# Hands vs Brilliant

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Hands | Brilliant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (77 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-equations-level-2/id520038983/reviews) | **[4.7 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brilliant-learn-math-and-coding/id913335252/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 77 | **33K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.8% of reviews** | 79.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#80** |
| Size | 231 MB | 104 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hands On Equations](https://appshunter.io/developer/505948225) | [Brilliant.org](https://appshunter.io/developer/913335255) |

## What reviewers say

### Hands

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hands-on-equations-level-2/id520038983)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Make lessons harder
- Add more challenges
- Add video explanation after each problem
- More advanced concepts


### Brilliant

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

**Currently charting:** #80 Top Grossing · Education, #192 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 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*