Brainly is a popular online homework help and tutoring platform founded in 2009. It began as a community where students answer each other’s questions, and it has grown into a global study help website. Millions of students and parents use Brainly to get quick answers and explanations for school questions. This article will explore Brainly’s reviews, pricing, offerings, and how it compares to other tutoring options. It’s written for students and parents who want to know if Brainly is the right choice for learning support.
The goal is to give an honest, up-to-date guide on Brainly in 2025. We’ll look at what real users are saying, how much it costs, what services you get, and what alternatives exist (like My Engineering Buddy and others). By the end, you should have a clear idea of Brainly’s strengths and weaknesses. This will help you decide if it’s a good and legit platform for your needs, or if another tutoring service might be better.
Brainly Reviews and Testimonials
Overview of public feedback: Brainly has mixed reviews from users across the web. On some review sites, it scores quite low. For example, an aggregation of 347 user comments put Brainly at only about 2.7 out of 5 stars, meaning many customers are dissatisfied. On SiteJabber, a consumer review site, out of 284 reviews, most are negative, with 1.5 out of 5 stars. This shows a trend: a lot of users have had bad experiences with Brainly. Common complaints include unresponsive customer support, trouble communicating with tutors, unexpected charges even after canceling subscriptions, and overall subpar quality of help.
Negative feedback: Many users are frustrated by Brainly’s billing practices. There are multiple reports of people being charged after they thought they canceled the service, and then not receiving a refund. Some even describe these practices as feeling like a “scam”. For instance, on Reddit and Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints, customers say Brainly refused to refund an annual charge when a free trial wasn’t canceled in time, citing a strict no-refund policy. Such experiences have made some users very angry – calling the service “deceptive and unfair”. Additionally, students on forums have complained about the quality of answers. In some cases, answers found on Brainly were incorrect or not detailed enough, which obviously can be frustrating if a student is relying on it for homework help.
Positive feedback: On the other hand, not everyone has a bad view of Brainly. Some students do find it helpful. They like that Brainly has a huge community and a vast library of previously answered questions. For example, one user review mentioned they could “find answer to almost every question even the complex ones” and that Brainly “saved my life in those days” during high school. Fans of Brainly often praise its easy-to-use interface and the fact that it’s available 24/7 for quick help. The concept of getting step-by-step explanations (especially with the new Brainly AI features) is appreciated by students who truly want to learn, not just copy answers.
Trust and safety: So, is Brainly legit? Overall, Brainly is a legitimate site – it’s a real company with millions of users worldwide and over 15 years in operation. It delivers the service it promises (homework answers and help), so it’s not a scam in that sense. However, “legit” doesn’t always mean “good.” Public sentiment shows that while Brainly does help many students, it also has significant customer service issues. The frequent reports of unexpected charges and no refunds are a red flag. That said, Brainly does have a community of real tutors and students, and we even tested it and got a genuine answer from a community member. In summary, Brainly is a real homework-help platform, but users should be cautious with subscriptions. Its reputation is mixed – many find it useful, but a large number have had bad experiences with billing or quality. Always use it wisely and keep an eye on those trial periods if you subscribe!
Brainly Pricing
Pricing Range
Brainly’s pricing is based on a subscription model rather than pay-per-question. There is a free version of Brainly, but it has limitations (such as ads and needing to earn points to ask many questions). For more benefits, Brainly offers two main paid plans as of 2025:
- Brainly Plus: This is the basic premium plan. It gives you unlimited access to expert-verified answers, removes all ads, and unlocks additional features like textbook solutions. The cost is about $10 per month if paid monthly, or roughly $39 per year if you pay annually in one go. The annual option comes out to around $3.25 per month (a 67% discount). So, students can choose a small monthly fee or save money by paying for a year upfront.
- Brainly Tutor: This is the higher-tier plan that includes live tutoring support. It provides everything in Brainly Plus, and in addition you get one-on-one help from live tutors. Specifically, it includes up to 20 live expert tutoring sessions per month in certain subjects. The cost for Brainly Tutor is about $29 per month if paid monthly, or around $96 per year if paid annually (which averages to $8 per month). Again, the yearly plan is much cheaper per month (about 67% off). It’s worth noting that Brainly Tutor is currently limited to a few core subjects – math, biology, chemistry, and physics – for live help.
These prices may vary slightly based on region or promotions, but generally that is the range: roughly $2.50–$10 per month for Plus (depending on plan length) and ~$8–$29 per month for Tutor. There is no per-hour tutoring fee; it’s all included as sessions in the subscription. In comparison to traditional tutoring, Brainly’s subscription is relatively low-cost, especially the annual plans.
What Students Say About Pricing
How do students feel about Brainly’s prices? The opinions are divided. Some students feel that the subscription is affordable, especially considering the yearly plan can be as low as a few dollars per month. For instance, Brainly’s semi-annual or annual plans work out to only $2–$3 per month, which is a budget-friendly price for unlimited homework help. These users say that paying a small fee is worth it for having answers and tutoring on demand, and they like not seeing ads.
However, many other users have complained that Brainly’s pricing is misleading or not worth it. The most common issue is not the price point itself, but unexpected charges. A lot of students sign up for a free trial or a one-month plan and then forget to cancel, only to be charged for a much more expensive annual plan. This has left a bad taste – they feel “tricked” into paying more than expected. Some reviews on consumer sites describe Brainly as “a scam” because they were charged after cancellation and couldn’t get their money back. In terms of value, users who only needed help for a short time felt that getting hit with a ~$96 annual charge was not a good deal. On the other hand, those who genuinely use Brainly frequently (almost daily for homework) tend to feel the price is fair for the help they receive.
