Comparison

Hands vs Brilliant

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Hands

This app introduces algebra concepts for students who have completed Level 1. It teaches how to solve equations involving a white pawn representing an unknown value and its opposite. Engaging video lessons and interactive exercises enhance understanding and build confidence in solving algebraic problems.

Highlights
  • Solve equations with unknown values
  • Learn about opposite values
  • Interactive video introductions
  • Practice with examples and exercises
  • Visual representation of algebraic concepts
  • Build confidence in algebra
Features
Read full description

Hands-On Equations® Level 2 Continue the Fun Way to Learn Algebra! You've mastered the fundamentals. Now it's time for the next exciting step in your algebra journey! Hands-On Equations® Level 2 introduces an innovative new game piece—the white pawn, which represents the opposite of x. Using the white pawn together with the familiar blue pawn and numbered cubes, students learn elegant new strategies for solving increasingly sophisticated equations. Watch students confidently solve equations such as: 3x = –x + 4 and x – 3(–x) + 2 = 8 – 2x while enjoying the same highly visual, intuitive approach that has helped more than one million students better understand algebra. Discover More Advanced Algebra Naturally As students solve increasingly challenging equations, they intuitively apply important mathematical ideas, including: • Additive inverses • The additive property of zero • The addition property of equality As they solve these Level 2 equations, students discover how to add positive and negative numbers—without formal instruction. Rather than memorizing procedures, students develop a genuine understanding of why algebra works. Who Should Use Level 2? Hands-On Equations Level 2 is the natural continuation for students who have completed Level 1, including: • Gifted students in Grades 2 and above • Elementary students in Grades 4 and above • Middle school students • High school students who would benefit from a clearer, more visual approach to algebra • Adults who wish they had learned algebra this way the first time Experience Success. Build Confidence. As students experience continued success solving increasingly challenging equations, they develop greater confidence, deeper understanding, and an appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of algebra. If you enjoyed Hands-On Equations Level 1, you'll love discovering what you can accomplish in Level 2. For more information about Hands-On Equations, visit www.borenson.com. For app support, contact: info@borenson.com.

About

Brilliant

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
Read full description

Brilliant is a superintelligent tutor for math and coding. Our team of experts from MIT and Harvard has built a world-class personalized learning system. For students from grade 5 to college and beyond – you work through problems with a tutor that sees where you’re stuck, can sketch right on your screen, asks the right questions, and guides you to real a-ha moments. Forget memorizing formulas. Brilliant is designed to build real understanding and help you excel. It’s there when you need it, adapts to how you think, and makes learning feel like a fun challenge instead of a chore. Master everything from foundational math and algebra to college-level calculus, Python, computer science, AI, neural networks, algorithms, data analysis, physics, and more. Join over 10 million people using Brilliant to reach their learning goals. WHY BRILLIANT WORKS - One-on-one learning for all
 Private tutoring is the most effective way to learn, but it’s expensive, hard to schedule, and out of reach for most families. Brilliant’s tutor works with you one-on-one, every single day, for a fraction of the cost. No scheduling. No waiting. Just learning.
 - Like someone sitting next to you Brilliant’s tutor can see what’s on your screen and react in real time, from highlighting parts of a problem to creating visualizations that bring hard concepts to life. - Expert-crafted curriculum Every course is crafted by our team of human experts from top institutions around the world. And with new and updated courses added every month, there’s always something new to explore. - Learning that adapts to you Brilliant’s tutor personalizes your experience in real time, adjusting to your skill level, filling gaps before they become problems, and helping you build confidence as you go. - Build true problem-solving skills Brilliant doesn’t give you answers. It guides you through problems and to your own a-ha moments. So while you’re learning, you’re also building critical thinking and analytical skills – and having fun. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING “Koji doesn’t judge. It feels like talking to the most patient teacher.” — Alan “Going through a lesson with Koji is more active, interactive, and guided than traditional learning.” — Lory “She read the problem out loud and figured it out on her own — ‘Oh! I know! Never mind, Mom, I got it!’ I'm seeing those breakthroughs more often.” — Arianne Send feedback to ios@brilliant.org. LIKE US: https://facebook.com/brilliantorg FOLLOW US: https://x.com/brilliantorg Privacy Policy: https://brilliant.org/privacy_policy/ Terms of Use: https://brilliant.org/terms-of-use/

