What Bitsbox does

Bitsbox (legal entity Codepops, Inc., Delaware-incorporated) is a Boulder, Colorado-based education technology company founded in 2014 by former Google employees Scott Lininger (CEO) and Aidan Chopra (CCO). The company delivers a monthly subscription product that teaches children ages 6–12 to write real, typed JavaScript/HTML5 code, paired with a cloud-based browser coding environment hosted at bitsbox.com. Each box or digital delivery contains 10–12 Coding Supercards that walk kids through app projects; code typed from the cards into the Bitsbox web editor produces apps that execute on any device with a browser, distributed via auto-generated QR codes. The platform runs on a Firebase backend with a simplified, kid-optimized JavaScript command library and a built-in asset library of stamps, fills, sounds, songs, and fonts.

The product portfolio spans three recurring subscription tiers (Basic at $24.95–$29.95/mo, Premium at $47.95–$54.95/mo, Digital-only at $16.95–$19.95/mo), one-time purchase Coding Project Book sets covering curriculum Levels 1–24 ($99.95–$499.95), classroom multi-pack boxes for Units 4–9 at $199.95/each, Coding Workbooks in 10-packs, and accessory merchandise. Distribution is dual-track: consumer subscription sales are processed through Cratejoy (the embedded subscription commerce platform) and Amazon resellers, while educator and school sales are handled through direct purchase orders, a bulk account creator, and a separate teachers.bitsbox.com portal. The company cultivates an educator community via a dedicated mailing list, the Bitsbox Educators Group on Facebook, and CSforALL organizational membership.

Bitsbox is reported to have reached over 1 million cumulative kid coders across 70+ countries, but subscription products are currently listed as 'Sold Out' on the live website, signaling an inventory or operational pause. The company has raised approximately $3.6 million across disclosed rounds between 2014 and 2022, including a $2.3M round from Stout Street Capital in 2018 and earlier rounds from Rockies Venture Club, Golden Angels Investors, 3Lines, and AAFM. Headcount remains at 1–10 employees and there are no disclosed institutional investors beyond the funding rounds catalogued. The operating business is structured around founder ownership with no parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Bitsbox

Legal name

Codepops, Inc.

Website

https://bitsbox.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bitsbox (Codepops, Inc.) is a Boulder-based education technology company founded in 2014 that delivers monthly subscription boxes teaching children ages 6–12 to write real, typed JavaScript code via physical Coding Supercards paired with a browser-based coding environment, distributed to subscribers in 70+ countries through Cratejoy-powered e-commerce, Amazon, and direct school sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Coding Education

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM & Coding Readiness for Early Learners (EDACANAF)

Keywords

• Kids coding education
• Javascript learning platform
• Subscription coding box
• Stem curriculum kids
• Coding project books

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Physical Subscription Boxes: Monthly subscription boxes (Basic at $24.95-$29.95/mo and Premium at $47.95-$54.95/mo) containing coding project cards, binders, grownup guides, stickers, and toys. Billed monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually with discounts for longer commitments.
2. Digital Subscription: Digital-only subscription at $16.95-$19.95/mo providing printable coding Supercards and Grownup Guide via email. Lower price point with same core curriculum.
3. One-Time Physical Products: One-time purchase products including Coding Project Books (Units 1-12 at $299.95, Levels 13-24 at $299.95, Levels 1-24 at $499.95), Coding Workbooks (individual $9.95, 10-pack $99.95), Trading Cards ($4.99), Tattoo-o-rama ($6.99), Expansion Pack ($14.99), Playing Cards ($6.99), Book of Stamps ($4.99), Kids'/Women's/Men's Shirts ($19.99-$24.99), Storage Container ($40), and Gift Sets ($79.95).
4. School/Classroom Products: Coding Project Book sets for classrooms (10 copies + Educator's Guide for $299.95 per unit), Coding Workbooks (10-pack for $99.95), and Classroom Boxes (Units 4-9 at $199.95 each). Schools can also purchase via purchase orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bitsbox sells monthly subscription boxes (Basic, Premium, and Digital) that combine printed or printable Coding Supercards with access to a cloud-based, browser-hosted coding platform where children ages 6–12 type real JavaScript/HTML5 code to build and share apps. The company also sells one-time Coding Project Book sets, Coding Workbooks, Classroom Boxes, and themed accessories (trading cards, tattoos, stickers, shirts) for use at home and in classrooms.

