So I can only tell you what I've experienced. Braxton Hicks are contractions, but they are typically painless. This is not always the case though! Mine, at times, were painful. However they are random, you can't time them, and they stay basically the same pain level. Then there are just contractions, which I feel are more painful. Like they grab you and stop you from what you're doing. They last about 45 seconds and will slowly get worse. Then they randomly stop.