In summary, students who actively use Brainly’s resources often find the pricing reasonable or even cheap. But those who had billing surprises or who expected more from the service feel the pricing is not justified. It’s a reminder to be careful with subscription sign-ups and to evaluate if you’ll use Brainly enough to make the cost worthwhile.
Hidden Costs
The listed prices for Brainly Plus and Brainly Tutor are straightforward, but users should be aware of a few potential hidden costs or pitfalls:
- Free trial auto-renewal: Brainly often offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. You must enter a credit card to start the trial. If you do not cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, it will auto-renew into a paid subscription. Many users have been caught off guard by this – they forget to cancel and then get charged for a full subscription (sometimes an annual plan upfront). This is not exactly a “cost” hidden in the sense of extra fees, but it’s a common way people unintentionally spend more money.
- No refunds policy: Brainly’s policy is that once a subscription starts (after trial or when a renewal payment goes through), they do not offer refunds. This is stated in the payment terms and is something many users only discover after the fact. For example, even if you meant to cancel but missed the deadline by a day, Brainly will not refund that charge. You’ll simply have the subscription active until it expires next time. This “no refund” rule has upset many customers, and it can feel like a hidden cost if you weren’t aware of it. Essentially, a forgotten cancellation can cost you the full price of the plan with no recourse.
- Limited tutor sessions: For Brainly Tutor plan users, note that you are limited to 20 live tutoring sessions per month. If you need more than that, there’s no option to pay for extra sessions in the same month – you’d have to wait or find help elsewhere. While not a monetary cost, this limit is a hidden constraint that some students might not realize until they hit it.
- Point system for free users: Brainly’s free tier uses a point system (you earn points by answering others’ questions, and spend points to ask your own). If you run out of points, you might feel pressured to upgrade or you’ll have to spend time answering questions to earn more. Again, not a direct fee, but it’s a limitation that might push some users toward the paid plans.
Other than these, Brainly doesn’t have “hidden fees” like service charges. There are no extra charges per question or anything – it’s all included in the subscription. The main thing is to be aware of the auto-renewal and cancellation policy, so you don’t end up paying more than intended.
How Pricing Works
Brainly’s pricing model is subscription-based and quite simple. If you use the free version, you just sign up with an email or Google/Facebook account and you can start asking questions by using points. Free users see ads on the site and have to either answer questions or watch ads to get points for asking their own questions. Many students use Brainly for free and still get a lot of benefit, especially if they mainly browse existing answers.
If you want unlimited access without the hassle, you subscribe to Brainly Plus or Brainly Tutor. The process works like this: you choose a plan (monthly or yearly billing), enter payment info, and then your account becomes “Brainly Plus” enabled. This means no ads and you can ask as many questions as you want without worrying about points. Brainly Plus also gives you access to their database of textbook solutions and the new AI features (more on that later). If you opt for Brainly Tutor (the higher plan), you additionally get the ability to connect to a live tutor via chat for a one-on-one session. You don’t pay separately for each tutoring session – it’s included up to the monthly limit of sessions.
All billing is done automatically via credit/debit card or app store subscription. If you choose monthly, you are billed each month until you cancel. If you choose annual, you pay a lump sum and then are set for the year. Importantly, if you don’t cancel, Brainly will auto-renew your plan at the end of the term (charging you again). You can cancel through your account settings or via the app store if you subscribed on mobile.
Brainly occasionally offers discounts or promotions, especially around back-to-school season. For example, they might have a sale on the annual plan. But generally, the pricing stays at the standard rates we discussed. There are no higher tiers beyond Tutor – it’s not like there are super-expensive plans; Brainly keeps it to those two options. Also, there are no charges based on subject or difficulty. Unlike hiring a private tutor who might charge more for advanced topics, with Brainly you pay the same flat rate whether you’re asking basic middle-school math or advanced placement physics.
Free Trial
Brainly offers a free trial for new subscribers, which is a great way to test the service – but you need to understand how it works to avoid unwanted charges. The free trial is typically 7 days long. During that period, you get full access to either Brainly Plus or Brainly Tutor (whichever plan you select for the trial) without being billed. This lets you try out the features: you can ask unlimited questions, use the textbook solutions, and even try the live tutor chat if you picked the Tutor trial.
However, as mentioned in “Hidden Costs,” the trial requires a payment method upfront and will auto-convert to a paid subscription if not canceled. Specifically, you should cancel at least a day (24 hours) before the 7-day trial ends. If you cancel on time, you won’t be charged at all. If you forget, your card will be charged the full subscription price for the plan you chose. For example, many people choose the annual plan during the trial to get the Tutor features, thinking they’ll just try it and not pay. But if they forget to cancel, they get charged around $96 for the yearly Tutor plan on day 7. So, set a reminder to decide if you want to continue or cancel.
Brainly does send an email reminder 24 hours before the trial is up (according to the company). But not everyone sees that email in time. Aside from that, there’s no other warning – the service just continues seamlessly into paid mode. On the bright side, if you do continue, you don’t have any interruption in service; you keep using your premium features.
In summary, the free trial is a risk-free way to enjoy Brainly’s premium help for a week. Take advantage of it – ask lots of questions, maybe schedule a couple of tutor sessions (they allow up to 20 a month, so in one week you could theoretically use a few). Then decide if it’s worth subscribing. Just make sure to cancel in time if you decide it’s not for you, because as we noted, Brainly doesn’t give refunds for a trial that auto-renewed.