Screenshots

Hands4 screens
Brilliant4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Brilliant at Free against Hands's $7.99. Brilliant also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (33K vs 77). Hands's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 19) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Brilliant is free to download; Hands costs $7.99 up front. Brilliant sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Hands asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Hands against 4.7 for Brilliant. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brilliant has 33K ratings behind it against 77, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Hands's written reviews are positive against 79% of Brilliant's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hands ships an update every 5 months, Brilliant weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Hands versus Brilliant: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHandsBrilliant
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (77 ratings)4.7 (33K ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.8% of reviews — better79.0% of reviews
Number of ratings7733K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#84 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size231 MB104 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHands On EquationsBrilliant.org

Customer experience

Hands

All ratings77 ratings
Positive89.6%
Neutral2.6%
Negative7.8%
Written reviews53 reviews
Positive86.8%
Neutral3.8%
Negative9.4%

Brilliant

All ratings32,990 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews3,645 reviews
Positive79.0%
Neutral7.7%
Negative13.4%

User reviews

Hands

From 77 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to understand algebra
  • 💡 Visual and verbal explanations
  • 👍 Great for visual learners
  • 👍 Makes algebra click
  • 👍 Fun and engaging for kids

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy completion streaks
  • 🐛 Glitchy tutorials
  • 🐛 Lesson 12 equations too hard
  • 🐛 Lesson 9 won't accept correct answer
  • 🐛 App crashes on iOS 9

Brilliant

From 33K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Hands

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Bug in number wheel slows completion streaks
  • Tutorials have too much jargon
  • Lesson 12 equations too hard
  • Lesson 8 tutorials have too much jargon
  • Lesson 9 glitch, won't accept correct answer
Show 4 more
  • App not working for iOS 9, crashes when clicking 'value'
  • Paid version has advertising
  • Paid version doesn't work, crashes when entering value of x
  • Volume does not work on the app, videos of little value

Requested features

4 requests
  • Make lessons harder
  • Add more challenges
  • Add video explanation after each problem
  • More advanced concepts

Brilliant

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Progress not saving correctly
  • Explanations not loading properly
  • Home page not loading
  • Difficulty cancelling subscription

Requested features

6 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Offline mode
  • Spaced repetition practice
  • Ability to bookmark/save difficult problems
  • More detailed explanations
Show 1 more
  • More courses in other scientific fields

In-app purchases

None

Hands

No in-app purchases

16 purchases

Brilliant

Subscriptions16
  • Brilliant Premium - Personal stats & exclusive problems$19.991 Month
  • Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts2 variants$24.991 Month
  • Brilliant Premium$24.991 Month
Show 13 more
  • Brilliant Premium with Tutor$30.001 Month
  • Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts$74.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts$96.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts$111.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium$111.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts2 variants$119.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium$127.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium7 Days trial$127.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium: Fun, challenging problems in math and science by experts$149.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium7 Days trial$149.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium7 Days trial$159.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium with Tutor7 Days trial$167.991 Year
  • Brilliant Premium with Tutor7 Days trial$191.991 Year

Questions

Is Hands free?
Hands costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Brilliant free?
Brilliant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hands or Brilliant?
Brilliant is rated higher. Hands averages 4.6 out of 5 from 77 ratings, while Brilliant averages 4.7 from 33K ratings.
Do Hands or Brilliant have ads?
Brilliant shows ads; Hands does not.
Which is updated more often, Hands or Brilliant?
Hands ships an update every 5 months, and Brilliant weekly. Most recently, Hands was updated on October 6, 2026 and Brilliant on October 15, 2026.

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