codeSpark vs MagPaint
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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!
MagPaint
A digital magnetic drawing and writing board for children. It offers an instant clean slate for creativity and sharing. The app includes reminders to protect young eyes during extended use.
- Multifunctional drawing and writing board
- Instant clean and share functionality
- Realistic magnetic board experience
- Eye protection reminders
- Child-friendly interface
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Original - multifunctional magnetic drawing and writing board for children to write and draw. • Instant clean and supports share. • Real experience - Learning, healthy and environmental protection. • Kindly reminder to have a rest after long time using, to protect your eyes. • The original - exactly like the one when you were a child.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: MagPaint at 100% against codeSpark's 52%. MagPaint also leads on iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.0). codeSpark's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 3.7) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). 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
Both are free to download. codeSpark sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and MagPaint sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
codeSpark holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: codeSpark has 41K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 52% of codeSpark's written reviews are positive against 100% of MagPaint's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
codeSpark ships an update fortnightly, MagPaint every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | codeSpark | MagPaint |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (41K ratings) — better | 3.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 51.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 41K — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 7.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 130 MB | 20 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Homer | APP Technology Co. Ltd. |
Customer experience
codeSpark
MagPaint
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
MagPaint
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
codeSpark
- codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$7.991 Month
- codeSpark Academy Enrollment7 Days trial$9.991 Month
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- 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
MagPaint
- MagPaint (Remove Ads)$0.99
Questions
Is codeSpark free?
Is MagPaint free?
Which has better reviews, codeSpark or MagPaint?
Do codeSpark or MagPaint have ads?
Which is updated more often, codeSpark or MagPaint?
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