Refund Policy
Brainly’s refund policy is clearly stated but quite strict: they do not offer refunds for subscriptions in most cases. According to Brainly’s official terms, once a subscription charge has gone through, it is generally non-refundable. This applies to both the monthly renewals and the yearly plans. They consider that you’ve committed to that billing cycle.
There are a couple of nuances to note:
- If you subscribed via the mobile app (Apple App Store or Google Play), refunds might be handled by Apple/Google policies. Sometimes, users have had luck requesting refunds through Apple if they canceled immediately after a charge. But this is not guaranteed and is outside Brainly’s own system.
- Brainly claims to send a reminder email before auto-renewal (especially for the end of a free trial). They use this as justification that users were informed. In BBB complaint responses, Brainly support often points out that “we sent an email and we do not provide refunds as per our policy”.
- One exception: if there was some verifiable error (like a double charge or a technical glitch that charged you when it shouldn’t have), Brainly’s support may assist in refunding the mistake. For example, one user reported a case where they were charged $39 unexpectedly in addition to their $10 monthly – Brainly support indicated the “additional subscription” was refunded by the bank. But in normal circumstances (forgetting to cancel, or deciding you didn’t use it), they will not refund.
Many users have reported frustration with this no-refund policy. If you realize you’ve been charged and you no longer want the service, the best you can do is cancel immediately to stop future charges, and then use the remaining time (since you paid for it, you keep the benefits until it expires). Some have successfully disputed charges with their credit card company as a last resort, but that can be hit or miss and possibly not worth the hassle unless it’s a large amount.
The bottom line: assume that any payment to Brainly is final. Always mark your calendar for when a renewal is coming if you are considering a cancelation, because you won’t get your money back afterward. Brainly’s stance is clearly “no refunds once the subscription starts”. Knowing this, you can avoid unpleasant surprises by managing your subscription proactively.
Brainly Alternatives
If Brainly doesn’t seem like the perfect fit, there are several other online tutoring and homework-help platforms out there. Each alternative has its own pricing model, subjects, and style of help. Here are some notable Brainly competitors and how they compare:
- My Engineering Buddy (MEB):My Engineering Buddy is a one-on-one tutoring and homework help service that especially focuses on math, engineering, and science subjects. Unlike Brainly’s subscription model, MEB typically works on a pay-as-you-go basis. You can get a free quote for homework or project help, and live tutoring starts at around $20/hour for school-level and goes up for college-level work. MEB tutors are highly qualified, and the platform boasts a 97% satisfaction rate among 18,000+ students. With MEB, you usually interact with a tutor via WhatsApp or live chat to explain your needs, and then sessions are scheduled on Zoom/Google Meet. This personalized approach means higher quality help and tailored guidance. It’s an excellent alternative if you need in-depth tutoring or assistance on complex assignments that Brainly’s crowd-sourced answers might not handle well.
- Chegg: Chegg is another big name in homework help. Chegg’s services include step-by-step textbook solutions and an expert Q&A feature similar to Brainly. Chegg Study costs about $15.95 per month. With that, you can ask up to 20 questions per month to experts and access millions of already answered questions. Chegg’s answers are usually quite detailed and vetted for accuracy, which many students find more reliable than community answers. Chegg doesn’t currently offer live tutoring (they used to have Chegg Tutors, but that service ended), focusing instead on providing written solutions and study resources. In comparison to Brainly, Chegg is more expensive on a monthly basis, but it often delivers more thorough solutions for college-level problems. If you need detailed answers and don’t mind the cost, Chegg is a strong alternative.
- Course Hero: Course Hero is a platform that offers a huge library of study materials, including previous homework solutions, textbook answers, and class notes. It operates on a subscription or credit system. A Premier membership can cost around $10 per month (billed annually) or up to $40 for month-to-month. With a membership, you get a certain number of “unlocks” to view documents or ask tutor questions. Course Hero’s 24/7 Homework Help allows you to ask questions to subject tutors, but usually, answers might take a few hours. The quality of help can vary since a lot of content is user-uploaded. Compared to Brainly, Course Hero is more about providing you existing answers and study guides rather than interactive Q&A. It’s useful if you want to find similar questions or practice problems that have solutions. However, it can become costly if you need a lot of unlocks, and not all content is guaranteed to be correct or specific to your question.
- Studypool: Studypool is a micro-tutoring marketplace where students post questions and tutors bid to answer them. You can set a budget as low as $5 for a quick question, though more complex problems will cost more. Studypool is different from Brainly in that it’s not subscription-based – you pay per question or assignment. The advantage is that you can get very personalized help; you often chat with the tutor who’s answering. The response time can be fast (sometimes within minutes for simpler questions if tutors are online), and you can often negotiate the price. The downside is you have to pay for every question and prices can add up if you have many questions. Tutor quality can vary since it’s an open marketplace, but top tutors are usually reliable. Studypool might be a good alternative if you just have one or two tough questions and want a detailed explanation without signing up for a monthly plan. It’s like hiring a freelancer for each homework problem.
- Quizlet: Quizlet is a bit different but worth mentioning. It’s a study platform known for flashcards and practice tests, not direct Q&A with tutors. However, Quizlet has a feature called “Quizlet Expert Solutions” (after acquiring Slader) where you can find solutions to textbook problems, similar to Chegg. Quizlet is mostly free, with a Quizlet Plus option (~$35/year) for ad-free studying and extras. While you won’t get to ask new questions like on Brainly, Quizlet’s vast user-generated content might already have the answer you need, especially for common textbook questions. It’s very useful for reviewing concepts and definitions through flashcards or learning games. For students who prefer self-study and just want to look up answers occasionally, Quizlet can be a handy alternative. It’s also classroom-friendly and often used alongside other resources.
