Comparison

Brilliant vs PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect

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

Head to head
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/

About

PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect

Features
Read full description

Pocket Tutor - We don't just answer. We teach. Pocket Tutor is an AI-powered homework helper that guides K-12 students step by step through every problem - building real understanding instead of just giving answers. Unlike other homework apps that simply provide answers, Pocket Tutor uses the Socratic method to teach students how to think. Your child works through every problem with guided questions, helpful hints, and encouraging feedback - just like having a patient tutor available 24/7. HOW IT WORKS - Student selects a subject - AI tutor guides them step by step - Student achieves mastery before moving on - Parent sees session history and progress KEY FEATURES PHOTO UPLOAD Photograph any homework problem and your child's personal tutor will guide them through it instantly. VOICE INPUT Students can speak their questions out loud - perfect for younger learners. PARENT ANSWER KEY Parents access full step-by-step solutions with a secure 4-digit PIN - so you can help without giving away the answer. SESSION HISTORY AND MASTERY TRACKING See exactly what your child practiced, which topics they mastered, and where they need more support. MASTERY-BASED LEARNING Sessions don't end until your child truly understands the topic - confirmed through practice problems after every session. UP TO 5 CHILD PROFILES One family plan covers your whole family - add up to 5 children at no extra charge. 5 SUBJECTS - EVERY GRADE K-12 - Math - Arithmetic through calculus - Reading and Writing - Comprehension, essays, grammar - Science - Biology, chemistry, physics, earth science - Social Studies - History, geography, civics, all grade levels - High School and AP - Advanced courses and test prep The AI automatically adjusts its language and approach to match your child's grade level. FOR SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS Pocket Tutor offers school and district plans with teacher dashboards, topic assignments, mastery reports, and struggling student alerts. Visit pockettutorapp.com/schools to learn more. PRIVACY AND SAFETY - COPPA compliant - children access the app through parent or teacher accounts only - FERPA compliant for school accounts - Student data is never sold - No advertising of any kind - Chat sessions are never shared with third parties - Data encrypted in transit and at rest PRICING - 7-day free trial - no charge until trial ends - Family Monthly: $9.99/month - Family Annual: $79.99/year - save 33% - Up to 5 child profiles included - Additional children: $1.99/month each FROM THE MAKERS OF K12 TUTOR CONNECT Pocket Tutor is built by the team behind K12 Tutor Connect - an established online tutoring platform serving K-12 families. We understand how students learn best because we work with them every day. "I like that the kids have to think and work through the problem instead of just getting the answer." - Parent, Atlanta GA Questions? Contact us at PKTutor@k12tutorconnect.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Brilliant4 screens
PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect at none against Brilliant's shown. PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Brilliant's advantage is chart position (#79 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Brilliant sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Brilliant versus PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrilliantPocketTutor by K12TutorConnect
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (33K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews79.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings33K — better—
Update frequencyWeekly—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#79 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBrilliant.orgK12 Tutor Connect, LLC

Bugs and requests

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

PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
2 purchases

PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect

Subscriptions2
  • Pocket Tutor Family Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Pocket Tutor Family Annual$79.991 Year

Questions

Is Brilliant free?
Brilliant is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect free?
PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Brilliant or PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect have ads?
Brilliant shows ads; PocketTutor by K12TutorConnect does not.

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