# codeSpark vs PBS KIDS Games

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PBS KIDS Games at none against codeSpark's 14. PBS KIDS Games also leads on ratings volume (372K vs 41K) and chart position (#103 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. codeSpark sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. PBS KIDS Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

codeSpark holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PBS KIDS Games has 372K ratings behind it against 41K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of codeSpark's written reviews are positive against 61% of PBS KIDS Games's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | codeSpark | PBS KIDS Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (41K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codespark-coding-for-kids/id923441570/reviews)** | [4.4 (372K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-kids-games/id1050773989/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 41K | **372K** |
| Positive reviews | 51.6% of reviews | **60.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#103** |
| Size | 130 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Homer](https://appshunter.io/developer/601437929) | [PBS KIDS](https://appshunter.io/developer/324323339) |

## What reviewers say

### codeSpark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codespark-coding-for-kids/id923441570)

This app offers hundreds of interactive coding games and activities for children aged 3-10. Kids can solve puzzles, design their own games and stories, and even participate in coding contests. It focuses on building essential coding concepts and problem-solving skills in a safe, ad-free environment.

**Highlights:** Hundreds of coding games and activities, Create your own games and stories, Puzzles to master coding concepts, Monthly coding contests, Multiplayer coding challenges, Pre-coding activities for preschoolers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $3.99 | per month |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $7.99 | per month |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $9.99 | per month |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $9.99 | per month |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $12.99 | per month |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $15.00 | per month |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $23.99 | per 3 months |
| codeSpark Holiday Annual Membership | $63.00 | per year |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $79.99 | per year |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $90.00 | per year |
| codeSpark Academy Enrollment | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and engaging
- 🚀 Great for learning coding
- 🎨 Lots of creative possibilities
- 🤩 Awesome game/app
- 💯 Best coding app ever

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
- 🔍 Confusing UI/UX
- 🔑 Forced to pay for access
- 🤬 Unauthorized charges

**Reported bugs**

- Disappearing progress and lost stories
- Inconsistent performance and crashes
- Incorrect item purchases and coin deductions
- Inability to access drafts and profiles
- Incompatibility issues with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Add more pet foos and customization options
- Improve story sharing and collaboration features
- Introduce more puzzles and challenges
- Allow custom character and block creation
- Implement better communication between coders


### PBS KIDS Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pbs-kids-games/id1050773989)

**Currently charting:** #103 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Explore over 280 free educational games designed for children ages 2-8, featuring beloved PBS KIDS characters. These kid-tested games cover subjects like math, reading, and science, promoting early learning and STEM skills in a safe, engaging environment.

**Highlights:** 280+ curriculum-based educational games, Features favorite PBS KIDS characters, Available in English and Spanish, Offline play capability, STEM, math, reading, and science games, Kid-tested and safe interface, New games added weekly

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic app with great quality games
- 👍 Variety of educational and engaging games
- 💡 Daily game feature
- 🔒 No ads or links to take kids elsewhere

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent freezing and glitches
- 🐛 Buggy games like Rosie's Rules and Donkey's Froyo Stand
- 🐛 Sound issues and random volume loss
- 🐛 Games disappearing after updates
- 🐛 Compatibility issues on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Odd Squad game level issues with missing elements
- Cooking School game getting stuck on same recipe
- Greens Hill race in Kart Racer game always resulting in second place
- Downloading games not working for some users

**Requested features**

- Add more Kart Kingdom features like customization and online play
- Ability to reset individual games
- Sort games by age/difficulty level
- Add a search function
- Increase offline storage capacity


## Frequently asked questions

### Is codeSpark free?

codeSpark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is PBS KIDS Games free?

PBS KIDS Games is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, codeSpark or PBS KIDS Games?

codeSpark is rated higher. codeSpark averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41K ratings, while PBS KIDS Games averages 4.4 from 372K ratings.

### Do codeSpark or PBS KIDS Games have ads?

Neither codeSpark nor PBS KIDS Games shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, codeSpark or PBS KIDS Games?

codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, and PBS KIDS Games fortnightly. Most recently, codeSpark was updated on September 24, 2026 and PBS KIDS Games on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*