Product overview

Bitsbox is a coding education platform and subscription product company for kids, combining a cloud-based coding environment (bitsbox.com/code) with physical and digital curriculum materials. The core offering is a monthly subscription (Basic Bitsbox at $29.95/mo, Premium Bitsbox at $54.95/mo, or Digital Bitsbox at $19.95/mo) delivering Coding Supercards and support materials. The platform teaches real, typed JavaScript/HTML5 coding through a simplified command library, where kids ages 6-12 type code from printed or digital project cards into the Bitsbox website to build apps that run on any device with a web browser. Beyond subscriptions, the product portfolio includes one-time purchase Coding Project Book sets for Units 1-12 and 13-24 (ranging from $99.95 to $499.95), classroom-specific multi-pack boxes for Units 4-9, Coding Workbooks for journaling and assessment, the Complete Your Set upgrade bundles, and themed accessories (Trading Cards, Tattoo-o-rama, Expansion Pack, Playing Cards, Book of Stamps, Super Fan Pack, Storage Container). Branded merchandise (Kids', Women's, and Men's Shirts) is also sold. The platform's 24 progressive levels cover computer science concepts from basic coordinates through 3D/perspective, with free online coding activities, a bulk account creator for educators, and COPPA-compliant child privacy practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic Bitsbox Subscription Monthly subscription box ($24.95–$29.95/mo) delivering 10–12 printed Coding Supercards, a Binder, Grownup Guide, stickers, chart, and access to the Bitsbox coding website where kids type real JavaScript code to build and share apps. Targeted at parents of children ages 6–12.
• Premium Bitsbox Subscription Premium monthly subscription box ($47.95–$54.95/mo) including everything in Basic Bitsbox plus Premium Coding Support, extra sticker sheets, Trading Cards, and Temporary Tattoos. For parents wanting more accessories and support for their coding kids.
• Digital Bitsbox Subscription Monthly digital subscription ($16.95–$19.95/mo) providing 10–12 printable Coding Supercards and a printable Grownup Guide via email, plus full access to the Bitsbox coding website. Targeted at parents who want the curriculum without physical shipments.
• Bitsbox Coding Project Books: Levels 1-24 Complete Set One-time purchase ($499.95) of all 24 levels of the Bitsbox curriculum (150+ projects) delivered as printed Coding Project Books with Grownup Guides, sticker sheets, and binders, plus individual coding accounts for each learner.
• Bitsbox Coding Project Books: Levels 1-12 One-time purchase ($299.95) of the first 12 levels of Bitsbox curriculum (100+ projects) as printed Coding Project Books, with Grownup Guides, sticker sheets, and a binder, and separate coding accounts for each learner.
• Bitsbox Coding Project Books: Levels 13-24 One-time purchase ($299.95) of levels 13–24 of the Bitsbox curriculum for advanced coders, delivered as printed Coding Project Books with Grownup Guides and binder.
• Coding Project Book Unit 1: Coordinates & Basic Commands Printed 60-page full-color, perfect-bound educational book introducing 2D coordinates, fill, stamp, and text commands through 10 app projects, with an Educator's Guide that includes code explanations and journaling suggestions. Targeted at classrooms and homeschoolers.
• Coding Project Book Unit 2: Variables & Simple Methods Wire-o spiral-bound full-color printed book teaching variables, strings, booleans, and stamp objects through move, rotate, and size commands across 10 projects, with an Educator's Guide.
• Coding Project Book Unit 3: Conditionals & Screen Interactions Wire-o spiral-bound full-color printed book introducing if/else logic and tap/drag functions for interactive apps across 10 projects (How-Do-I, Project, and Challenge types), with Educator's Guide.
• Classroom Boxes (Units 4–9) Multi-pack sets of 10 copies of Coding Project Books for classroom use covering Units 4 through 9 (Functions, Loops and Collisions, find and forEach, Arrays, Incrementing, and Logical Operators), priced at $199.95 per set. Sold directly to schools via purchase orders.
• Coding Workbooks (10-pack) Pack of 10 student workbooks (40 pages each, perfect bound, full color) with worksheets for journaling, pseudo-coding, app design, and self-reflection, sold for $99.95 per 10-pack. Individual workbook priced at $9.95.
• Complete Your Set Bundles (Levels 4–36) Upgrade bundles to complete physical collections: Levels 4–6 ($99.95), Levels 4–12 ($224.96), Levels 4–24 ($437.45), and Levels 4–36 ($462.95).
• Bitsbox Gift Set One-time gift bundle ($79.95) containing a project book with 20 app coding projects plus trading cards, stickers, stamp book, tattoos, superhero playbook, and toys, packed in the Monsters Storage box.
• Bitsbox Trading Cards Collectible trading card packs ($4.99 per pack, 5 apps per pack) featuring puzzles, simulations, and games, also sold in bulk (30 packs for $100).
• Bitsbox Storage Container Monster-themed cardboard storage box ($40) that holds up to 600 project cards; dimensions 11 3/4 x 8 5/16 x 2 5/8 inches.
• Tattoo-o-rama Randomized collection of Bitsbox temporary tattoos ($6.99) designed by the team and kid-tested, made with 100% vegetable dyes.
• Bitsbox Expansion Pack Accessory pack ($14.99) containing 2 custom posters with all Bitsbox stamps and fills, plus a notepad for planning app designs.
• Bitsbox Playing Cards Custom playing deck ($6.99) themed for game night or magician-in-training.
• Book of Stamps Reference manual ($4.99) for looking up all Bitsbox stamp graphics used in apps.
• Super Fan Pack Bundle ($19.99) of Bitsbox fan merchandise: 3 sheets of stickers, 2 posters, 2 sheets of tattoos, and 1 notepad.
• Bitsbox Kids' Shirt

