CodeIt guide
What is actually free, and which one should we use?
Six platforms that cost nothing, what each is genuinely good at, and which one to pick by what your child wants to make. Every claim checked against the source.
Short answer: Scratch if your child is new or under about 9. Code.org if you want structured lessons with no account overhead. freeCodeCamp if they are a teenager who wants to write real code. Everything below is checked against each product's own words, quoted, on 29 August 2026.
There is a lot of "free" in this category that means a free trial, or a free tier that ends at lesson three. These do not: no subscription, no card, and nothing that stops working after a month. All of them are coding websites you open in a browser, and all of them teach real programming rather than a toy version of it.
If you are here because you want your child learning to code without paying, the honest answer is that you can, indefinitely, and most families never need to spend anything.
| Tool | What is free | Best for | Roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch | All of it, permanently | A first experience, dragging blocks rather than typing | Under about 9, and up |
| Code.org, now CodeAI | Curriculum, tools and teacher resources | Structured lessons with no account overhead | Primary and secondary |
| Google CS First | Every lesson, any number of students | A teacher or parent who wants a ready-made unit | Primary and lower secondary |
| freeCodeCamp | Courses, projects and certifications | A teenager who has decided they want to write real code | Teenagers |
| The p5.js Web Editor | The editor and the library, open source | Visual and generative work in real JavaScript | Teenagers |
Every claim in that column is quoted from the product's own words further down this page.
Scratch
Free, permanently. The Scratch Foundation states plainly: "Scratch is free for everyone. Supporters make that possible."
Block-based, from MIT, and still the best on-ramp that exists. A child drags blocks together rather than typing, which removes the entire category of problem where a missing semicolon ends the session in tears.
Best for: a first ever coding experience, and for children who want to make animations and games and share them.
Where it stops: blocks are a floor, not a ceiling. A child who has been in Scratch for two years and wants to build a real web page will need something else, which is the single most common question parents ask in this category.
Code.org, now CodeAI
Free, and they have said so again recently. The organisation rebranded to CodeAI on 2 June 2026, the Hour of Code became the Hour of AI, and they will "continue to provide free curriculum, tools, and professional learning resources." The URL did not change and the site is still live, despite a lot of secondhand writing suggesting otherwise.
Best for: structured courses, a class or a group, and anyone who wants a path laid out rather than a blank page.
Where it stops: it is closed-ended by design. A child who wants to build their own thing and send someone a link will find the walls quickly.
Google CS First
Free, unambiguously. Google's own wording: "CS First is totally free of charge — any number of students, all materials, as many lessons as you want."
Video tutorials with block coding built on Scratch, organised into themed units like sports, art and game design.
Best for: a teacher or a parent who wants a ready-made unit with videos, rather than assembling one.
Where it stops: it is Scratch underneath, so it inherits both the strengths and the ceiling.
freeCodeCamp
Free, including the certificates. Their words: "Every aspect of freeCodeCamp is 100% free. The courses, the projects, even the certifications." Project-based, in the browser, covering web development, JavaScript, Python and a great deal more.
Best for: a motivated teenager who has decided they want to be able to build things properly.
Where it stops: it was not designed for children. There is no hand-holding, no age gating in the interface, and the tone assumes an adult career-changer. A 10-year-old will usually bounce off it, and that is not a criticism of freeCodeCamp. It is not what they built.
The p5.js Web Editor
Free and open source. p5.js describes itself as "a free and open-source JavaScript library built by an inclusive, nurturing community", and the web editor runs in the browser.
Best for: a teenager who wants to make visual, generative, drawing-based things in real JavaScript with nothing to install.
Where it stops: nothing about it is designed for children, and nothing guides you. It is a blank editor and a library, which is exactly right for some people and useless for others.
What about the paid ones
Tynker is the main paid option at this age range: $18/month billed quarterly, $15/month billed yearly at $180, or $468 lifetime, covering up to three children, checked 26 August 2026. It is genuinely better than the free options for pre-readers and for Minecraft and Roblox modding. If neither of those describes your child, start with the free tools and see whether you ever run out of them. Most families do not.
There is more detail in Tynker alternatives, including when to stay.
