受光部に向けて登録したいボタンを押します。 6）「↑」が表示されてスマホに赤外線データが送信され、登録されます。 使い方： 1）左上のボタンを押してmicro:bitとBluetooth接続します。 2）操作したいボタンを押します。 3）micro:bitには、「↑」が表示されて赤外線が送信されます。 ※ IR-UNITの赤外線は、非常に弱いので、操作したい機器の赤外線受光部に向けて近くに設置してください。
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: microbitIR at every 6 weeks against Pyonkee's every 4 months. Pyonkee's advantage is iOS requirement (13 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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.
Pyonkee ships an update every 4 months, microbitIR every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on September 29, 2026.
| Parameter | Pyonkee | microbitIR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.6 (51 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 51 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 137 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SoftUmeYa, LLC. | Atsushi Yamada |
Bugs and requests
Pyonkee
Reported bugs
16 issues- App crashes when importing photos
- App kicks user out
- Blocks not working
- Stamp and select features not working
- Forever if block issue
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- Storage usage too high (5GB)
- App crashes when making games (e.g., Five Nights at Freddy's)
- Loading screen stuck
- Blocks/sprites disappear briefly when moved
- Memory cleaning issues causing reloads
- Pixels shift when drawing sprites
- Image import forces rectangular crop
- App crashes on launch (iOS 8, iPad Mini)
- Slow performance/lagging
- Editor runs slowly
- Freezes when making multiple costumes
Requested features
24 requests- Update to Scratch 2.0/3.0
- Support for .sb3 and .sjr files
- Add clone blocks
- Add original Scratch Cat sprite
- Implement auto-save function
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- Improve drawing/sprite editing tools
- Add sharing rules and report buttons
- Add social media sharing
- Add new blocks (e.g., when screen swiped)
- Support for importing images from camera roll
- Support for importing audio from iTunes
- Add more background images
- Add more scripts and features
- Improve performance and speed
- Add scroll bar for UI elements
- Make it lighter/less resource-intensive
- Add a home screen
- Allow uploading projects to Dropbox
- Add online play and sharing
- Add iMessage sharing and email file opening
- Add mature sprites
- Add programming explanations
- Support for Kanji input
- Make it more compatible with newer iOS versions
microbitIR
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Pyonkee
No in-app purchases
microbitIR
No in-app purchases
