# Brilliant vs Algorithms

The clearest difference is ads: Algorithms at none against Brilliant's shown. Algorithms also leads on review sentiment (91% vs 79%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Brilliant's advantage is ratings volume (33K vs 101) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Brilliant sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Algorithms sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Brilliant against 4.7 for Algorithms. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brilliant has 33K ratings behind it against 101, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Brilliant's written reviews are positive against 91% of Algorithms's.

Brilliant ships an update weekly, Algorithms every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brilliant | Algorithms |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brilliant-learn-math-and-coding/id913335252/reviews) | [4.7 (101 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algorithms-explained-and-animated/id1047532631/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **33K** | 101 |
| Positive reviews | 79.1% of reviews | **90.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#64** | — |
| Size | 102 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brilliant.org](https://appshunter.io/developer/913335255) | [Moriteru Ishida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1047532630) |

## What reviewers say

### Brilliant

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

**Currently charting:** #64 Top Grossing · Education, #174 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


### Algorithms

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/algorithms-explained-and-animated/id1047532631)

Explore and learn about a wide range of algorithms through clear explanations and animations. Deepen your understanding with interactive simulation modes and discover algorithms related to encryption and security. This app offers a comprehensive journey into the world of computer science concepts.

**Highlights:** Animated algorithm explanations, Interactive simulation mode, Encryption and security algorithms, Data structures explained, Sorting algorithms, Graph search algorithms

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All of the algorithms | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Clear and understandable explanations
- 🖼️ Excellent visualizations and animations
- 🧠 Great for learning and understanding algorithms
- 💡 Thoughtfully designed and implemented
- 💰 Worth the purchase/price

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Lacks code examples/snippets
- ❓ Missing time complexity (Big O)
- ❓ Limited number of algorithms
- ❓ Some users confused about pricing/charges
- ❓ Simulation block repetition

**Requested features**

- Add code examples (Python, C++, JS)
- Include time complexity (Big O notation)
- Add more algorithms
- Include AI-related algorithms (neural networks, reinforcement learning)
- Add propositional and set logic for programmers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brilliant free?

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

### Is Algorithms free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Brilliant or Algorithms?

Brilliant and Algorithms are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 33K and 101 ratings respectively.

### Do Brilliant or Algorithms have ads?

Brilliant shows ads; Algorithms does not.

### Which is updated more often, Brilliant or Algorithms?

Brilliant ships an update weekly, and Algorithms every 6 weeks. Most recently, Brilliant was updated on September 26, 2026 and Algorithms on August 24, 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.*