Is Kubrio or Scratch better for my kid?
Both are about making. Scratch is free, run by a nonprofit, and goes deep on one craft, coding. Kubrio is paid and has four studios: your kid draws on paper, then directs AI to finish a movie, a game, a comic, or a robot. Pick Scratch for coding depth. Look at Kubrio for range across kinds of making, starting from your kid's own drawing.
Scratch and Kubrio are on the same side of the line that matters most: your kid makes things instead of only watching them. The real differences are the craft, the cost, and where the idea starts.
Disclosure: I'm Vlad, and I built Kubrio. Facts about Scratch are from the Scratch Foundation's website as of October 2026.
What to look for
- Does your kid want to code, or to make a movie, a game, a comic, or a robot?
- Is free important?
- Where does the project start? In an editor, or on paper?
- How much structure does your kid need to finish?
What Scratch is good at
Scratch is one of the best things on the internet for kids. It's free for everyone. It started at the MIT Media Lab in 2007, and since 2019 it has been run by the Scratch Foundation, an independent nonprofit. Kids snap code blocks together to build games, animations, and interactive stories, and share them with a huge community.
The blocks lower the floor without lowering the ceiling. A coding-obsessed kid can go a long way.
Who Scratch fits
- Kids who want to learn to code and go deep.
- Families who want a free option.
- Kids who enjoy figuring things out in an open editor.
How Kubrio is designed
Kubrio has four studios: Animation Studio, Game Studio, Comic Studio, and Robotics Studio, which is in beta. Every project starts on paper. Your kid draws the character, the hero, or the robot, then directs AI to build the rest. Your kid decides the story, the rules, and when it's done. Each project has clear steps and ends with a premiere: a public page family and friends can open, which you or your kid can make private anytime.
Coding is part of it, too. The Code with Blocks guides are free, with no account, and in Robotics Studio your kid programs how the robot moves with command tiles. For the bigger question, see why kids should learn to code when AI can write code.
On the criteria above, Kubrio is designed for range across kinds of making, a first step on paper, and clear steps to a finished piece.
Side by side
| Scratch | Kubrio | |
|---|---|---|
| Main craft | Coding with blocks | Movies, games, comics, and robots |
| Where it starts | The editor | A drawing on paper |
| Role of AI | None built in | Your kid directs AI to finish the piece |
| Cost | Free | $12, $49, or $99 a month per kid; free guides |
| Run by | The Scratch Foundation, a nonprofit | Kubrio |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kubrio like Scratch?
In spirit, yes: both are about making. In practice, Scratch is a coding editor, and Kubrio is four studios that start with a drawing on paper.
Is Scratch free, and is Kubrio free?
Scratch is free. Kubrio's studios and courses need a plan: Kubrio Learn is $12 a month per kid, Kubrio One is $49 a month for one studio plus Learn, and Kubrio Unlimited is $99 a month for every studio plus Learn. Kubrio's drawing and coding guides are free, with no account. See [pricing](/pricing).
Should my coding-obsessed kid use Scratch or Kubrio?
Start with Scratch for coding depth. Kubrio fits when your kid wants to make movies, games, comics, or robots too.
Can I use both?
Yes. A kid can code in Scratch on Tuesday and make an animated movie in Kubrio on Wednesday.
Does the AI in Kubrio do the work for my kid?
No. Every project starts with your kid's drawing, and your kid makes the decisions. AI helps turn them into the finished piece.