# Brilliant vs 3

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 3 at none against Brilliant's 19. 3 also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Brilliant's advantage is ratings volume (33K vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price 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. 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

3 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brilliant has 33K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Brilliant's written reviews are positive against 100% of 3's.

Brilliant ships an update weekly, 3 monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brilliant | 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brilliant-learn-math-and-coding/id913335252/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3-body/id6642661687/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **33K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 79.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#66** | — |
| Size | 102 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brilliant.org](https://appshunter.io/developer/913335255) | [Cubic Insights LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1763432190) |

## What reviewers say

### Brilliant

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

**Currently charting:** #66 Top Grossing · Education, #154 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


### 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/3-body/id6642661687)

Explore the wonders of gravity with this 2D N-body simulator. Experiment with celestial mechanics, create mesmerizing patterns, and customize your simulations. It's a fun and educational playground for anyone curious about physics.

**Highlights:** Simulate gravity interactions, Explore preset configurations, Customize body size, color, and trails, Educational and fun physics experiments, Create mesmerizing visual patterns

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brilliant free?

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

### Is 3 free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Brilliant or 3?

3 is rated higher. Brilliant averages 4.7 out of 5 from 33K ratings, while 3 averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Brilliant or 3 have ads?

Brilliant shows ads; 3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, Brilliant or 3?

Brilliant ships an update weekly, and 3 monthly. Most recently, Brilliant was updated on September 27, 2026 and 3 on September 3, 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.*