- Wyzant: Wyzant is a platform for finding private tutors online. It’s not a homework answer repository like Brainly, but rather a marketplace to book one-on-one tutoring sessions in any subject. You can search for tutors (including for math, science, engineering, test prep, etc.) and see their hourly rates, which can range from $20/hour to $100/hour or more depending on the tutor’s qualifications. Wyzant is pay-as-you-go: you only pay for the tutoring time you schedule. There’s no subscription or minimum. The big advantage is quality and customization – you get a dedicated tutor who can work through problems with you in depth. This is ideal if you’re struggling in a course and need regular help understanding the material, more so than just getting homework answers. Of course, the cost is much higher if you use a lot of hours. Compared to Brainly, Wyzant is more personal and thorough but not instant (you need to arrange sessions) and not cheap for routine homework help. It’s an alternative to consider for long-term learning or difficult subjects where having an expert teach you one-on-one is beneficial.
Each of these alternatives has its pros and cons. Brainly’s main advantage is its low cost and immediate access to a community and database of answers. But if you need more personalized or higher quality assistance, services like My Engineering Buddy or Wyzant offer more tailored tutoring. If your focus is finding solved answers and study materials, Chegg or Course Hero might serve you better. And for those who want to study and practice independently, Quizlet is a great supplementary tool. It all depends on whether you’re looking for quick answers, detailed solutions, or one-on-one teaching.
How It Works
For Students
Using Brainly as a student is straightforward. First, you sign up for an account. You can do this by providing an email and password, or simply log in with Google, Facebook, or Apple ID. Registration is free, and you can even use Brainly without signing up just to browse, but to ask questions or interact, you need an account.
Asking questions (Q&A): Once logged in, you can ask any homework question you have. If you’re on the free plan, Brainly uses a point system. You spend some points to post your question to the community. Other users (students or volunteer experts) will see your question and can answer it. Typically, you might get an answer within minutes or hours, depending on how active the community is for that subject. We found that Brainly’s community is quite large, so common questions (especially in math, science, or history) often get answered quickly, sometimes in under an hour. You can also search Brainly’s database first – many questions have already been answered, and you might find your exact question answered by someone before. That can save time.
Using Brainly Plus features: If you have a Brainly Plus subscription, you don’t need to worry about points. You can ask unlimited questions. You also gain access to “expert-verified answers,” which means some answers are marked as checked for correctness by Brainly’s team. Plus users can view textbook solutions by scanning the ISBN or searching for a textbook problem – this is handy for subjects like math where you want to see how to solve a particular textbook exercise. Additionally, in 2025 Brainly introduced AI help: an AI called “Brainly Genie” or simply Brainly’s AI which can attempt to answer your question instantly. As a student, you can compare the AI’s answer with the community answers for more insight. The AI is included for subscribers as a way to get quick help, but it’s always good to have a human check, too.
Using Brainly Tutor (live help): If you subscribed to the Tutor plan, you can get live, one-on-one help. Here’s how it works: In your Brainly account or app, you choose the “Ask a Tutor” or “Go to Tutor” option. You then select the subject (again, currently limited to math, biology, chemistry, or physics). Brainly will connect you to an available expert tutor via a chat interface. It’s not video chat, but more of a live messaging and whiteboard system. You type your question or even snap a photo of your problem, and the tutor will work through it with you in real-time. Sessions can be short if it’s a quick question or longer for complex problems. Each session counts toward your monthly 20 session limit. Students have reported that this live help is useful for step-by-step explanations, almost like having a teacher on demand. There’s no need to schedule in advance; it’s designed to be instant 24/7 help, as long as a tutor is available. After you finish, you can rate the tutor and end the session.
Overall user experience: Brainly has a website and a mobile app. The interface is student-friendly, with a big search bar to ask questions and easy navigation for subjects. Students from various countries can use it in their local language (Brainly supports many languages and localized versions). There’s also a feature where you can take a picture of your homework question (especially math problems) and the app will read it and try to find an answer or ask the community. For communication, free users don’t directly chat with those who answer – you post and wait for replies. But you can thank or ask follow-up questions in the thread. Brainly also has a community moderation system to filter out incorrect answers or inappropriate content, but as a student you should still use judgment and double-check critical answers.
In summary, for students Brainly can be used in two main ways: asynchronously by posting questions and getting answers from the crowd or AI, and synchronously by using the live tutor chat (if you have that plan). It’s flexible – you can use it at midnight when you’re stuck on homework, or during study sessions to verify your work. Just remember, if you’re using Brainly for actual learning, try to understand the explanations rather than just copy-pasting answers. The platform is most beneficial when used as a learning aid, not just an answer vending machine.
For Tutors
Brainly’s platform isn’t just for students; it also involves tutors or answerers. There are essentially two types of helpers on Brainly:
- Community contributors (volunteers): These are people (often students themselves, or enthusiasts in various subjects) who answer questions on Brainly for free. Anyone who creates an account can start answering others’ questions. Brainly uses a gamified system where you earn points and ranks for answering. Top contributors might get titles or perks, but historically they were not paid. In fact, Brainly for many years relied on this peer-to-peer model, and “tutors” in that sense were volunteers, motivated by the community spirit or the desire to earn points to ask their own questions. If you want to help as a volunteer, you simply browse questions in your favorite subject and post answers. It can be rewarding if you enjoy teaching others. However, be aware that Brainly has guidelines: answers should be correct, and simply giving the answer without explanation might get reported. Community moderation is present – low-quality or copied answers can be removed.
