Alternatives to Scratch

A free block-based programming language and online community for making interactive stories, games and animations. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

  • Scratch

    A free block-based programming language and online community for making interactive stories, games and animations.

    FreeProprietaryWeb

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Scratch.

  • MakeCode Arcade

    Learn game programming with blocks and code in a browser.

    FreeOpen sourceWeb

    MakeCode Arcade is open source under MIT and teaches game programming with blocks and code in the browser, with support for compatible handheld game hardware.

  • KTurtle

    An educational programming environment from KDE that teaches coding by drawing with turtle graphics.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    KTurtle is an open-source KDE desktop app for Windows and Linux that teaches coding with typed turtle graphics commands instead of Scratch's visual blocks and online community.

  • BlocksCAD

    A browser-based tool for creating 3D models with block-based visual programming, aimed at schools.

    FreemiumProprietaryWeb

    BlocksCAD uses block-based programming in the browser to create 3D models, with teacher dashboards, though education features need a trial or school code.

  • Thonny

    A Python IDE for beginners that comes bundled with Python and includes a simple debugger.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Thonny is a desktop Python IDE for Windows, macOS and Linux, so beginners write text code with a simple debugger instead of snapping visual blocks.

  • Sonic Pi

    A free live-coding music synth where you write simple code to compose and perform music.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Sonic Pi is an open-source desktop app where beginners learn coding by writing code that makes music, rather than building games and animations from blocks.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Scratch as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • Mimo

    An interactive app for learning to code in Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, SQL and more.

    FreemiumProprietaryAndroidWeb

    Scratch is free and uses visual blocks instead of typed code, aimed at children and beginners, and runs in the browser with a large community for sharing projects.

  • Sololearn

    An app for learning programming and AI topics through short interactive lessons on web and mobile.

    FreemiumProprietaryAndroidiOSWeb

    Scratch is free, uses visual blocks instead of typed code, and runs in the browser with a large community for sharing projects.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.