SATs Arcade vs SATs Companion — Which Is Right for Your Child?
Both platforms help children prepare for KS2 SATs. But the approach and the experience are very different. Here's an honest comparison to help you decide.
At a glance
The Quick Verdict
SATs Companion has a larger question bank (40,000+), making it a solid content library. SATs Arcade wins on engagement (gamification, battles, leagues), mobile support, wrong-answer explanations, and family value — one subscription covers four children rather than charging per child. If your child needs motivation as much as they need questions, SATs Arcade is the better choice.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
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| Feature | SATs Arcade | SATs Companion |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 5 lives/day (forever) | 14-day trial only |
| Question bank | 25,300+ questions | 40,000+ questions |
| Gamification | XP, levels, leagues, battles, 190+ achievements, coin shop | Certificates and trophies only |
| Mobile support | PWA (works on any device) | "Phones not recommended" |
| Wrong answer explanations | Yes — every question | Limited — mainly right/wrong marking |
| Mock tests | Full timed mocks + mini diagnostics | 10 practice papers |
| Real-time battles | Yes (play with friends) | No |
| Parent dashboard | Comprehensive (predicted grades, benchmarking) | Basic progress tracking |
| Dark mode | Yes | No |
| School contracts | Flexible monthly/annual | Fixed-term — check current terms |
| Family plan | One subscription covers 4 children | Priced per child |
Information gathered from public websites, Trustpilot, and app stores. Last updated June 2026.
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Start Free →Why Parents Are Switching from SATs Companion
No free tier after the trial
SATs Companion's 14-day trial is the only taste you get. Once it expires, you're locked out completely. SATs Arcade gives 5 lives every day, forever — enough for daily practice without ever paying a penny.
Less teaching when answers are wrong
SATs Companion's public materials centre on marking and scores rather than step-by-step teaching, so check their current product for how much feedback it gives. Every SATs Arcade question comes with a worked explanation of where the answer went wrong and how to fix it next time.
"Phones not recommended"
SATs Companion tells parents that phones aren't recommended for their platform. SATs Arcade is a PWA that works beautifully on any device — phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. Children practise wherever they are.
Where's the fun?
Certificates and trophies are nice, but they don't keep a 10-year-old coming back day after day. SATs Arcade has XP, leagues, real-time battles with friends, 190+ achievements, and a coin shop. Revision that feels like play.
Where SATs Companion Wins
We believe in honest comparisons. Here's where SATs Companion has the edge.
Sheer question volume
SATs Companion advertises 40,000+ questions across their platform. SATs Arcade currently has 25,300+ carefully curated questions with more added weekly. The practical context: a child practising 20 questions a day for the eight months from September to SATs week sees roughly 4,800 questions in total. Our bank is already more than twice that. If your child needs raw volume above all else, SATs Companion has the larger library — but most children preparing for SATs benefit far more from quality practice with wrong-answer explanations than from an endless question treadmill.
Transparent by design
How we compared
This comparison was compiled from SATs Companion's public pricing and feature pages, free-trial terms and published product guidance. We also make SATs Arcade, so read our verdicts as a maker's opinion, not an independent review. Prices and features change, so check SATs Companion's current website before you buy.
Last reviewed: June 2026
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