BugBotLab vs SaySpark
BugBotLab
bugbotlab.comSaySpark
sayspark.caSide by side
| Figure | BugBotLab | SaySpark |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £12.42/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Robotics Education Software | 8.3 (#7) | 8.2 (#9) |
| Classroom tools | Paid teacher tools include a live class view, progress board, mark book, assignments, tests, certificates, lesson materials and custom tasks. | Teachers can use class codes, rosters, leaderboards and assessments. |
| Headquarters | The maker lists its registered office as 103 Ouseley Road, Wraysbury, Staines-Upon-Thames, TW19 5JJ. | The privacy policy identifies Windsor, Ontario, Canada as SaySpark's location. |
| Maker | The maker identifies itself as BugBotLab Ltd, a UK company founded by Dr Jerome Graves. | SaySpark identifies Ahmad Ali as its founder and describes the venture as founder-built end to end. |
| Purpose | BugBotLab offers a Python course in which students write programs to drive a robot in a browser simulator or on BugBot hardware. | SaySpark is a robotics education platform where children talk to an AI tutor and use a simulator or Spark Mini robot to explore engineering challenges. |
| Support | The terms say support is available by email or BugBot Teach's problem-reporting feature, with replies within two working days and faster replies for paid plans in term time. | SaySpark says support requests normally receive a human response within one business day. |
Plans
BugBotLab
- FreeFree
- Teacher plan£149 a year
- Founding school School plan£495 a year
- School planPrice not published
In their own words
BugBotLab
BugBotLab is a browser-based Python course where students program a BugBot robot in a simulator or on BugBot hardware. The course lists 409 lessons, progressing from first code through vision and machine learning. Students join classes with a six-letter code and do not need email addresses or accounts. It runs in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari on school laptops, Chromebooks, and iPads. Teacher tools include live class views, progress boards, mark books, assignments, tests, certificates, lesson materials, and custom tasks. School sign-in supports Google or Microsoft accounts. A new teacher receives 30 days of School plan access without a card; after the trial, one class remains free. Paid plans include a 149.00 GBP yearly Teacher plan and school plans. BugBotLab says data is stored in London, deleted on request or after twelve months unused, and not sold or used to train AI models. The BugBot robot is listed separately at £199 each or £999 for five, ex VAT.
SaySpark
SaySpark is a robotics education platform for children, available through the web, Windows 10 or 11, and an Android companion. Children speak requests to the Spark AI tutor, hear its plan in plain language, and ask follow-up questions. The Spark Mini robot adds a microphone, speaker, camera, ultrasonic sensor, and motion sensor for spoken interaction, vision, distance measurement, and turns. It can tackle unfamiliar mazes, explain decisions at junctions, and use its camera to confirm an exit. A browser simulator provides challenges, a sandbox, world builder, and WASD controls, with five prompts available without an account. Lessons are arranged by age band with XP, badges, and a visible learning path. Classroom activities use class codes; teachers receive rosters, leaderboards, and assessments. The Windows download includes more than 20 guided challenges across five domains. Early access is free, with every feature unlocked; Spark Mini is separate hardware.