- Brainly Tutor program (paid experts): In recent years, Brainly introduced a paid tutor program to support the Brainly Tutor subscription service. These tutors are typically subject experts who go through an application process. For example, Brainly has invited experts in math and science to apply to become online tutors. Once accepted, these tutors are paid (either per session or hourly) to be available on the platform and take students’ questions via live chat. If you are a tutor interested in this, you’d need to check Brainly’s Careers or Tutor sign-up page. Tutors have reported that the pay can range roughly around $20-$30 per hour in the US (it might differ by country). The hours are flexible – you often log in during times you’re free and accept tutoring requests. It’s somewhat like being an Uber driver but for homework help: you go online, and students’ questions pop up for you to assist.
Tutor experience and tips: Working as a Brainly tutor (paid) means you should be very quick and clear in solving problems. The students are often looking for help with specific homework questions and might be stressed or in a hurry. Good communication skills are key, since you’ll be typing explanations. Brainly provides a virtual whiteboard to draw equations or diagrams which is helpful especially for math problems. On Glassdoor and other sites, some tutors and employees at Brainly mention that the mission is rewarding – helping many students worldwide. However, they also note that the volume of work can be inconsistent; demand might peak in homework season and be low in holidays, affecting potential earnings. Additionally, since Brainly doesn’t charge per hour to students (it’s a flat subscription), the company likely keeps tight control on costs, which might translate to moderate pay rates for tutors.
For volunteer contributors, one pro is that you can build a reputation in the community. If you answer a lot and your answers are marked as best, you gain points and levels. Some students use this as a way to review subjects themselves – by teaching others, you reinforce your own knowledge. A possible con is that it’s unpaid and can be time-consuming, so many volunteers participate only casually.
Brainly does not publicly list all tutors or allow students to “choose” a specific tutor (unlike a marketplace). It’s more of an on-demand pool. So as a tutor, you won’t be advertising yourself; you’ll be one of the many experts behind the scenes. Brainly staff might also include educators who prepare verified answers and moderate content. According to employee reviews, Brainly has an office in several countries and hires people to ensure quality content, so not everything relies on random users.
In conclusion, if you are considering helping on Brainly, decide if you want to do it informally (just answer some questions for fun or practice) or formally (apply to be a paid tutor if you qualify in their needed subjects). Brainly’s tutor program is a newer feature aimed at giving students a “personal teacher” experience, and as it expands, it could be a decent side gig for qualified tutors, especially in math and science fields.
Brainly: Company Information
It helps to know a bit about the company behind the platform. Brainly isn’t a fly-by-night app; it has a substantial background in the education tech space.
- Founding and Mission: Brainly was founded in 2009 in Kraków, Poland by Michał Borkowski, Tomasz Kraus, and Łukasz Haluch. It started under a different name (“Zadanie.pl” which means “homework” in Polish) and later became Brainly as it expanded internationally. The original idea was to create a collaborative online community where students could help each other learn. Brainly’s mission statement is about empowering students to learn from each other and making education accessible. According to Bill Salak, Brainly’s CTO, their mission is “to create equal access to a high level of education for students worldwide so every learner can tap into their genius”. In other words, they aim to provide a free or low-cost learning support system so that any student, regardless of background, can get help when stuck on homework.
- Scale and Reach: Brainly has grown tremendously since its launch. As of 2024, Brainly reported about 15 million daily active users globally. During the COVID-19 pandemic, usage surged – the platform went from around 150 million users in 2019 to about 350 million registered users in 2020. It operates in more than 35 countries and supports dozens of languages. Some of its largest user bases are in the United States, Poland, Indonesia, Brazil, and Latin America. For example, Brainly has a separate site for many regions (brainly.com for U.S./global English, brainly.in for India, brainly.ph for Philippines, brainly.lat for Spanish Latin America, etc.). This localization means students see content relevant to their curricula and can ask questions in their native language. Brainly’s headquarters is now in New York City, with offices still in Kraków and other locations.
- Services and Subjects: Brainly primarily targets middle school and high school curriculum, but it also has content up to early college level. Subjects covered include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, History, Social Studies, Geography, and more. Essentially any academic subject that students have homework in. In recent years, Brainly has expanded services from pure Q&A to additional features: a “Textbook Detective” (searching textbook solutions), AI-powered answers (the Brainly AI or “Genie”), and the live tutoring. What makes Brainly unique is the combination of crowd-sourced answers and professional verification. Few platforms mix community-driven help with paid expert support the way Brainly now does.
- Unique Features (USP of Brainly): Brainly’s unique selling proposition is that it’s a one-stop learning companion that is largely free. The company often highlights that its standard offerings (posting questions, viewing answers) are free, which lowers the barrier for students in need. The collaborative aspect – learning in a community – is something Brainly emphasizes. Students often feel more comfortable seeing how peers solve problems. Another Brainly USP in 2025 is its integration of AI with human expertise. Brainly calls itself “the world’s leading AI learning companion”. The idea is you can get an instant AI explanation and also ask real people, combining the speed of technology with the assurance of expert verification. Additionally, Brainly’s reach across the globe means it’s available at any hour and in many languages, which few competitors can claim. In summary, Brainly stands out by being a massive, accessible platform where you can both give and receive help, reinforced now by new tech like AI.
