Hopscotch vs MIT App Inventor
Hopscotch
gethopscotch.com
MIT App Inventor
appinventor.mit.eduSide by side
| Figure | Hopscotch | MIT App Inventor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.67/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 2 |
| Spec score · Coding Learning Software | 8.4 (#7) | 8.5 (#5) |
| Integrations | The maker’s pages describe linking to other Hopscotch community projects with an Open Project block. | The documentation covers Web and XML services, Google Sheets, CloudDB, sensors, Google Play uploading and external hardware connections. |
| Privacy | Hopscotch says it does not sell or rent personal information and that it does not sell user data or display ads. | MIT says it tracks site usage and information about projects and their development, and may log IP address operating system and browser software. |
| Support | Hopscotch lists email support at [email protected], and its paid plans include prioritized support. | MIT directs users to a community forum where community experts answer questions, rather than promising commercial support contracts. |
| What it does | Hopscotch is a kid-friendly programming environment for making games, animations, art, and stories without prior coding knowledge. | MIT App Inventor is a browser-based, block-programming environment for creating, testing and sharing mobile apps. |
Plans
Hopscotch
- Free AccountFree
- Play Pass$1.99 a month
- Unlimited$9.99 a month
- Play Pass$19.99 a year
- Unlimited$79.99 a year
- Unlimited$98.40, paid once
In their own words
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a programming environment for making games, animations, art, and stories without prior coding knowledge. Users can follow video tutorials or begin from scratch, then publish projects to a community where others can play and remix them. It runs on Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. The Free Account includes basic characters and essential coding blocks. Play Pass costs $1.99 a month and includes 30 seeds per month, uninterrupted play, and prioritized support. Unlimited costs $9.99 a month and adds drawing tools, custom art uploads, and unlimited drafts and published projects. Hopscotch also offers free educator and classroom accounts, plus lesson plans, though some tutorials require a subscription. Its pages describe the intended audience as ages 10 and up, while the help page describes it as primarily designed for ages 9–15. The parents page advertises a seven-day trial with cancellation at any time. Hopscotch says it does not sell or rent personal information or display ads, and states that its privacy and safety practices are COPPA-compliant.
MIT App Inventor
MIT App Inventor is a free, browser-based platform for creating, testing, and sharing mobile apps with block-based programming. Its Designer is used to choose components, and its Blocks Editor is where users program app behavior. Projects can include games and media, AI for images, sounds, and text, surveys and charts, maps, sensors, and internet-connected devices. The MIT AI2 Companion app supports testing as an app is built on iOS and Android devices over Wi-Fi. Users can share projects for others to load and remix, then package completed apps for installation on Android. Although apps can be built for Android and iOS, the getting-started information says packaged app building and installation are Android-only for now. The browser tool supports Chrome, Firefox, and Safari on most laptops and desktops, plus Chromebooks, iPads, and Android tablets. A Google account is required. Creators own their apps and can download or delete them from the server. MIT says it tracks site usage and project-development information and may log device and browser details.