Blooket is better for younger or mixed classes that want variety and a generous free plan. Gimkit is better for older students who enjoy strategy, though its free plan rotates only about three modes. For a score that carries across lessons, Class Cortex is the top pick, and Kahoot and Wayground are also worth knowing.
Ask a Year 8 class what game they want to play and the answer is usually one of two names. Blooket and Gimkit both turn a question set into a live game that students play on their own devices, both let students join without accounts, and both have a free plan. So which one should you actually use?
The short answer is that they reward different things. Blooket is about variety and luck: lots of game modes, cute collectible characters and swings of fortune that keep weaker students in the game. Gimkit is about strategy: students earn in-game money for correct answers and decide how to spend it. This comparison covers how each one works, what the free plans really include in 2026, pricing, and which classes each suits.
Blooket vs Gimkit: The Core Difference
In Blooket, every correct answer earns a chance at something: gold to steal, a fishing cast, a tower to defend, a race step. The game modes are very different from each other, which keeps the format fresh, and luck plays a big part, so a student who is not strongest at the content can still win. Students pick a Blook, a collectible character, when they join.
In Gimkit, correct answers earn in-game cash, and students choose how to spend it: upgrades that earn more per answer, power-ups, or in some modes ways to affect other players. The thinking is closer to an economy game. Strong students who answer quickly and invest well tend to pull ahead, which older students often enjoy and some younger or less confident students find discouraging.
Game Modes and Free Plans
This is where the two differ most in 2026. According to Gimkit's own help centre, the free Gimkit Basic plan includes featured modes, rostering and reports with no cap on students, but generally only three free game modes at any given time, since the free modes rotate. Gimkit Pro unlocks all modes, homework Assignments and image and audio uploads.
Blooket's free plan is more generous. Third-party reviews in 2026 describe it as unlimited question sets, live games of up to 60 players and homework assigned up to 14 days ahead, with Blooket listing more than 25 game modes, of which a handful are Plus-only. Blooket Plus raises the player limit to 300 in most modes and adds the Plus-only modes and enhanced reports.
Pricing in 2026
Gimkit Pro costs USD $59.88 a year or $14.99 a month, per Gimkit's help centre. Blooket shows its prices inside your account rather than on a public page; 2026 reviews report Blooket Plus at about USD $59.88 a year billed annually, with a monthly Plus Flex option at about $9.99. Both offer group or school pricing on request. Check both sites before you buy, since prices change.
Student Accounts and Joining
Neither tool needs student accounts for a live game. Blooket's help centre states that only the teacher needs an account: students join with a Game ID, QR code or link. Gimkit student accounts are also optional for live games and assignments. In both cases, student accounts unlock extras, such as Blooks and stats in Blooket and classes and cosmetics in Gimkit, which is why many students end up making one anyway.
Which Year Levels Each One Suits
Blooket's bright, cartoon style lands best in primary and the junior secondary years, and its luck-heavy modes are kind to mixed-ability classes. Gimkit tends to suit Years 8 to 10 and above, where students enjoy the strategy and the competition is part of the fun. Plenty of teachers use both: Blooket for a light review and Gimkit when the class wants something more competitive.
Blooket vs Gimkit Comparison
| Feature | Blooket | Gimkit | Class Cortex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core mechanic | Varied modes, luck | Earn and spend strategy | Whole-class Boss Battle |
| Free plan | 60 players, most modes | About 3 rotating modes | Free tier, 5 questions |
| Paid plan (yearly) | About USD $60 | USD $59.88 | AUD $49 |
| Student accounts | Optional | Optional | None |
| Score after the game | Resets | Resets | Squad XP all term |
Where Class Cortex Fits
Both Blooket and Gimkit are built around a single game session. When the round ends, the leaderboard resets and nothing carries into the next lesson. Class Cortex is a free classroom dashboard that adds that missing layer: individual and squad XP that builds all term, with a Boss Battle game mode for live review and no student accounts at all.
What Class Cortex Adds Around Your Quiz Games
- Boss Battle: students join at classcortex.com/join by QR code and answer on their own devices; the class wins or loses together, and defeating the boss adds +100 class XP. Up to 5 questions free, 20 on Pro.
- Squad XP that persists: 2 to 6 squads with their own XP bars, so a strong Blooket or Gimkit session can be rewarded on a standing that lasts all term.
- Training Sim: four free mini-games that need no question writing at all.
- Sonic Defence Noise Monitor: visual alarm and Quiet Streak XP on the free tier; automatic XP deduction on Pro.
It works alongside either quiz game rather than instead of it. Run a Gimkit round on Thursday, then award +10 XP to the squads that played best, and the result counts toward the same standings as everything else that week. For the persistent-XP argument in full, see our guides to the best games like Gimkit and the best Blooket alternative for secondary teachers.
Other Blooket and Gimkit Alternatives Worth Knowing About
Kahoot is the most familiar quiz format: students join with a game PIN and a nickname, and the music, countdown and podium are instantly recognisable, though older students can find it predictable. Wayground, formerly Quizizz, is strongest for self-paced quiz practice and homework rather than a fast live race. Our Kahoot alternative guide compares the wider field.
Like Blooket and Gimkit, both are session-based. Class Cortex is the one option here that keeps squad XP, a noise monitor and live games running across every lesson with no student accounts, which is why many teachers pair it with whichever quiz game their class prefers.
Which One Is Right for You?
Choose Blooket if you teach younger or mixed-ability classes, want the most from a free plan and value variety. Choose Gimkit if your students are older, enjoy strategy and you are happy to pay for Pro or work with the rotating free modes. And if you want either game to count for something after the bell, add Class Cortex for free and let the quiz results feed a squad standing that runs all term.
No student accounts. No credit card. No install.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blooket or Gimkit better for high school?
Gimkit usually suits older secondary students better, because its earn-and-spend strategy rewards planning and competition that Years 8 to 10 and above tend to enjoy. Blooket's cartoon style and luck-based modes land best with primary and junior secondary classes, though plenty of high school teachers use it for light review.
Is Blooket free?
Yes. Blooket has a free plan that 2026 reviews describe as unlimited question sets, live games of up to 60 players and homework assigned up to 14 days ahead. Blooket Plus, reported at about USD $59.88 a year, raises the player limit to 300 in most modes and adds Plus-only game modes.
How many game modes does Gimkit's free plan include?
According to Gimkit's help centre, the free Gimkit Basic plan generally includes three free game modes at any given time, since the free modes rotate. Gimkit Pro, at USD $59.88 a year or $14.99 a month, unlocks every mode plus homework assignments and image and audio uploads.
Do students need accounts for Blooket or Gimkit?
No. Students can join live games in both without an account. Blooket students join with a Game ID, QR code or link, and Gimkit student accounts are optional for live games and assignments. Accounts only unlock extras such as collectible characters, stats and cosmetics.
Does Blooket or Gimkit save points between games?
Not in a way that builds a class standing. Each game has its own leaderboard that resets when the session ends. To keep a running score across lessons, teachers add a persistent system such as Class Cortex, where squad XP builds all term and quiz results can be rewarded with XP after each game.
What are other alternatives to Blooket and Gimkit besides Class Cortex?
Kahoot is the most familiar live quiz, with students joining by PIN and nickname. Wayground, formerly Quizizz, is strongest for self-paced quiz practice and homework. Both are session-based like Blooket and Gimkit, while Class Cortex keeps squad XP, a noise monitor and live games running across every lesson with no student accounts.
Further Reading
