Khan Academy Kids vs Brilliant: Learn Math & Coding – Best Educational Apps for Kids
Khan Academy Kids is designed for preschoolers and early elementary children (ages 2-8), offering a playful, standards-aligned curriculum with stories, games, and interactive activities. Brilliant targets older students (grade 5 to adults) who want to master math, science, and coding through problem-solving and interactive challenges. Both apps aim to make learning engaging, but they serve very different age groups and learning approaches.
Khan Academy Kids
Recommended- Rating
- ★ 4.60
- Downloads
- 10,000,000+
- Developer
- Khan Academy
Brilliant: Learn Math & Coding
- Rating
- ★ 4.50
- Downloads
- 5,000,000+
- Developer
- Brilliant.org
Make screen time more meaningful with Khan Academy Kids—the award-winning, educational app for kids ages 2–8. Packed with fun, standards-aligned reading games, math games, phonics lessons, and interactive storybooks, the app has helped over 21 million preschool and elementary…
Pros
- Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases
- Aligned with early learning standards (Common Core, Head Start)
- Offline access to downloaded activities and books
- Engaging characters (Kodi the Bear) and story-based learning
- Covers reading, math, writing, social-emotional, and creative skills
Cons
- Limited to ages 2-8, not suitable for older children
- Some parents report repetitive content after extended use
- Requires account creation for progress tracking
Brilliant is a superintelligent tutor for math and coding. Our team of experts from MIT and Harvard has built a world-class personalized learning system. For students from grade 5 to college and beyond – you work through problems with a tutor that sees where you’re stuck, can…
Pros
- Interactive problem-solving with instant feedback and guidance
- Content created by experts from MIT, Harvard, and top universities
- Covers advanced topics like calculus, logic, and coding
- Daily challenges and puzzles to maintain engagement
- Personalized learning path adapts to user's skill level
Cons
- Subscription required after free trial ($14.99/month or $99.99/year)
- Not suitable for children under grade 5 due to complexity
- No offline mode; requires internet connection
Final Verdict
Our pick: Khan Academy Kids
For younger children (ages 2-8), Khan Academy Kids is the clear winner with its award-winning content, zero cost, and offline capabilities. For older students (grade 5+) seeking to deepen their understanding of math, science, and coding, Brilliant's interactive, tutor-like approach is more effective. If you have kids in both age ranges, consider using both. Overall, Khan Academy Kids offers more value for its target audience due to being completely free and ad-free.
Khan Academy Kids Screenshots
Official app screenshots from the Google Play Store.
Brilliant: Learn Math & Coding Screenshots
Official app screenshots from the Google Play Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ratings for Khan Academy Kids and Brilliant?
Khan Academy Kids has a rating of 4.6 (10M+ installs), while Brilliant has 4.5 (5M+ installs). Both are highly rated, but Khan Academy Kids has more reviews and installs.
Can these apps be used offline?
Khan Academy Kids allows downloading books and activities for offline use. Brilliant requires an internet connection and does not support offline mode.
Do these apps contain ads?
Khan Academy Kids is completely ad-free. Brilliant is also ad-free, but it prompts users to subscribe after the free trial.
What are the device requirements?
Both apps require Android 5.0 or later. Khan Academy Kids needs about 500 MB of storage for full content, while Brilliant requires around 200 MB.
Which app should I choose for my child?
Choose Khan Academy Kids for children ages 2-8 who need a free, offline-friendly, and fun early learning experience. Choose Brilliant for students grade 5 and up who want to master math, science, and coding through interactive problem-solving and are willing to pay for a subscription.
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