BrainHQ is our top pick on iPhone and iPad because it has the deepest research record of the apps we rank, and the same account also works on the web. Elevate is the best choice for practicing reading, writing, and math, and its free version gives you a new workout every day. Peak is the polished all-rounder for less. All five apps we rank are free to download as a single app that runs on both iPhone and iPad.
Every brain training app we rate works on iPhone and iPad. Each is one App Store download that runs natively on both devices, and each is free to download with a paid subscription inside. The real differences are in what you get, what it costs, and a few Apple-specific details: which iOS version you need, whether your progress follows you to a computer, and whether a household can share one subscription.
We ranked the five apps that already have a Mindkindly score, in score order, using the results of our hands-on reviews. For this guide we checked every price and device detail against each app’s US App Store listing and help center.
How the apps compare
| App | Best for | Price (annual) | Rating | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrainHQ | Deepest research record | $94.99 in app / $96 web | 8.6 | iPhone, iPad, Web |
| Elevate | Reading, writing, and math skills | $39.99 | 8.4 | iPhone, iPad |
| Peak | Polished all-rounder for less | ~$34.99 | 8.0 | iPhone, iPad |
| Lumosity | Training on phone and computer | Varies by plan | 7.4 | iPhone, iPad, Web |
| CogniFit | Detailed cognitive assessments | $59.99 to $119.99 in app | 7.1 | iPhone, iPad, Web |
Prices are US App Store prices at the time of writing unless marked as web prices. Brain training apps change prices and run discounts often, so check the subscription screen before you pay.
Before you download: what your iPhone or iPad needs
| App | Needs iOS or iPadOS | Also listed for | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrainHQ | 16 or later | Mac with Apple silicon (not verified for macOS), Apple Vision Pro, web browser | The Daily Spark: one free exercise a day |
| Elevate | 17 or later | Apple Vision Pro | A free version with a new daily workout |
| Peak | 15 or later | iPod touch, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro | A basic free version |
| Lumosity | 15 or later | iPod touch, web browser | 3 games a day |
| CogniFit | 17 or later | Web browser | The initial assessment and some meditations |
If you have an older iPad, check its software version in Settings, under General, before you subscribe. Elevate and CogniFit need iPadOS 17 or later. BrainHQ’s App Store listing accepts iOS 16, but its help center says it officially supports only the current and previous versions of iOS, so keep your device up to date.
1. BrainHQ: our top pick, with the deepest research record
BrainHQ is our top pick because it has the deepest published research record of the apps we rank, centered on processing-speed training. It was developed under neuroscientist Michael Merzenich, and BrainHQ says its Double Decision exercise is the current version of the speed training studied in the ACTIVE trial. That trial is encouraging but has real limits, which we explain below.
On iPhone and iPad. BrainHQ is the most flexible app here across devices. You can sign in on the app, on the website, or on Android and continue the same training, so it is easy to train on an iPad at home and on your phone elsewhere. Its App Store release notes mention updated iPad layouts, and the listing also covers Apple Vision Pro. It can be installed on Macs with Apple silicon, though the listing notes it is designed for iPad and not verified for macOS. The app needs an internet connection for normal use, though you can download some exercise stages ahead of time to train offline. In our hands-on use, some exercises needed the phone turned sideways to landscape, which breaks the easy one-handed flow of a phone app; an iPad, which you already hold sideways, may suit those exercises better.
What it costs. In the App Store, BrainHQ costs $13.99 a month or $94.99 a year. On the website it is $14 a month or $96 a year. The website costs slightly more, but website purchases come with BrainHQ’s 30-day refund guarantee, which does not cover App Store purchases. Only website annual plans can add family members, at $59 a year each. With a free account you get the Daily Spark, one exercise a day in a different training category each day.
The trade-off. BrainHQ feels clinical and dated. The pace is slow and deliberate, and when you sign up it pushes you straight into an exercise. If you want quick, modern sessions, the apps below will feel better day to day.
2. Elevate: best for everyday skills and the best free version
Elevate practices skills you already use, like reading, writing, speaking, and mental math, instead of abstract puzzles. It is one of the best-designed apps in the category and carries an Editors’ Choice badge on the App Store. It also has the most useful free version: Elevate’s help center says free users get a new daily workout every day, with three games, plus study materials and weekly performance reports.
