Softwr

Education & E-Learning · head to head

Brilliant vs Kahoot

Brilliant logo

Brilliant

Education & E-Learning

Learn math and science through problem-solving

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kahoot logo

Kahoot

Presentation & Slides

Make learning awesome with game-based quizzes

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Brilliant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brilliant requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified; Kahoot pro Start tier limited to 50 participants per session; hosting 200+ participants requires Pro Standard or higher
  • They diverge on capability: Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Kahoot covers Quiz games.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brilliant and Kahoot actually diverge.

Attributes where Brilliant and Kahoot differ
AttributeBrilliantKahoot
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud-based SaaS, Mobile apps (iOS, Android)
CategoryEducation & E-LearningPresentation & Slides

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2012).

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
  • Progress tracking
  • Guided paths
  • Offline access
  • Mobile learning
  • Mobile apps

Only in Kahoot

  • Quiz games
  • Surveys
  • Puzzles
  • Word clouds
  • Live games
  • Self-paced challenges
  • Reports
  • Question bank

Both cover

  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brilliant

  • Math learningnot Kahoot
  • Science educationnot Kahoot
  • Programming basicsnot Kahoot
  • Problem-solving skillsnot Kahoot

Kahoot

  • Educators using gamified quizzes and interactive content for classroom engagementnot Brilliant
  • Businesses using Kahoot 360 for employee training and engagement with commercial-use licensingnot 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

Kahoot

  • Pro Start tier limited to 50 participants per session; hosting 200+ participants requires Pro Standard or higher
  • AI features only available in Pro Ultra tier ($79+/month); document processing and AI capabilities gated behind premium pricing

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

Kahoot

$19/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Kahoot review.

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.
Brilliant review

Choose Kahoot if

  • You need quiz games.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS, Mobile apps (iOS, Android).
  • You also want surveys.
Kahoot review

Questions people ask

Is Brilliant or Kahoot better?
Neither clearly leads. Brilliant starts at Free and Kahoot at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brilliant or Kahoot?
Brilliant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Brilliant and $19/month for Kahoot.
Does Brilliant or Kahoot run on more platforms?
Brilliant runs on Web, iOS, Android. Kahoot runs on Cloud-based SaaS, Mobile apps (iOS, Android).
Can I use Brilliant for free?
Yes. Brilliant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kahoot starts at $19/month.
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 Kahoot is typically brought in for.
What can Brilliant do that Kahoot cannot?
Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Problem-solving, Daily challenges, Progress tracking. Kahoot covers Quiz games, Surveys, Puzzles, Word clouds. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android support.

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.

Source
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.

Source
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.

Source
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.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Brilliant

More on Kahoot

Keep looking

Other head to heads