Education & E-Learning · head to head
Udemy vs Brilliant
Udemy
Education & E-Learning
World's largest marketplace for online learning
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Brilliant
Education & E-Learning
Learn math and science through problem-solving
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Udemy course quality varies significantly as Udemy allows anyone to create and sell courses without vetting; Brilliant requires active daily engagement to maintain learning streaks, which can feel gamified
- They diverge on capability: Udemy covers Video courses, Brilliant covers Interactive lessons.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Udemy and Brilliant actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education & E-Learning).
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 Udemy
- Video courses
- Quizzes
- Assignments
- Certificates
- Offline viewing
- Q&A
- Reviews
- Slack
Only in Brilliant
- Interactive lessons
- Problem-solving
- Daily challenges
- Progress tracking
- Guided paths
- Offline access
- Mobile apps
Both cover
- Mobile learning
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Udemy
- Skill buildingnot Brilliant
- Career transitionnot Brilliant
- Professional developmentnot Brilliant
- Team trainingnot Brilliant
Brilliant
- Math learningnot Udemy
- Science educationnot Udemy
- Programming basicsnot Udemy
- Problem-solving skillsnot Udemy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Udemy
- Course quality varies significantly as Udemy allows anyone to create and sell courses without vetting
- No formal credentials or degrees offered, unlike Coursera and edX which offer institution-branded certificates
- Courses are self-paced with no instructor interaction or support, making structured learning difficult for some students
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Udemy
Free- Personal$19/month
- 11,000+ courses access
- Team$360/year
- For 5-20 people
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
Which should you pick?
Choose Udemy if
- You need video courses.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want quizzes.
Choose Brilliant if
- You need interactive lessons.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want problem-solving.
Questions people ask
- Is Udemy or Brilliant better?
- Neither clearly leads. Udemy starts at Free and Brilliant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Udemy or Brilliant?
- Udemy starts at Free and Brilliant at Free.
- Does Udemy or Brilliant run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Udemy for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Udemy best used for?
- Udemy is most often used for skill building, career transition, professional development, team training. Of those, skill building and career transition are not what Brilliant is typically brought in for.
- What can Udemy do that Brilliant cannot?
- Udemy covers Video courses, Quizzes, Assignments, Certificates. Brilliant covers Interactive lessons, Problem-solving, Daily challenges, Progress tracking. Both handle Mobile learning, Web support, IOS support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Udemy: Does Udemy offer team/business pricing?
Yes, Udemy's Team plan costs $360 per user annually for groups of 5 to 20 people, in addition to individual Personal plan at $19/month.
SourceBrilliant: Does Brilliant offer offline learning?
Yes. The Brilliant mobile app allows users to download lessons and learn without internet connection.
SourceBrilliant: 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.
SourceBrilliant: 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.
SourceBrilliant: 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