Disclosure: we make one of these
CodeIt has a free plan with no card: ten AI-assisted project builds a month, and the Python lessons and playground stay free regardless. The paid family plan is CA$12 a month, cancellable at any time, in Canadian dollars.
A learner describes a website, game or quiz, plays what comes back, and changes it by moving things and picking colours. A separate view shows what the finished project is made of and opens the lesson behind each idea in it.
Where we fit that the list above does not: the gap between Scratch and freeCodeCamp, a child roughly 8 to 16 who has outgrown blocks but is not going to sit through an adult curriculum. That gap is the reason CodeIt exists, and if your child is not in it, one of the free tools above is the better answer and this page has tried to say which.
What we do not do: no rostering, no LMS integration, no standards alignment, no teacher dashboards. Not a schools product.
How to use this page
Pick by what the child wants to make, not by what the platform claims to teach. A child who wants a game and a child who wants a website will quit different tools at different speeds, and the free ones cost nothing to try, so try two.
Common questions
Is Scratch free? Yes, permanently. The Scratch Foundation says it plainly on its own site: "Scratch is free for everyone. Supporters make that possible." There is no paid tier, no trial, and nothing that stops working.
What are the best free coding websites for kids? Checked on 29 August 2026: Scratch for a first experience, Code.org for structured lessons, Google CS First if you want ready-made video units, freeCodeCamp for a teenager who wants to write real code, and the p5.js Web Editor for visual work in real JavaScript. All five are free without a card, and each entry on this page quotes the product's own wording.
Can my child learn to code without paying anything? Yes, indefinitely. Most families never need to spend anything. The free tools above cover a first experience through to real JavaScript, and the only gaps worth paying for are icon coding for pre-readers and Minecraft or Roblox modding.
Is there a free alternative to Tynker? For most of what Tynker does, yes. Scratch covers the block years, Code.org covers structured courses, and Google CS First covers ready-made units. The two things the free tools do not replace are icon coding for children who cannot read fluently and the Minecraft and Roblox integrations. If neither of those describes your child, start free and see whether you ever run out.
Is freeCodeCamp suitable for children? It is free, including the certifications, and it is excellent, but it was not designed for children. There is no hand-holding and the tone assumes an adult changing careers. A 10-year-old will usually bounce off it. A motivated teenager will not.
What is the catch with free coding platforms? Usually that "free" means a trial or a tier that ends a few lessons in. The five on this page do not work that way: no subscription, no card, and nothing that expires. The real limit is scope rather than billing. Scratch has a ceiling, Code.org is closed-ended by design, and the two teenager tools guide you not at all.
Questions parents ask first
Is Scratch free?
Yes, permanently. The Scratch Foundation says it plainly on its own site: "Scratch is free for everyone. Supporters make that possible." There is no paid tier, no trial, and nothing that stops working.
What are the best free coding websites for kids?
Checked on 29 August 2026: Scratch for a first experience, Code.org for structured lessons, Google CS First if you want ready-made video units, freeCodeCamp for a teenager who wants to write real code, and the p5.js Web Editor for visual work in real JavaScript. All five are free without a card, and each entry on this page quotes the product's own wording.
Can my child learn to code without paying anything?
Yes, indefinitely. Most families never need to spend anything. The free tools above cover a first experience through to real JavaScript, and the only gaps worth paying for are icon coding for pre-readers and Minecraft or Roblox modding.
Is there a free alternative to Tynker?
For most of what Tynker does, yes. Scratch covers the block years, Code.org covers structured courses, and Google CS First covers ready-made units. The two things the free tools do not replace are icon coding for children who cannot read fluently and the Minecraft and Roblox integrations. If neither of those describes your child, start free and see whether you ever run out.
Is freeCodeCamp suitable for children?
It is free, including the certifications, and it is excellent, but it was not designed for children. There is no hand-holding and the tone assumes an adult changing careers. A 10-year-old will usually bounce off it. A motivated teenager will not.
What is the catch with free coding platforms?
Usually that "free" means a trial or a tier that ends a few lessons in. The five on this page do not work that way: no subscription, no card, and nothing that expires. The real limit is scope rather than billing. Scratch has a ceiling, Code.org is closed-ended by design, and the two teenager tools guide you not at all.
What you can do on CodeIt
Last verified 2026-08-29.