Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a project-based programming environment for children learning to make games, animations, art and stories. It suits young beginners and educators looking for creative coding activities. Its free account covers basic creation, but richer art tools and uncapped project publishing sit behind the $9.99-per-month Unlimited plan.

Overview

Hopscotch makes projects the route into programming: children can follow video tutorials or begin from scratch, then publish work for others to play and remix. That gives learners a tangible outcome and a community audience, rather than a course built only around lessons. The trade-off is that the free account has essential coding blocks and basic characters, while several creative tools and unlimited project capacity require a subscription.

Hopscotch is designed for ages 10 and up, with its primary audience also described as ages 9–15. Educators can use free educator accounts, classroom accounts and lesson plans, although some tutorials require a subscription.

Key features

• Project-based coding: Children can make games, animations, art and stories without prior coding knowledge. Tutorials offer a guided starting point; scratch creation better suits learners ready to experiment independently.
• Sharing and remixing: Community members can play and remix published projects, giving children a way to learn from one another's work. The educator page describes the community as fully moderated and COPPA-compliant.
• Creative tools: Unlimited adds drawing tools, custom art uploads, exclusive characters and additional coding blocks. These matter most to children who want to make projects visually their own; they are not part of the basic free creation offer.
• Project links: An Open Project block can link to other Hopscotch community projects, useful for connecting related work.
• Privacy and safety: Hopscotch says it does not sell or rent personal information, sell user data or display ads, and says its practices are certified COPPA-compliant. It also says it investigates breaches involving personal information and trains staff on app security concerns.

Pricing

Hopscotch is freemium, with a free account, a 7 day trial advertised for parents and two paid plans billed monthly. The trial can be cancelled at any time.

Play Pass is the lower-cost paid option, but its listed benefits focus on play, seeds and support; it does not include the creative tools and unlimited project capacity in Unlimited. The free account has no monthly seeds, and its coding blocks and characters are basic. Paid plans include prioritized support; email support is available at [email protected].

Platforms

Hopscotch is available on Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows. Mobile apps give children a way to create on phones or tablets, while web and desktop support broaden access to computers.

Who it's for

Hopscotch is best suited to children roughly ages 9–15 who want to learn programming by making and sharing projects. It is also a fit for educators seeking classroom accounts and lesson plans, with the caveat that some tutorials require a subscription. Adults seeking a conventional programming course, or children who only need a basic introduction without subscriptions, may prefer a different learning format.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Tutorials and scratch creation support both guided beginners and children ready to experiment.
• Pro: Sharing and remixing let learners engage with other children's projects, within a moderated community.
• Pro: Free educator and classroom options make it relevant for structured learning as well as home use.
• Con: The free account has 0 monthly seeds and only essential blocks and basic characters, limiting the breadth of creation.
• Con: Drawing tools, custom uploads and unlimited drafts and published projects require the $9.99-per-month Unlimited plan.
• Con: Some tutorials require a subscription, so educators cannot assume every learning resource is included with a free account.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Coding Learning Software. Choose MIT App Inventor instead if the goal is a free educational platform for building Android and iOS apps. CodeHS is a better fit for teachers seeking a free plan with 100+ courses, a browser-based editor and automatic code submission and section management. Progate offers introductory lessons free, with a paid 12-month plan at $9.92, paid once.

Scratch is another free platform for creating and sharing projects. Mimo may suit learners who prefer mobile courses and career paths, though its free Basic plan limits access. freeCodeCamp is a free, open-source option for those who want coursework use under its BSD-3 license. Scrimba offers free introductory courses and challenges alongside paid learning. Edabit is worth considering for free coding challenges.

Verdict

Hopscotch is a strong choice for children who learn best by making games and other creative projects, especially when sharing and remixing can keep them engaged. Its free account provides a way in, and free educator options widen its classroom appeal. Look elsewhere if the priority is a free, full-featured creation environment: custom art and drawing tools, as well as unlimited drafts and published projects, require Unlimited at $9.99 a month.