MIT App Inventor vs Scrimba
MIT App Inventor
appinventor.mit.edu
Scrimba
scrimba.comSide by side
| Figure | MIT App Inventor | Scrimba |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $24.50/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 6 |
| Spec score · Coding Learning Software | 8.5 (#5) | 8.5 (#6) |
| Integrations | The documentation covers Web and XML services, Google Sheets, CloudDB, sensors, Google Play uploading and external hardware connections. | Explain can be created from Scrimba, ChatGPT or Codex, Claude Code and other MCP tools, GitHub pull requests, and the Chrome extension. |
| System requirements | Supported desktop systems listed include macOS, Windows and GNU/Linux; Chrome, Firefox and Safari are supported browsers, and Internet Explorer is not. | Scrimba says no IDE installation is needed; the editor runs in a modern browser with an internet connection. |
| What it does | MIT App Inventor is a browser-based, block-programming environment for creating, testing and sharing mobile apps. | Scrimba is a browser-based coding education platform built around interactive screencasts called scrims. |
Plans
Scrimba
- FreemiumFree
- Pro$49 a month
- Scrimba Pro$49 a month
- Pro$294 a year
- Scrimba Pro$294 a year
- Pro TeamsPriced on request
In their own words
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.