Comparison

codeSpark vs Programming for kids

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

codeSpark

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
Read full description

codeSpark: The Award-Winning Learn-to-Code App for Kids (Ages 3–10) 100s of coding games & activities—plus tools to create your own! Kids as young as 3 can start coding through play with puzzles, storytelling, and creativity tools designed just for them. Older kids can design and publish their own games, join monthly contests, and explore projects created by other kid coders. Get full access with a monthly or annual subscription—try membership free for 7 days! Annual subscribers can create up to 5 child profiles, making codeSpark perfect for families with multiple learners. OR play limited content through Hour of Code with no credit card required. Learn Coding Through Play - Puzzles – Master core coding and problem-solving concepts level by level - Create – Design and code your own games and interactive stories - Made by Kids – Play and explore games created by other young coders around the world - Monthly Coding Contests – Showcase creativity, code projects, and win prizes - Code Together – Join friends in a multiplayer water balloon fight while practicing coding logic - Pre-Coding for Preschoolers – Activities designed for early learners ages 3–4 - Adventure Maps – Unlock new puzzles and challenges while progressing through fun coding worlds Educational Benefits Backed by Research codeSpark’s curriculum is based on research from MIT, Princeton, and Carnegie Mellon. Kids learn the basics of computer science in a fun, accessible way—without words. - Coding concepts: sequencing, loops, conditionals, events, and debugging - Computational thinking: problem-solving, logic, pattern recognition, and creativity - Reinforces early skills: reading, math, and critical thinking - Builds confidence, perseverance, and collaboration through play - Encourages design thinking by letting kids turn ideas into working games and stories Kid-Safe & Ad-Free - Every game and story is reviewed before publishing to ensure safety - No ads, no micro-transactions, no distractions - Parent dashboard to manage profiles and track progress - A trusted environment for independent learning Praise from Parents & Teachers “My daughters are 6 and 8, and this is their new favorite game. Now they want to be programmers!” – Parent Review “I loved seeing how my children enjoyed working together on the puzzles.” – Parent Review Teachers and parents worldwide use codeSpark to introduce coding in classrooms, after-school programs, and at home. Kids stay motivated because the learning feels like play, and they are proud to share their creations. - Awards & Recognition - The LEGO Foundation – Pioneer in Reimagining Learning & Play - Children’s Technology Review – Editor’s Choice Award - Parent’s Choice Award – Gold Medal - Collision Conference – Kids & Family Silver Winner Why Families Choose codeSpark - Designed for kids ages 3–10 with no reading required - Builds STEM skills through fun, engaging coding challenges - Supports creativity with open-ended game and story design tools - Encourages collaboration through multiplayer games and contests - Trusted by parents, teachers, and schools worldwide - Helps kids see themselves as creators, problem-solvers, and future innovators Subscription & Download Start with a 7-day free membership trial. Subscriptions renew automatically; manage or cancel anytime in Account Settings. Annual subscribers can create up to 5 child profiles, making it easy to support the whole family. Privacy Policy: http://codespark.com/privacy/ Terms of Use: http://codespark.com/terms/ Start your child’s coding journey today with codeSpark—the award-winning learn-to-code app that makes programming fun, safe, and accessible for every kid ages 3–10!

About

Programming for kids

This educational game introduces children to the fundamentals of coding through engaging robot operation puzzles. It fosters logical thinking and problem-solving skills without requiring actual programming code. Designed for interactive play with parents, it offers progressive challenges across various levels.

Highlights
  • Robot operation puzzles
  • Develops logical thinking
  • No programming code required
  • Progressive difficulty levels
  • Collect stars for applied skill
  • Parent-child interactive play
Read full description

The first step in programming learning! Children enjoy the basics of coding. Children learn Logical thinking as Programming. This is a learning application of coding. But there is no programming code. It is a game that operates the robot and leads to the goal. By trial and error children can acquire logical thinking skills. Please enjoy with parents and children. 【contents】 ■Beginner Introduction of basic operation. ▼Difficulty There are Levels 1 to 3. It has 24 stages each. ●Level 1 Map of 5*5. Operating a robot. ●Level 2 Map of 6*6. Operating a ship. The difficulty level will rise. ●Level 3 Map of 7*7. Operating a space ship. Use the Function command. The difficulty level will rise further. ■Collect Stars This is a game that collects as many stars as possible. It is a test of applied skill. * No banner advertisement on this app. * Some contains in-app purchases. ◆privacy policy / terms of service https://amgm.jp/privacy_en.html

Screenshots

codeSpark4 screens
Programming for kids4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: codeSpark at 4.6 against Programming for kids's 2.0. codeSpark also leads on ratings volume (41K vs 4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Programming for kids's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. codeSpark sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Programming for kids sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

codeSpark holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: codeSpark has 41K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of codeSpark's written reviews are positive against 40% of Programming for kids's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, Programming for kids every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
codeSpark versus Programming for kids: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametercodeSparkProgramming for kids
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (41K ratings) — better2.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews51.6% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings41K — better4
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.09.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHomerAMGAMES Inc.

Customer experience

codeSpark

All ratings40,522 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral2.8%
Negative8.1%
Written reviews1,421 reviews
Positive51.6%
Neutral6.3%
Negative42.2%

Programming for kids

All ratings4 ratings
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%

Bugs and requests

codeSpark

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Programming for kids

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

11 purchases

codeSpark

Subscriptions11
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 8 more
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial2 variants$12.991 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$15.001 Month
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$23.993 Months
  • codeSpark Holiday Annual Membership7 Days trial$63.001 Year
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial2 variants$79.991 Year
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$90.001 Year
  • codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$99.991 Year
1 purchases

Programming for kids

One-time1
  • Additional contents$2.99

Questions

Is codeSpark free?
codeSpark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Programming for kids free?
Programming for kids is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, codeSpark or Programming for kids?
codeSpark is rated higher. codeSpark averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41K ratings, while Programming for kids averages 2.0 from 4 ratings.
Do codeSpark or Programming for kids have ads?
Neither codeSpark nor Programming for kids shows ads.
Which is updated more often, codeSpark or Programming for kids?
codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, and Programming for kids every 2 months. Most recently, codeSpark was updated on September 25, 2026 and Programming for kids on June 1, 2026.

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