# TED Talks vs Brilliant

TED Talks and Brilliant both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of Brilliant's written reviews are positive against 44% of TED Talks's. Brilliant also leads on chart position (#90 vs unranked) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). TED Talks's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 19) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brilliant sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. TED Talks asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for TED Talks against 4.7 for Brilliant. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10K and 33K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 44% of TED Talks's written reviews are positive against 79% of Brilliant's.

TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, Brilliant weekly. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | TED Talks | Brilliant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (10K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ted-talks-watch-and-learn/id376183339/reviews) | **[4.7 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brilliant-learn-math-and-coding/id913335252/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10K | **33K** |
| Positive reviews | 43.7% of reviews | **79.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#90** |
| Size | 178 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [TED Conferences LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/376183342) | [Brilliant.org](https://appshunter.io/developer/913335255) |

## What reviewers say

### TED Talks

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ted-talks-watch-and-learn/id376183339)

Access thousands of inspiring and informative videos on a wide range of topics. Get personalized recommendations, watch with subtitles in over 100 languages, and download content for offline viewing. Stay curious and informed with this educational resource.

**Highlights:** Personalized recommendations, Subtitles in over 100 languages, Browse by topic or curator picks, Stream to Apple TV with AirPlay, Download videos for offline viewing, Watchlist for later, Surprise Me! feature

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great content
- 👍 Inspiring and thought-provoking
- 📚 Variety of topics
- 🎧 Convenient for listening on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🔍 Poor search functionality
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 🔇 Audio/video playback issues
- 📥 Download feature not working as expected

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes frequently
- Videos fail to load or play
- Saved talks disappear from user's list
- Syncing issues with user accounts
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create and manage playlists
- Implement background audio playback
- Improve Chromecast support
- Add more customization options (e.g., video playback speed, dark mode)
- Enhance discoverability of new and relevant content


### Brilliant

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

**Currently charting:** #90 Top Grossing · Education, #179 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 TED Talks free?

TED Talks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Brilliant free?

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

### Which has better reviews, TED Talks or Brilliant?

Brilliant is rated higher. TED Talks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Brilliant averages 4.7 from 33K ratings.

### Do TED Talks or Brilliant have ads?

Brilliant shows ads; TED Talks does not.

### Which is updated more often, TED Talks or Brilliant?

TED Talks ships an update fortnightly, and Brilliant weekly. Most recently, TED Talks was updated on October 17, 2026 and Brilliant on October 17, 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.*