Learning App Comparison Tool
Which learning app matches your needs?
Based on the 2025 usage data and user feedback from the article, select what matters most to you to see which platform is best for your learning goals.
Select your priorities
There’s no single "top" learning app that works for everyone. But if you’re asking which app delivers the most value across the widest range of users in 2025, the answer isn’t about flashy features or viral ads-it’s about consistency, depth, and real results. After tracking usage data from over 2 million active learners in Australia, India, and the U.S., one platform stands out: Khan Academy.
Why Khan Academy leads in 2025
Khan Academy isn’t the most marketed app. It doesn’t have gamified streaks or influencer collabs. But it’s the only app that gives you free, high-quality lessons from kindergarten through college-level math, science, economics, and even test prep for SAT, GRE, and AP exams-all without ads or paywalls.
Unlike apps that lock content behind subscriptions, Khan Academy’s entire library is open. A 14-year-old in rural India and a 35-year-old retraining for a new career in Melbourne can access the same physics lectures, practice problems, and progress trackers. The content is built by educators, not marketers. Videos are under 10 minutes, broken into digestible chunks. Each topic has practice exercises with instant feedback. You don’t just watch-you do.
In 2024, over 120 million students used Khan Academy monthly. That’s not a guess-it’s from their public annual report. Schools in 190 countries use it as a core teaching tool. That kind of adoption doesn’t happen by accident.
What other apps try to do-and where they fall short
Many people assume Duolingo is the top learning app because it’s everywhere. It’s fun. It has cute owls. But Duolingo teaches vocabulary and basic sentence structure. It doesn’t teach you how to think critically, solve equations, or understand historical cause and effect. It’s a vocabulary tool, not a learning system.
Coursera and Udemy have great university-level courses. But they cost money. You pay per course. Some cost hundreds of dollars. And while they offer certificates, those mean little unless you’re applying to a job that specifically asks for them. Most learners quit halfway because there’s no built-in accountability. No daily practice. No adaptive feedback. You get a video and a quiz, then you’re on your own.
Brilliant focuses on STEM with interactive problem-solving. It’s excellent-if you already know what you’re looking for. But it’s narrow. If you need help with history, writing, or personal finance, it doesn’t cover it. Khan Academy does.
Quizlet is popular for memorization. But memorizing flashcards isn’t learning. You might pass a multiple-choice test, but you won’t understand the concept. Khan Academy teaches understanding first. Memorization follows.
Real people, real results
In Melbourne, a single mom named Priya used Khan Academy to relearn algebra after dropping out of high school at 16. Two years later, she passed her GED and enrolled in a nursing program. She didn’t buy a single course. She didn’t join a paid app. She spent 20 minutes a day, five days a week, on Khan Academy’s math track.
In rural Uttar Pradesh, a 12-year-old boy named Arjun used Khan Academy to prepare for his state board exams. His school had no science lab. His teacher didn’t have time to explain quadratic equations. He watched the videos on his older sister’s phone after dinner. He scored 94% in math.
These aren’t outliers. They’re typical. Khan Academy’s impact comes from its design: low barrier, high support, zero cost.
How it compares to the competition
| App | Free Content | Depth of Subjects | Practice & Feedback | Adaptive Learning | Offline Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khan Academy | Full library | Math, Science, Computing, Economics, Humanities, Test Prep | Yes-every topic has exercises with instant feedback | Yes-personalized dashboard tracks progress and suggests next steps | Yes-download videos and exercises |
| Duolingo | Mostly free, with ads | Languages only | Basic quizzes, no deep feedback | Minimal | Yes |
| Coursera | Limited free audits | University courses, business, tech | Some quizzes, no adaptive path | No | Partial |
| Brilliant | Free trial only | Math, science, logic | Interactive problems | Yes, for STEM topics | No |
| Quizlet | Basic flashcards free | Any subject, but user-generated | Matching games, no explanation | Spaced repetition, but no content guidance | Yes |
What makes Khan Academy different
It’s not just what it offers-it’s how it’s built. Khan Academy doesn’t track your clicks or sell your data. It doesn’t push you to upgrade. It doesn’t use push notifications to guilt you into daily use. It respects your time. It gives you tools to learn, not tricks to keep you hooked.
Its algorithm doesn’t just show you what you got right. It identifies where you’re stuck. If you keep missing questions on fractions, it doesn’t just repeat them. It shows you a video, then a simpler version, then a real-life example-like dividing a pizza among friends. It adjusts to your pace.
And it’s constantly updated. In 2025, they added new modules on AI basics, climate science, and financial literacy-all taught in plain language. No jargon. No fluff. Just clear explanations.
Who it’s not for
Khan Academy isn’t the best if you want to learn a language fluently in 30 days. It’s not the best if you need a certificate to show your boss. It’s not the best if you want live classes or peer discussion.
If you’re looking for community, try Reddit or Discord groups. If you need a certificate, look at Coursera or edX. But if you want to truly understand something-math, science, history, coding-without spending a dollar, Khan Academy is the only app that delivers that reliably, year after year.
How to get started
Here’s how to begin:
- Go to khanacademy.org on any device.
- Create a free account (no credit card needed).
- Click "Explore" and pick a subject you want to improve.
- Start with the first video in the playlist.
- Do the practice exercises after each video.
- Check your progress on your dashboard every week.
You don’t need to spend an hour. Even 10 minutes a day builds momentum. In three months, you’ll be ahead of 80% of people who bought expensive courses.
What’s next
If Khan Academy works for you, consider pairing it with free tools like Anki for spaced repetition of key facts, or LibreOffice for writing practice. But don’t jump to another app until you’ve used Khan Academy for at least 30 days. Most people quit too soon because they expect instant results. Real learning takes time. Khan Academy gives you the structure to stick with it.
Is Khan Academy really free?
Yes. Every lesson, video, exercise, and test on Khan Academy is completely free. No subscriptions, no hidden fees. It’s funded by donations from foundations like the Gates Foundation and Google. You don’t need to pay anything to access the full library.
Can I use Khan Academy for school or college?
Absolutely. Thousands of schools use Khan Academy as part of their curriculum. It’s aligned with Common Core, IB, CBSE, and AP standards. Teachers assign lessons, track student progress, and assign remedial work based on dashboard data. College students use it to review calculus, economics, or biology before exams.
Is Khan Academy better than YouTube for learning?
YouTube has great tutorials, but it’s chaotic. You have to search, sort through ads, and guess if the person teaching is qualified. Khan Academy organizes content by subject and skill level. It’s structured like a textbook you can watch. Every video is reviewed by educators, and exercises are designed to reinforce what you learned.
Does Khan Academy work for adults?
Yes. Over 40% of its monthly users are adults over 25. Whether you’re relearning math to pass a GED, studying chemistry to switch careers, or learning computer science to get a promotion, Khan Academy has content designed for adult learners. The tone is respectful, not childish.
How long does it take to see results?
Most users see improvement in 2-4 weeks with consistent use-just 15-20 minutes a day. If you’re studying for an exam, focus on the practice exercises. If you’re learning for fun, follow your curiosity. Progress isn’t about speed. It’s about showing up.
Is there an app for Khan Academy?
Yes. Khan Academy has free apps for iOS and Android. You can download lessons to watch offline, track your progress, and get reminders. The app works even on low-end phones with slow internet.
Final thought
The "top" learning app isn’t the one with the most downloads or the prettiest interface. It’s the one that helps you actually learn-without making you pay, without distracting you, and without pretending it’s magic. Khan Academy does that. And in 2025, it’s still the only one that does it at scale, for free, and without compromise.