Quantifiable outcome

• On average, Bitsbox kids do 5-10 projects a month
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CratejoycoreTechnology or IntegrationCratejoy is the subscription commerce platform powering the Bitsbox store, subscription management, order processing, and recurring billing. The Bitsbox website footer and store pages display 'Powered by Cratejoy' branding.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Osmo: Osmo blends physical play pieces with an iPad-based digital environment for educational games including early coding. It mirrors Bitsbox's hybrid physical+digital educational play approach for the same parent demographic and competes for shelf space and gifting dollars.
• Wonder Workshop: Wonder Workshop makes Dash, Dot, and Cue educational robots paired with block- and text-based coding apps for elementary classrooms. It targets the same K-5 CS education buyer (teachers, schools, parents) as Bitsbox's classroom channel and competes in coding-for-kids STEM.
• Scratch: Scratch is MIT's free block-based coding platform for kids and the dominant entry point in K-12 CS education. Bitsbox explicitly positions itself as the 'next step after Scratch,' making Scratch the primary upstream funnel feeder and the primary free alternative compressing Bitsbox's pricing power.
• CodeCombat: CodeCombat teaches real text-based programming (Python, JavaScript) through a game-based environment targeted at students and schools. It shares Bitsbox's typed-code-from-the-start positioning and competes for school coding curriculum budgets.
• Tynker: Tynker is a subscription-based coding education platform for kids that teaches block-based and text-based programming through self-paced courses. It directly competes with Bitsbox for the same 6-12 age group with a pure-digital model, and is the closest comparable subscription competitor named in Bitsbox's own positioning.
• Code.org: Code.org is a nonprofit offering free K-12 computer science curriculum and the Hour of Code initiative. It is named alongside Scratch in Bitsbox customer reviews as a direct comparator and represents the largest free, school-integrated alternative to Bitsbox's paid product.
• Kodable: Kodable is a K-5 coding curriculum platform with a teacher-facing SaaS model and a progression from block- to text-based coding. It directly competes with Bitsbox for elementary CS classroom adoption and overlaps in bridging kids from Scratch-style tools to real code.
• Kano Computing: Kano makes kids' coding kits combining physical hardware (computers, sensors) with a software learning environment, including coding apps. It overlaps with Bitsbox in the kids-coding + physical-product subscription space and shares the dual physical+digital moat.

Broad incumbents

• Sphero: Sphero produces programmable robots and STEM kits used widely in K-12 classrooms. While broader in product scope (robotics hardware plus software), it overlaps with Bitsbox in elementary-school coding education and competes for institutional STEM budgets.
• LEGO Education: LEGO Education delivers K-12 STEM curricula including coding and robotics (e.g., SPIKE Prime, Mindstorms). As a broad incumbent with deep school-distribution, it competes for the same school purchasing budgets as Bitsbox's Classroom Boxes and Coding Project Books.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bitsboxkids
• Facebookfacebook.com/bitsboxkids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bitsbox

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bitsbox