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Scratch alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll coding apps for kids

Top picks

Common reasons people leave Scratch: blocks hide real syntax, so moving to text languages takes another step, and no official iPhone or iPad app (ScratchJr is a separate, simpler app). We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Scratch, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Snap! currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Snap! logoSnap!Open source—YesWeb5 of 568.8
2Roblox Studio logoRoblox StudioFree—NoWindows, macOS5 of 554.4
3CodeAI (formerly Code.org) logoCodeAI (formerly Code.org)Free—NoWeb5 of 542.3
4Swift Playground logoSwift PlaygroundFree—NoiOS, macOS4 of 442.3
  1. Snap! logo

    1. Snap!Top pick

    Best for: Older students and teachers who've outgrown Scratch and want real computer science concepts in blocks

    Open sourceWeb

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Scratch

    Looks like Scratch but lets you build your own blocks, a good next step for older students.

    Pros

    • Build your own blocks and use first-class lists and functions
    • Runs in any modern browser, offline as a PWA
    • Free and open source, used in university courses

    Cons

    • Smaller community and fewer kid-friendly tutorials than Scratch
    • Interface isn't optimised for tablets
    • No native desktop or mobile app
    Visit Snap! Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Snap! a good Scratch alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 29, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Relation to Scratch
    Extended reimplementation
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snap.berkeley.edu(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Web browser
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snap.berkeley.edu(opens source in a new tab)
    Offline use
    Progressive web app
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snap.berkeley.edu(opens source in a new tab)
    Backed by
    UC Berkeley and SAP
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snap.berkeley.edu(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Roblox Studio logo

    2. Roblox Studio

    Best for: Beginners and creators who want to build multiplayer games for Roblox's existing audience

    FreeWindows, macOS

    54.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Scratch

    A next step for older kids who want to build real 3D games in Lua and publish them for friends to play on Roblox.

    Pros

    • Free, with hosting, servers and multiplayer handled by Roblox
    • Built-in audience across PC, mobile and consoles
    • Real-time team editing in the same place
    • Large free asset library in the Creator Store

    Cons

    • Games only run on Roblox; you can't publish to Steam or app stores
    • Roblox keeps a large cut of Robux sales
    • Scripting is limited to Luau and Roblox's APIs
    • No Linux version
    Visit Roblox Studio Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Roblox Studio a good Scratch alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026create.roblox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026create.roblox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Scripting language
    Luau
    Checked Nov 8, 2026create.roblox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Creator share
    Generally 70% of in-game Robux sales
    Checked Nov 8, 2026create.roblox.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Collaboration
    Real-time team editing
    Checked Nov 8, 2026create.roblox.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. CodeAI (formerly Code.org) logo

    3. CodeAI (formerly Code.org)

    Best for: Teachers and schools wanting a free, structured K-12 computer science and AI curriculum

    FreeWeb

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Scratch

    Free structured courses and lesson plans, from block puzzles to text coding and AI.

    Pros

    • All courses and tools are free and ad-free
    • Complete K-12 pathway with lesson plans and teacher dashboards
    • Openly licensed curriculum under Creative Commons

    Cons

    • Built mainly for classroom use, so self-learners get less guidance
    • Recent rebrand means older guides and links still say Code.org
    • Browser only, with no offline apps
    Visit CodeAI (formerly Code.org) Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CodeAI (formerly Code.org) a good Scratch alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026code.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Former name
    Code.org
    Checked Nov 8, 2026code.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Students reached
    155 million+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026code.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Curriculum licence
    Creative Commons (non-commercial)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026code.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2013
    Checked Nov 8, 2026code.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Swift Playground logo

    4. Swift Playground

    Best for: Kids, students and beginners with an iPad or Mac who want to learn real code and make apps

    FreeiOS, macOS

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Scratch

    A free next step into real Swift code on iPad and Mac.

    Pros

    • Free, with guided puzzle lessons that teach real Swift code
    • Touch-friendly coding on iPad with suggestions as you type
    • Can grow into building and submitting real apps

    Cons

    • Only runs on iPad and Mac
    • Teaches Swift, which is mostly used for Apple platforms
    • Text-based, so harder for young children than block coding
    Visit Swift Playground Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Swift Playground a good Scratch alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    iPad and Mac
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    App building
    SwiftUI, with App Store Connect submission
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Xcode handoff
    Yes, on Mac
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apple.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Scratch alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Snap! logo

Best Scratch alternative for most people

Snap!

Looks like Scratch but lets you build your own blocks, a good next step for older students.

Roblox Studio logo

Best Scratch alternative for a free option

Roblox Studio

A next step for older kids who want to build real 3D games in Lua and publish them for friends to play on Roblox.

Snap! logo

Best Scratch alternative for open source

Snap!

Looks like Scratch but lets you build your own blocks, a good next step for older students.

Swift Playground logo

Best Scratch alternative for Mac

Swift Playground

A free next step into real Swift code on iPad and Mac.

Roblox Studio logo

Best Scratch alternative for Windows

Roblox Studio

A next step for older kids who want to build real 3D games in Lua and publish them for friends to play on Roblox.

CodeAI (formerly Code.org) logo

Best Scratch alternative for working in the browser

CodeAI (formerly Code.org)

Free structured courses and lesson plans, from block puzzles to text coding and AI.

Scratch alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Scratch?

Snap! ranks first right now. Looks like Scratch but lets you build your own blocks, a good next step for older students. Roblox Studio and CodeAI (formerly Code.org) follow it in our ranking.

Scratch vs Snap!: what's the difference?

Scratch is free to use; Snap! is free and open source. Only Scratch runs on Windows, macOS and Android.

Is Scratch free?

Scratch is free to use. Price: Free. Checked on Scratch's own site, November 2026.

Is there a free alternative to Scratch?

Yes. Snap! (open source), Roblox Studio (free), CodeAI (formerly Code.org) (free) and Swift Playground (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Scratch?

Yes: Snap!.

Why do people switch from Scratch?

The complaints we hear most: blocks hide real syntax, so moving to text languages takes another step; no official iPhone or iPad app (ScratchJr is a separate, simpler app); can't build standalone mobile apps.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Scratch, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.