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Hopscotch

By Hopscotch Technologies (New York). Visit Hopscotch

Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.

A block-coding app where kids build their own games, art and stories on an iPad, iPhone, Mac or web browser. Video tutorials walk them through copies of well-known games, and then they create freely. Finished projects can be published to a moderated community where other kids play, like and remix them. Newer features let creators charge other players in Seeds, an in-app currency, for levels and extras. Teachers get free accounts and lesson plans.

Our take: A good step up from ScratchJr for iPad kids who want to make games; parents who dislike in-app currencies should switch off purchases or skip it.

The facts
Ages it suitsabout 8-13 (App Store lists ages 9-11)
What its terms say about ageThe privacy policy says you must be over 13 to sign up for an account, and that an adult must provide the email and password to create one. Kids can use the app without an account but cannot save work. The terms say a parent who lets a child use it consents for them. (terms)
PriceFree, with paid extras. Free account (Oct 2026). Play Pass $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year; Unlimited $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year; Lifetime Family Pass $98.40 once for up to 5 profiles. 7-day trial.
Works oniPhone and iPad, Mac, Web
AccountA parent's account
AdsNone
In-app purchasesYes
The AI in itNo AI.

What's good

  • Real game-making with blocks on a tablet
  • Moderated community; uploaded drawings are reviewed before publishing
  • No ads and no data selling
  • Free teacher accounts and curriculum

Watch for

  • Seeds virtual currency lets kids pay other kids inside games
  • Best tools sit behind a subscription
  • Community content may still be unsuitable, the terms warn
  • Privacy policy not updated since 2018

Data and privacy

Collects an adult's email for accounts plus anonymous device and usage data (via Amplitude and AWS); says it does not collect IP addresses or location, never sells data, and does no targeted or contextual advertising. Says its practices are certified COPPA-compliant; the policy is dated 2018. Read the privacy policy.

Does it work?

No independent studies found; the maker cites awards and its own lesson plans.

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Where these facts come from

Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.