Tynker vs. CodaKid: Which is Better?

If you want to compare Tynker vs. CodaKid, two of the popular platforms for kids to learn to code, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s be honest, everyone claims to be the best in the game, but not every website may be the right choice for you or your kid. Ultimately, you want a course that’s both fun and knowledgeable enough for your child.

Both Tynker and CodaKid are popular with parents and schools alike. Both these platforms sell licenses to schools and academies. While both essentially teach young kids coding, their approach and content are a little different.

Let’s do an overview of each and then compare them in different areas to determine which one is a better choice for you.

Best Online Coding Classes for Kids

Tynker Overview

Tynker is a learning system for kids as young as five years old to learn to code. It provides self-paced courses and activities designed based on children’s age.
For very young children, it’s mostly visual block courses that are age-appropriate and make it easier for them to get a taste of coding through games and activities. They also offer language-based coding after kids have learned visual-based coding.

Parents can subscribe for monthly or yearly subscriptions for just one kid or for the whole family. They also have some multi-year subscriptions that can come in handy for families with multiple kids in different classes.

Collectively, its hundreds of hours of teaching expanded over different courses, levels, and languages.

CodaKid Overview

CodaKid is an award-winning platform for kids to learn how to code through self-paced videos and actual programming languages. They also offer one-on-one private lessons with tutors for those kids who are very serious about programming or may not be learning enough from the video tutorials.

Like Tynker, there are monthly and annual subscriptions for families. Kids can also take a 14-day free trial to see how they like the courses. Those seeking tutor-based classes get to learn from tutors from some of the best universities in the US, including MIT.

The languages kids can learn on CodaKid include Python, Java, HTML, Javascript, and Arduino. They also teach Unreal Engine 4, which is visual block coding for creating games (it’s the same engine used for creating Fortnite).

Tynker vs. CodaKid: Comparison

Let’s find out how each one fares in different categories:

Course Content

Tynker’s visual block coding content is undoubtedly one of the best right now, as they have spent a lot of time improving it over the years. The inclusion of popular game/cartoon franchises such as Minecraft, Barbie, and Star Wars only makes things more interesting for young kids.

They do offer text-based learning as well, but that’s only reserved for older kids who have some coding experience or have successfully covered the visual block coding courses.

It’s clear that creativity is at the core of the Tynker curriculum, as its creators have focused a lot on the graphics of the courses.

The courses are well-designed and clearly set the expectations in the beginning, showing kids what they’ll learn toward the end.

On the other hand, CodaKid’s courses are based on real applications and real-world tools. With app development, web development, and game development, kids get to learn coding through actual applications.

Although much like Tynker, the course content is video-based, the way it’s delivered is different, especially for young children. You can say that their approach is more like how teachers would teach in a classroom. That’s not to say that the videos aren’t graphical and fun, but the focus is more on learning than playing with the tools.

Technology

Almost all Tynker’s courses are entirely web-based. This is advantageous because kids can access the courses from any device. Some courses are also available for iPad or Android tablets, so they can access them through a mobile device.

CodaKid is half web-based and half software-based. So kids have to download the software environment to practice on, which means they must use the computer they have downloaded the software on. The good thing is that they have the software to practice on later, even after the course has finished.

CodaKid uses some of the tools that real programmers use, so kids get the expsoure to the same programs for creating applications.

Support

Tynker is mostly designed to be a self-learning experience. There aren’t any tutors to help students during the course or otherwise.

There is a lot of help material for kids, including answer books. If learning at home, they’ll most likely ask you questions.
CodaKid has a mentor program as well where children can message mentors and ask questions.

Note that this is different from their one-on-one courses, which involve a dedicated teacher. These mentors provide support through messages, screenshots, and even screen shares.

Ease of Use

Tynker has a bit of an advantage when it comes to ease of setup and use as it’s entirely web-based. Children can start learning from the get-go. On the other hand, on CodaKid, they have to download the software beforehand, depending on the course.

Overall ease of use, as far as instructions are concerned, is pretty comparable as both the platforms try to make it easier for kids to learn to code. However, Tynker definitely has the edge for younger kids with its visual block coding.

Pricing

Tynker offers several plans and subscriptions options for just one kid or the entire family (several accounts). The prices vary by the number of courses and the features of the program.

CodaKid has an easier-to-manage subscription model that gives access to all the courses (currently 70 courses and new ones are added frequently).

CodaKid offers a 14-day free trial, whereas Tynker has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Tynker vs. CodaKid: Verdict

As you can see, both Tynker and CodaKid are suitable options for kids to learn coding. Both cover a wide range of programming languages and concepts with fun videos and lots of activities. It ultimately comes down to children’s age and interests.

CodaKid is recommended for kids aged eight and up. So if you have a kid younger than that, Tynker is a better option as it’s appropriate for kids aged five and up.
Similarly, for kids who can’t wait to become professional developers, CodaKid may be a better option as it prepares them to use the tools right from the beginning.

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