Head-to-head

Khan Academy vs Brilliant

Two beloved ways to learn math and science: the free nonprofit against the interactive puzzle premium.

Our pick
All-in-one
Khan Academy logoKhan Academy
Khan Academy (nonprofit)

Khan Academy

World-class fundamentals, completely free.

Technical
Brilliant logoBrilliant
Brilliant Worldwide

Brilliant

Math, data, and CS through interactive puzzles.

Khan AcademyBrilliant
Our score4.5 / 54.3 / 5
PriceFreeFree
Free plan
Best forFree fundamentalsDaily brain training
CategoryEverything under one roofTech & data
ProviderKhan Academy (nonprofit)Brilliant Worldwide

Our verdict

Brilliant turns concepts into clever interactive puzzles and makes daily practice genuinely fun; it is the nicer product to use. Khan Academy covers more ground, goes deeper on fundamentals with its mastery system, and costs nothing, ever, from a nonprofit without ads. As a paid habit Brilliant is defensible, but on value and completeness the free champion wins: Khan Academy first, Brilliant as the fun upgrade.

Completely free, no catch, no upsell: a nonprofit that teaches math, science, and economics better than most paid platforms. The gold standard for foundational knowledge.Editorial team, on Khan Academy
Learning math and computer science by solving puzzles instead of watching videos works absurdly well. Fifteen minutes a day actually sticks. Depth is capped, motivation is not.Editorial team, on Brilliant