Education · head to head
Brilliant vs Flowkey
Flowkey
Education
Piano learning app with microphone or MIDI listening and a large licensed song catalogue
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Brilliant requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified; Flowkey microphone-only users, without a MIDI keyboard, still hit the same accuracy limits as Simply Piano on fast or dense passages.
- They diverge on capability: Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Flowkey covers Large licensed song library.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Brilliant and Flowkey actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Brilliant
- Interactive lessons
- Problem-solving
- Daily challenges
- Guided paths
- Offline access
- Mobile learning
- Mobile apps
- Web support
Only in Flowkey
- Large licensed song library
- MIDI keyboard support
- Microphone listening
- Slow-down and loop tools
- Video lessons
Both cover
- Progress tracking
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Brilliant
- Math learningnot Flowkey
- Science educationnot Flowkey
- Programming basicsnot Flowkey
- Problem-solving skillsnot Flowkey
Flowkey
- An adult returning to piano who wants to work toward specific known songs at a graduated difficultynot Brilliant
- Someone with a MIDI-capable digital keyboard wanting more accurate feedback than microphone listening alonenot Brilliant
- A learner motivated by a large, varied song catalogue rather than a strict beginner curriculumnot Brilliant
- A pianist wanting slow-down and loop tools to work through a specific difficult passage in a real piecenot Brilliant
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Brilliant
- Requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified
- Premium subscription needed for full course access; basic free tier is limited
- Focuses only on STEM subjects; no humanities or social sciences
- Interactive nature requires more time commitment than passive video learning
Flowkey
- Microphone-only users, without a MIDI keyboard, still hit the same accuracy limits as Simply Piano on fast or dense passages.
- Its curriculum is less structured around fundamentals than Simply Piano for a complete beginner with no prior reading ability.
- It is piano only, so a household wanting to cover guitar or other instruments needs a separate subscription elsewhere.
- The song licensing model means catalogue availability can shift over time as licences change, occasionally removing a previously available arrangement.
- Full benefit of its more precise feedback mode requires owning a MIDI-capable keyboard, which is an additional cost beyond the subscription for anyone with only an acoustic piano.
Pricing, plan by plan
Brilliant
Free- Premium Monthly$24.99/month
- Access to all 90+ courses
- No ads
- Premium Annual$150/year
- Access to all 90+ courses
- No ads
Flowkey
Free- FlowkeyFree
- Limited free songs and lessons
- Premium$119.99/year
- Full song library and difficulty arrangements
- MIDI keyboard support
- Progress tracking
Which should you pick?
Choose Brilliant if
- You need interactive lessons.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want problem-solving.
Choose Flowkey if
- You need large licensed song library.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want midi keyboard support.
Questions people ask
- Is Brilliant or Flowkey better?
- Neither clearly leads. Brilliant starts at Free and Flowkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Brilliant or Flowkey?
- Brilliant starts at Free and Flowkey at Free.
- Does Brilliant or Flowkey run on more platforms?
- Brilliant runs on Web, iOS, Android. Flowkey runs on iOS, Android, Web.
- Can I use Brilliant for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Brilliant best used for?
- Brilliant is most often used for math learning, science education, programming basics, problem-solving skills. Of those, math learning and science education are not what Flowkey is typically brought in for.
- What can Brilliant do that Flowkey cannot?
- Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Problem-solving, Daily challenges, Guided paths. Flowkey covers Large licensed song library, MIDI keyboard support, Microphone listening, Slow-down and loop tools. Both handle Progress tracking.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Brilliant: Does Brilliant offer offline learning?
Yes. The Brilliant mobile app allows users to download lessons and learn without internet connection.
SourceFlowkey: Does Flowkey support MIDI keyboards?
Yes, connecting a MIDI keyboard gives more precise note detection than microphone listening alone.
Brilliant: Is there a free tier for Brilliant?
Yes. Brilliant offers a free basic tier with access to some courses. K-12 teachers and their students can qualify for free Premium access.
SourceFlowkey: How is it different from Simply Piano?
Flowkey emphasises a large licensed song catalogue with graduated arrangements, while Simply Piano leans more into a structured beginner curriculum.
Brilliant: What subject areas does Brilliant cover?
Brilliant covers over 90 courses across mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, and data science, taught by experts from MIT, Harvard, Google, and Microsoft.
SourceFlowkey: Do I need a MIDI keyboard to use it?
No, microphone listening works with any piano, but MIDI support improves accuracy if you have compatible hardware.
Brilliant: How does Brilliant's teaching approach differ from video lectures?
Brilliant emphasizes active learning through interactive problem-solving rather than passive video watching, similar to Duolingo's gamified approach.
SourceRelated pages
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- Flowkey vs Simply Piano
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- Flowkey vs Photomath
- Flowkey vs MasterClass
- Flowkey vs UltraCamp
- Flowkey vs Aeries Student Information System
- Flowkey vs Articulate 360
- Flowkey vs CampMinder
- Flowkey vs Clever
- Flowkey vs Flip
- Flowkey vs Yousician
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- Flowkey vs Memrise
- Flowkey vs Merlin Bird ID
- Flowkey vs Elevate
- Flowkey vs Pl@ntNet
- Flowkey vs Securly
- Flowkey vs Stellarium
- Flowkey vs Infinite Campus
- Flowkey vs Busuu
- Flowkey vs Quizizz
- Flowkey vs Skyward
- Flowkey vs Udemy