- Drawbacks of Brainly: Despite its scale and noble mission, Brainly has some drawbacks as reported by users (and we’ve covered many in reviews). Quality control is a challenge – since anyone can answer, some answers may be wrong or not well explained. Brainly tries to mitigate this with expert verification tags and community upvotes, but inconsistencies remain. Another drawback is the user experience around the subscription: aggressive prompts to upgrade and the strict no-refund policy can alienate users. Some educators also criticize Brainly for enabling students to just copy answers without learning (it’s the classic “cheating vs learning” debate). Brainly does have honor codes and encourages using answers for learning, but it can be abused. Lastly, as a company, Brainly has to balance being free and sustaining a business. This means heavy use of ads on free users and pushing the premium service, which can be annoying for those who just want completely free help. In essence, the very things that are Brainly’s strengths (crowdsourced answers, freemium model) can also be weaknesses in execution.
- Comparison with My Engineering Buddy (MEB): Brainly and My Engineering Buddy are quite different in approach, even though both help students. Brainly is like a giant public forum with millions of users, while MEB is a more personalized tutoring service. For a straightforward homework question in a common subject, Brainly might get you an answer for free within minutes. But for complex engineering problems or needing step-by-step tutoring, MEB would match you with an expert who works through the problem with you individually. MEB, for instance, allows you to directly interact with a tutor (often via chat or video call) and even get your homework or project solved for a negotiated fee. Brainly doesn’t provide that level of personal service – their live tutors don’t stick with one student long-term or do lengthy projects. In terms of pricing, Brainly is subscription-based and generally cheaper for regular use, whereas MEB charges per hour or per assignment, which might be more expensive but you pay only when you need it. Tutor quality at MEB is a selling point – they claim top-qualified tutors (particularly for engineering and math) and have high student satisfaction. Brainly’s tutor quality can vary more, and their live help is currently limited to STEM subjects, which MEB also specializes in. If you’re a college student in a specialized engineering course, Brainly’s community might not have the depth of knowledge to help, while MEB likely has tutors for that niche. On the flip side, for quick answers or broad subjects (like history facts, literature questions), Brainly’s community is more useful, whereas MEB is focused on technical subjects. In summary, Brainly is broad and crowdsourced; MEB is narrow and highly personalized. Depending on a student’s needs, one may be better than the other – some even use Brainly for everyday homework and MEB for tough assignments or exam prep.
- Customer Support and Policies: Brainly’s customer support for users (students/parents) is primarily via an online help center and email. They do not offer phone support or live chat support for billing or technical issues. If you have an issue, you usually have to submit a request on their website or email their support team. Many users have reported that responses can be slow or scripted (especially regarding billing issues). Brainly’s policies, such as the no-refund policy we discussed, are something to be mindful of. They also have a Honor Code policy – officially, Brainly says it’s meant to help you learn, not to enable cheating, and they discourage just copying answers. They encourage users to ask thoughtful questions and for those answering to explain thoroughly. In practice, enforcement of the honor code is light; it relies on community reporting misuse. For privacy, you only need an email to register (no phone number required), and Brainly has standard data privacy policies since it operates in many regions. One thing to note: Brainly has a “Parent Account” feature where parents can link to their child’s Brainly account to monitor their learning progress. This is a nice touch for parents who want to be involved. It doesn’t cost extra – if a parent has a Plus account, the child linked to it gets the benefits too. Regarding customer support specifically, if you run into a problem like being charged incorrectly or having trouble canceling, you might need to be persistent in contacting Brainly. The BBB record shows Brainly does respond to complaints, albeit often sticking to policy. They do attempt to resolve clear-cut issues (like account deletion requests). But as a user, you won’t find a hand-holding support system – it’s largely self-service and community-driven help for usage questions.
- Global Reach and Localization: Brainly’s global reach is one of its strong suits. The platform is localized in many regions, meaning the content and interface appear in the local language and often the local syllabus. For example, a student in the UK will see Brainly in English with possibly some content relevant to GCSE/A-level curricula, while a student in Brazil can use Brainly in Portuguese for questions about their schoolwork. This localization extends to having moderators and some staff in different countries. Brainly is quite popular in several non-English speaking markets; it’s not just a US-centric service. They have invested in local education partnerships occasionally and adapt to the education styles of each region. From a user perspective, this means you can ask a question in Spanish or French and get an answer from someone who speaks your language. It also means the pool of knowledge on Brainly is vast and culturally diverse. Brainly often shares stats like having users in over 35 countries or content in dozens of languages. This global approach sets it apart from some competitors that focus only on English content. However, a global platform also has to filter content – Brainly has community guidelines to keep the platform safe and appropriate across cultures. One fun aspect: students sometimes even use Brainly to get quick translations or language help from native speakers in other countries, which organically happens due to its reach.
- Future Plans (AI and more): Looking towards the future, Brainly is placing a big bet on artificial intelligence. In 2023, Brainly rolled out new AI features built with OpenAI’s GPT-4 model. This AI “tutor” can generate answers and explanations instantly for many questions. Brainly is marketing itself as an AI-enhanced learning platform, not just a Q&A site. We can expect Brainly to continue refining this AI help – possibly giving it more capabilities like personalized quizzes or remembering what a student has asked before (to build continuity in learning). The company has stated that they don’t want AI to replace human tutors, but to complement them. So likely, Brainly will use AI to handle simpler or repetitive questions, while human experts handle tougher ones and verification. Another area of future development could be expanding the live tutoring to more subjects if the current program is successful. We might see Brainly Tutor cover English or history with live experts, not just STEM. Also, Brainly could integrate more multimedia – maybe video lessons or guided tutorials (they acquired a small video education startup in the past, hinting at interest in video content). For students, Brainly’s future plans aim to make the platform a comprehensive study aid that adapts to each user. Imagine a scenario where you ask a math question, the AI explains it, then Brainly suggests practice problems and if you get stuck, connects you to a tutor. Those are the kinds of seamless experiences ed-tech companies are racing to create. In summary, expect Brainly to become more interactive and smarter, using AI and data to improve homework help. The core idea of peer learning will remain, but wrapped in more advanced technology. It’s an exciting direction, but as always, the effectiveness will need to be proven in practice.
