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Minecraft Education
By Mojang Studios / Microsoft. Visit Minecraft Education
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A school version of Minecraft with lessons and worlds for math, science, history, coding and digital citizenship. Students build, explore and code in shared worlds that a teacher sets up, with classroom tools such as a camera, portfolio and code builder. It needs a Microsoft 365 education license, usually from school, though camps and clubs can buy licenses. It includes free AI-literacy and online-safety worlds.
Our take: Worth it when a school uses it with good lessons; families at home are better served by regular Minecraft plus the free educational worlds.
| Ages it suits | about 5-18 (K-12) |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Use is set up by schools through Microsoft 365 Education accounts. The license makes the school responsible for any parental consent students need and for age-appropriate content. (terms) |
| Price | Through schools. $5.04 per user per year for qualified schools; $36 per user per year for camps, clubs and other organizations; free trial available (Oct 2026). |
| Works on | Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | A school account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI tutor for students; Microsoft offers AI-literacy lessons and an AI lesson-planning tool for teachers. |
What's good
- Kids already love Minecraft
- Large free lesson library across subjects
- Teacher controls over shared worlds
- Low per-student price for schools
Watch for
- Needs a school or organization license; not a home purchase for most families
- Large download (1.4 GB on iOS)
- Learning depends heavily on the teacher's lesson design
- App rated 9+ for mild fantasy violence and in-world chat
Data and privacy
Data is handled under Microsoft's privacy statement; the iOS app lists name, email, user ID and purchase history as linked to the user. The license says the software sends usage information to Microsoft to run and improve services. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
Peer-reviewed reviews report gains in motivation and some subject learning, with caveats. Minecraft's own blog reports a 2019 study with Queensland University of Technology (307 students) showing better math understanding and confidence; Microsoft partnered on that study.
In the Big Index
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Where these facts come from
- https://education.minecraft.net/
- https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/get-started/parents
- https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/licensing
- https://edusupport.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/4405348643092-Minecraft-Education-End-User-License-Agreements-EULA-
- https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/eula-demo
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/minecraft-education/id1196524622
- https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/blog/new-study-understanding-the-impact-of-minecraft-in-the-math-classroom
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.