Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Brilliant · 🎓 education
Brilliant vs eXeLearning
A desktop lesson authoring tool for interactive exercises, games, equations and quizzes, with decidedly public-sector aesthetics. Here is how eXeLearning ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Brilliant ($30/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
eXeLearning
$0.00/mo · AGPL-3.0
Brilliant vs eXeLearning Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-11
| Dimension | Brilliant (Paid) | eXeLearning (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $30 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $360 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $360) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $1,800 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,800) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $3,600 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $3,600) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source AGPL-3.0 |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | desktopwebself-hostedone-click install |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 138 (active aug 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Brilliant to eXeLearning
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
It is an authoring and export tool, not Brilliant's polished ready-made adaptive STEM curriculum, guided learning path or motivation system.
How to deploy eXeLearning
Desktop installer or local browser PWA; the Team Edition is separately self-hosted
Where your data lives
Editable lessons live as .elpx project files; output exports as web pages, EPUB3 or SCORM/LMS packages, while Team Edition uses server storage
Why fork eXeLearning instead of vibe-coding a Brilliant clone?
A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Brilliant, build interactive practice around user-authored math and science lessons. The hard boundary is expert curriculum, interactive problem library, pedagogy, apps, and content rights, plus content, pedagogy, and network.
Brilliant vs eXeLearning FAQ
Is eXeLearning a good free alternative to Brilliant?+
Yes. eXeLearning is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0) replacement for Brilliant. A desktop lesson authoring tool for interactive exercises, games, equations and quizzes, with decidedly public-sector aesthetics.
What is the catch when switching from Brilliant to eXeLearning?+
It is an authoring and export tool, not Brilliant's polished ready-made adaptive STEM curriculum, guided learning path or motivation system.
How much do you save switching from Brilliant to eXeLearning?+
Brilliant costs $30/mo ($360/yr) per seat, whereas eXeLearning is $0/mo. Switching saves $360/yr for a solo user, $1,800/yr for a 5-person team, and $3,600/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host eXeLearning instead of Brilliant?+
Install: Desktop installer or local browser PWA; the Team Edition is separately self-hosted.