FAQs About Brainly
Q1: Is Brainly free or do you have to pay for answers?
A: Brainly offers both free and paid options. You can use Brainly for free by signing up and using points to ask questions. The free version has ads and requires you to earn points (for example, by answering others’ questions). Many answers on Brainly are accessible for free. However, Brainly also has a paid subscription called Brainly Plus. With Brainly Plus, you pay a fee to get unlimited answers without ads and access to additional features like verified answers and textbook solutions. In short: it’s free to use at a basic level, but there is a premium upgrade available. The vast majority of content (Q&A) can be accessed free, especially if you contribute to the community.
Q2: How much does Brainly cost in 2025?
A: The price in 2025 for Brainly’s premium services is quite affordable compared to many other tutoring platforms. Brainly Plus (the ad-free, unlimited Q&A plan) costs about $10 per month if you pay monthly. They also have a yearly option which is around $24 to $39 per year (Brainly has run different promotions; currently it’s about $39/year). The yearly plan brings the cost down to roughly $3 per month. Brainly Tutor (which includes live chat with tutors) is about $29 per month, or around $96 per year. Keep in mind these prices can sometimes vary or have discounts. Also, Brainly often gives a 7-day free trial for new users. So, in summary: roughly $10/month for Plus, $29/month for Tutor, with big savings if you choose the annual payment.
Q3: Is Brainly safe and legit to use for homework help?
A: Yes, Brainly is a legitimate platform that’s safe to use, but with the caveat that you should use it wisely. “Legit” in this context means it’s a real company/service – Brainly has been around since 2009 and has millions of users, so it’s not a scam website. It’s safe in that it doesn’t install anything harmful on your device; you just use it via web or app. However, safety also means community content: since anyone can answer, not all answers are guaranteed correct. Brainly has moderators and tries to verify answers, but you might find some incorrect info before it’s caught. So, you should double-check important answers or use Brainly’s answers as a guide. In terms of personal data, Brainly doesn’t require sensitive info beyond an email, and you can remain anonymous on the site. One thing to be cautious about: do not share personal details or engage in off-platform communication with strangers from Brainly, since it is a public forum. If you stick to using it for Q&A and follow common-sense internet safety, Brainly is as safe as any educational site. Many teachers know students use Brainly – the key is to use it for learning, not just copying, to stay on the right side of academic honesty.
Q4: How do I cancel Brainly Plus or Tutor, and can I get a refund?
A: You can cancel your Brainly subscription through your account settings. If you subscribed on the Brainly website, log in, go to your profile/settings, find “Subscriptions” and there should be an option to cancel renewal. If you signed up via mobile app, you have to cancel through the App Store or Google Play subscription management. Important: canceling will stop the next billing, but you won’t get an automatic refund for the current period. Brainly’s policy is no refunds once a subscription has started. That means if you forgot to cancel your free trial in time and got charged, Brainly usually will not refund that charge. They do send a reminder email before renewal, but many people miss it. If you cancel mid-month or mid-year, you can still use the premium features until the end of the paid period, but it just won’t renew again. To sum up: cancel via settings (or app store), and assume you won’t get money back for any unused time. Always cancel at least a day before your next renewal date. If you believe you were wrongly charged (e.g., a double charge or you canceled but it still charged), you should contact Brainly support by email with evidence. Some users have managed to get refunds in exceptional cases, but it’s not the norm.
Q5: Does Brainly allow asking multiple questions? Are there limits?
A: Free Brainly users can ask a limited number of questions based on the points they have. When you sign up, you usually get a certain number of points to start, and each question you ask costs points (the cost can depend on question complexity or if you attach a bounty). You can earn more points by answering other people’s questions or sometimes by watching ad videos. This system naturally limits how many questions a free user can ask in a short time – it encourages give-and-take. If you run out of points, you have to earn more before asking additional questions, unless you upgrade. Brainly Plus subscribers have no such limit; they can ask unlimited questions since points are not a factor for them. However, even for Plus users, practically speaking, if someone spammed a ton of questions rapidly, the moderation system might flag it. But generally, “unlimited” means you can ask as many homework questions as you need help with. For Brainly Tutor (live chat), the limit is 20 tutoring sessions per month. A session could be one big question or a series of questions in one sitting. After 20 sessions in a month, a Tutor subscriber would have to wait until the next month’s cycle for more live help. So, to recap: normal Q&A – unlimited for paid users (limited by points for free users), and live chat – 20 sessions a month cap for Tutor plan.
Q6: Brainly vs. My Engineering Buddy – which is better for students?
A: Brainly and My Engineering Buddy serve slightly different needs, so which is “better” depends on what you’re looking for. Brainly is better for quick answers and a wide range of subjects. It’s available 24/7, and you can get help with anything from algebra to world history by simply posting a question. It’s also very budget-friendly (free or low-cost). If you have a homework question or want to check if you did a problem right, Brainly is very convenient. On the other hand, My Engineering Buddy (MEB) is better for in-depth, personalized help, especially in technical subjects like engineering, advanced math, or physics. With MEB, you get a dedicated tutor who can explain concepts step-by-step or even help solve complex assignment problems in a one-on-one setting. The quality of help is often higher because the tutor is focused solely on you (MEB has subject experts, which is why it has high ratings from students). The trade-off is cost and immediacy: MEB help usually costs more (you pay per hour or task) and you might need to schedule it, whereas Brainly is instant and mostly free. If you are a college student dealing with tough engineering coursework, MEB might be a lifesaver for difficult projects or exam prep. If you’re a high school student who mostly needs occasional homework answers or study help, Brainly could be sufficient. Some students might use both – Brainly for everyday homework checking, and MEB when they need a real expert to teach them one-on-one. Ultimately, Brainly is like a huge library and forum, while MEB is like having a personal tutor. They’re both legit and helpful; it depends on the level of help you need.
