# codeSpark vs Gear Up Rookie

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Gear Up Rookie at 13.0 against codeSpark's 15.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. codeSpark sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Gear Up Rookie sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, Gear Up Rookie every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | codeSpark | Gear Up Rookie |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (41K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/codespark-coding-for-kids/id923441570/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **41K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 51.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 126 MB | 208 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Homer](https://appshunter.io/developer/601437929) | [Sphulling Technologies](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540194995) |

## 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

**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


### Gear Up Rookie

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gear-up-rookie/id6739481045)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exclusive College Prep | $2.99 | one-time |
| Infinite Privilege | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is codeSpark free?

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

### Is Gear Up Rookie free?

Gear Up Rookie is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do codeSpark or Gear Up Rookie have ads?

Neither codeSpark nor Gear Up Rookie shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, codeSpark or Gear Up Rookie?

codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, and Gear Up Rookie every 8 days. Most recently, codeSpark was updated on November 3, 2026 and Gear Up Rookie on October 25, 2026.

---

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