# A Pocket Teacher vs Brilliant

The clearest difference is price: Brilliant at Free against A Pocket Teacher's $0.99. Brilliant also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.6) and update cadence (weekly vs every 38 months). A Pocket Teacher's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 19) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Brilliant is free to download; A Pocket Teacher costs $0.99 up front. Brilliant sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. A Pocket Teacher asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brilliant holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brilliant has 33K ratings behind it against 199, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of A Pocket Teacher's written reviews are positive against 79% of Brilliant's.

A Pocket Teacher ships an update every 38 months, Brilliant weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | A Pocket Teacher | Brilliant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.6 (199 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-pocket-teacher/id329954966/reviews) | **[4.7 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brilliant-learn-math-and-coding/id913335252/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 199 | **33K** |
| Positive reviews | 53.8% of reviews | **78.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 38 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#59** |
| Size | 10 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pepper Dog Soft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/284154747) | [Brilliant.org](https://appshunter.io/developer/913335255) |

## What reviewers say

### A Pocket Teacher

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-pocket-teacher/id329954966)

This app offers students and parents new study methods, memorization techniques, and organizational strategies to improve academic performance. It provides fun, effective ways to learn, manage homework, and achieve better grades across all educational levels.

**Highlights:** New study methods, Memorization and retention techniques, Using games and music for learning, Organizational strategies, Homework management strategies, Parent-specific advice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Brilliant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brilliant-learn-math-and-coding/id913335252)

**Currently charting:** #59 Top Grossing · Education, #165 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Master math and computer science through interactive, visual lessons. This app focuses on active problem-solving and personalized practice to build critical thinking and STEM skills. Ideal for students and lifelong learners seeking to deepen their understanding and confidence.

**Highlights:** Interactive problem-solving lessons, Personalized practice sets, Visual explanations of concepts, Expert-crafted STEM courses, Real-time feedback, Builds critical thinking skills

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brilliant Premium - Personal stats & exclusive problems | $19.99 | per month |
| Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts | $24.99 | per month |
| Brilliant Premium | $24.99 | per month |
| Brilliant Premium with Tutor | $30.00 | per month |
| Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts | $74.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts | $96.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts | $111.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium | $111.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts | $119.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium | $127.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium | $127.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts | $149.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium | $149.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium | $159.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium with Tutor | $167.99 | per year |
| Brilliant Premium with Tutor | $191.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick exercises, fast improvement
- 👍 Engaging and easy learning
- 👍 Effective learning of complex topics
- 👍 Intuitive and challenging but not intimidating
- 👍 Wonderful learning tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Limited variety of learning methods
- 🔍 Limited course selection
- 🔍 Inconsistent explanations and unclear wording

**Reported bugs**

- Progress not saving correctly
- Explanations not loading properly
- Home page not loading
- Difficulty cancelling subscription

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Offline mode
- Spaced repetition practice
- Ability to bookmark/save difficult problems
- More detailed explanations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is A Pocket Teacher free?

A Pocket Teacher costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Brilliant free?

Brilliant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, A Pocket Teacher or Brilliant?

Brilliant is rated higher. A Pocket Teacher averages 2.6 out of 5 from 199 ratings, while Brilliant averages 4.7 from 33K ratings.

### Do A Pocket Teacher or Brilliant have ads?

Brilliant shows ads; A Pocket Teacher does not.

### Which is updated more often, A Pocket Teacher or Brilliant?

A Pocket Teacher ships an update every 38 months, and Brilliant weekly. Most recently, A Pocket Teacher was updated on October 24, 2026 and Brilliant on October 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*