Q7: What should I do if I get an answer on Brainly that I suspect is wrong?
A: If you get an answer on Brainly that doesn’t seem correct or doesn’t make sense, it’s important to double-check and take action appropriately. First, try to verify the answer from another source – perhaps use Brainly’s feature of multiple answers: often more than one person might answer your question, or similar questions may have other answers. You can also run the problem by the Brainly AI or post a comment asking for clarification. If you confirm the answer is wrong, you can downvote it or report it. Brainly has a report function (usually a flag icon) to mark answers that are incorrect or violate guidelines. This helps alert moderators to review it. Then, you might wait for another user to answer correctly or rephrase your question for clarity. Remember, Brainly has many helpful users, but not everyone is an expert – mistakes happen. By reporting wrong answers, you actually help improve the platform. If it’s a critical homework problem, don’t just trust a single source. It’s a good idea in such cases to either ask on multiple platforms or, if you have Brainly Plus, look for “expert verified” answers (those have a checkmark indicating they were reviewed). In subjects like math, check the work shown; in subjects like history or literature, cross-check facts. The community generally corrects itself over time; often another user will comment “This is incorrect because…” if an answer is wrong. So, stay vigilant and use Brainly as one of several resources. When in doubt, seek a second opinion – even teachers encourage verifying information you get online.
Q8: Can Brainly be used for exam preparation or is it just for homework?
A: You can definitely use Brainly for exam preparation, although it’s mainly designed around Q&A for homework problems. Many students use Brainly as a study tool. For example, when reviewing for a test, you might have practice problems you’re stuck on – you can ask those on Brainly to get explanations. You can also search the platform for questions related to the topics on your exam syllabus. Chances are, someone has asked similar questions before, and reading those Q&A threads can be like reviewing study notes. Brainly’s community explanations can help you understand how to solve certain types of problems, which is useful for studying. That said, Brainly doesn’t offer structured lessons or practice quizzes (it’s not an all-in-one exam prep service like Khan Academy or a tutoring session). It’s reactive – you ask, you get answers. If you know the areas you need help with, Brainly is great for clarifying specific doubts. Additionally, Brainly’s new AI features might assist in generating practice questions or summarizing topics for you (since AI can produce explanations on general concepts too). But one should be careful: using Brainly while practicing can sometimes turn into a crutch (like you might be tempted to ask for every answer instead of struggling and learning). For effective exam prep, you might use Brainly to understand things you absolutely can’t figure out, but still do the studying yourself. In summary, Brainly can support exam preparation by answering your questions and showing you solutions, but it doesn’t replace standard study methods. It works best in conjunction with your textbooks, class notes, or other study programs. Many students do report that by using Brainly regularly for homework, they felt more prepared for tests because they cleared up misunderstandings along the way.
Conclusion
Brainly has carved out a significant place in the online tutoring and homework help space by leveraging the power of community and technology. Its strengths lie in its vast user base, quick access to answers, and affordable (even free) help for students around the world. Brainly is particularly strong for getting instant support on routine homework questions and for its breadth of subject coverage. With new features like AI-generated explanations and the introduction of live tutors, Brainly in 2025 is more than just a Q&A forum – it’s evolving into a comprehensive study aid.
However, Brainly is not without weaknesses. The quality of answers can be hit-or-miss, and students must be careful to not accept every answer at face value. The platform’s approach to monetization – while keeping basic help free – has some rough edges, such as the aggressive auto-renewal and no-refund policy that have frustrated many users. Also, Brainly’s help with deeper understanding is limited; it can provide answers, but it’s up to the student to study the explanations or seek further clarification if needed.
For those seeking more personalized and high-level support, alternatives like My Engineering Buddy offer a different approach. My Engineering Buddy provides one-on-one expert tutoring, which can be invaluable for tough subjects or when you need a tutor’s full attention. While it comes at a higher cost per session, the payoff is in quality and customization of learning. In contrast to Brainly’s crowd-sourced answers, My Engineering Buddy ensures a trained tutor is guiding you, which can lead to better outcomes for complex tasks. Many students might find that using Brainly for everyday homework and a service like My Engineering Buddy for challenging coursework is a powerful combination.
In closing, Brainly is a legitimate and useful tool in a student’s arsenal. Its community-driven model embodies the idea that learning can be collaborative and accessible. If you decide to use Brainly, take advantage of its resources fully – ask questions, read through multiple answers, and even try helping others if you can (teaching is a great way to learn!). But also remain critical and supplement your learning with reliable sources or direct tutoring when necessary. Brainly can provide quick fixes and boosts in understanding, but true mastery of subjects may require the kind of detailed support that a dedicated tutor or thorough study provides.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to your needs: For quick homework help and budget-friendly support, Brainly is a solid option with a few caveats. For a more guided learning experience, especially in specialized subjects, consider My Engineering Buddy or similar platforms that pride themselves on tutor quality and personalized attention. By weighing the pros and cons outlined above, students and parents from the US, UK, Gulf countries, Australia and beyond can make an informed decision on whether Brainly is the right fit, or if an alternative might better serve their educational journey. Happy learning!