Comparison

codeSpark vs Begin Learning

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

Begin Learning

Explore a curated collection of award-winning learning games for children aged 2-10. This free app offers engaging activities in early reading, math, STEM, coding, and social-emotional skills, featuring content from popular educational brands.

Highlights
  • Curated selection of award-winning learning games
  • Covers early reading, math, STEM, coding, and social-emotional skills
  • Content from Sesame Street, HOMER, codeSpark, and Little Passports
  • Designed for ages 2-10
  • Focuses on curiosity, character, core skills, creativity, and critical thinking
Features
Read full description

Tap into the power of digital play with a free, curated selection of Begin's award-winning learning games. Designed for learners of all ages, there's something for everyone to explore, like early reading, math, social-emotional skills, STEM, coding, and more. Unlock 10+ exclusive games from Learn with Sesame Street by Begin, HOMER, codeSpark, and Little Passports and enjoy skill-building screen time you and your child can feel good about. The Begin Approach focuses on the five essential skill areas proven to help children succeed in school and life. We call these the 5 C's (curiosity, character, core skills, creativity, and critical thinking), and we deliver them through each playful learning experience we design. We are so excited to share the best content from our beloved products in a single app, so you can see if our full products are right for your child. Why You'll Love It - No ads. EVER. - Free (no in-app purchases!), safe, and fun to play - Something for everyone ages 2-10 - Includes the best content from our award-winning family of apps What’s included From Learn with Sesame Street by Begin (social-emotional learning): - Big Bird's Bowling Party - Marshall Grover - It Feels Good to be Kind From HOMER (early reading and math): - Pizza Party - Biggest Bubble - Jack's Concert From codeSpark (#1 learn-to-code app): - Foo Rescue - Paper Shape - Footorial: What is Code? From Little Passports (curiosity and exploration): - Plunge Into the Pacific - Max & Mia Serengeti - Aloft in the Amazon

Screenshots

codeSpark4 screens
Begin Learning4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: codeSpark at 4.6 against Begin Learning's 3.9. codeSpark also leads on ratings volume (41K vs 16) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Begin Learning's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and review sentiment (60% vs 52%). On price, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

codeSpark holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: codeSpark has 41K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of codeSpark's written reviews are positive against 60% of Begin Learning's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, Begin Learning every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
codeSpark versus Begin Learning: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametercodeSparkBegin Learning
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (41K ratings) — better3.9 (16 ratings)
Positive reviews51.6% of reviews60.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings41K — better16
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB137 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHomerHomer

Customer experience

codeSpark

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

Begin Learning

All ratings16 ratings
Positive68.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative20.0%

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

Begin Learning

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
None

Begin Learning

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is codeSpark free?
codeSpark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Begin Learning free?
Begin Learning is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, codeSpark or Begin Learning?
codeSpark is rated higher. codeSpark averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41K ratings, while Begin Learning averages 3.9 from 16 ratings.
Do codeSpark or Begin Learning have ads?
Neither codeSpark nor Begin Learning shows ads.
Which is updated more often, codeSpark or Begin Learning?
codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, and Begin Learning every 3 months. Most recently, codeSpark was updated on September 25, 2026 and Begin Learning on August 12, 2026.

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