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Software · head to head

Brilliant vs Pear Deck

Brilliant logo

Brilliant

Software

Learn math and science through problem-solving

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pear Deck logo

Pear Deck

Software

Interactive presentations that engage every student

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brilliant requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified; Pear Deck the Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • They diverge on capability: Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Pear Deck covers Interactive slides.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brilliant and Pear Deck actually diverge.

Attributes where Brilliant and Pear Deck differ
AttributeBrilliantPear Deck
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Chrome Extension
Founded20122014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Pear Deck

  • Interactive slides
  • Real-time responses
  • Formative assessment
  • Student-paced mode
  • Dashboard
  • Audio responses
  • Drawing
  • Vocabulary

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Brilliant

  • Math learningnot Pear Deck
  • Science educationnot Pear Deck
  • Programming basicsnot Pear Deck
  • Problem-solving skillsnot Pear Deck

Pear Deck

  • Turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responsesnot Brilliant
  • Running formative checks for understanding during classnot Brilliant
  • Student paced review activities and assessmentsnot 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

Pear Deck

  • The Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • Pear Assessment Premium is a separate $125 per year purchase from Pear Deck Premium
  • Standards aligned content, district library and efficacy reports are only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • SIS and LMS integration is only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • School and district pricing is by quote with no published rate

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

Pear Deck

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 question types
    • Real-time responses
    • Student-paced mode
  • Premium$149.99/month
    • All question types
    • Audio responses
    • Flashcard factory
  • School/District$undefined/month
    • All Premium
    • Admin dashboard
    • Rostering

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 Pear Deck if

  • You need interactive slides.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension.
  • You also want real-time responses.
Pear Deck review

Questions people ask

Is Brilliant or Pear Deck better?
Neither clearly leads. Brilliant starts at Free and Pear Deck at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brilliant or Pear Deck?
Brilliant starts at Free and Pear Deck at Free.
Does Brilliant or Pear Deck run on more platforms?
Brilliant runs on Web, iOS, Android. Pear Deck runs on Web, Chrome Extension.
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 Pear Deck is typically brought in for.
What can Brilliant do that Pear Deck cannot?
Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Problem-solving, Daily challenges, Progress tracking. Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Real-time responses, Formative assessment, Student-paced mode. Both handle Web 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
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