On iPhone and iPad. Elevate has no web version, so you train on iPhone, iPad, or Android. Sign in with the same account on each device and Elevate restores your subscription and progress. It needs iOS or iPadOS 17 or later, and the App Store lists it in English only. Elevate does not offer a family plan and does not work with Apple Family Sharing, so each person needs their own account. A second person can still use the free version on their own account.
What it costs. Elevate costs $39.99 a year in the US App Store, which also lists a $9.99 monthly option, and there is a 7-day free trial. Elevate’s help center says prices vary by location and platform, so tap Upgrade in the app to see your price. Upgrading unlocks more than 40 games, adaptive difficulty, and detailed performance tracking, and removes ads; the App Store listing notes that the app contains advertising.
The trade-off. Its scope is deliberately narrow, with little visual or spatial training, and it leans heavily on English. You will get better at Elevate’s exercises, but evidence that the gains carry over outside the app is limited.
3. Peak: the polished all-rounder for less
Peak is the established app we would recommend for a polished daily routine without paying more than you need to. It has more than 45 games across six categories, a clean modern design, and a Coach feature that builds goal-based workouts. Several of its games were developed with academic researchers; its Decoder attention game came out of University of Cambridge research.
On iPhone and iPad. Peak needs iOS or iPadOS 15 or later, and the App Store also lists Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro compatibility. It is available in English and 13 other languages. There is no web version. To use Peak on a second device, you log in with the email address linked to your account and Peak sends you a code. Peak’s help center notes that some games may not appear on every device; one coordination game, for example, needs three fingers on the screen at once and is hidden on devices that cannot register that.
What it costs. The US App Store lists Peak Pro at $34.99, along with cheaper monthly plans and discounted offers that appear from time to time. Pro adds a personalized daily workout of six games, unlimited replays, access to every game, Pro-only games, all assessments, and advanced statistics. The free basic version includes some of the games, and the App Store listing notes that the app contains advertising. Peak no longer sells its Family Plan, though the App Store says some of its purchases may be shareable through Family Sharing.
The trade-off. Peak’s personalization is good rather than category-leading, some of its emotional training games are less proven, and full statistics need Pro.
4. Lumosity: the best-known name, on phone and computer
Lumosity is the name most people know, with more than 40 games and a long history as the category default. Its main advantage on Apple devices is flexibility: you can train in the app on iPhone or iPad, or on a computer at its website. A free account gives you three games a day, chosen for you and rotating daily, which you can replay as often as you like. Your first session is a free Fit Test that sets your baseline.
On iPhone and iPad. Lumosity needs iOS or iPadOS 15 or later and also runs on iPod touch. The app lets you train offline, and your results update once you reconnect. Its latest App Store update brought a redesigned look and a new Zen Mode. One caveat: Lumosity’s help center says that while it rolls out this new version across web and mobile, your stats may not match between the app and the website for a while.
What it costs. Lumosity’s help center lists monthly, yearly, two-year, and lifetime plans, plus family plans for up to five people, and points you to its purchase page for current prices. In the US App Store, Premium purchases currently range from $11.99 to $89.00 depending on the plan, so compare the options on the subscription screen before you choose. Premium unlocks every game, full five-game workouts, and detailed insights.
The trade-off. Its personalization is shallower than newer apps, and the free games are chosen for you. It is also worth knowing that in 2016, Lumos Labs, the company behind Lumosity, paid $2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it made unfounded claims about what its games could do.
5. CogniFit: the most clinical
CogniFit is the most assessment-driven app here. It measures your cognition in detail and builds training around the results, and its App Store listing says it has more than 100 games. That depth suits people who want a thorough, clinical-feeling program.
On iPhone and iPad. CogniFit needs iOS or iPadOS 17 or later and is available in English and 20 other languages. CogniFit says its iOS app is fully integrated with its website, with your progress synchronized on both. A free account in the app includes the initial cognitive assessment and some meditations; games and training need a subscription.
What it costs. CogniFit’s App Store description lists $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, but its in-app purchase list also includes Basic plans at $19.99 a month and $119.99 a year. CogniFit’s help center says app and website plans are different, so check exactly which plan you are buying before you pay.
The trade-off. CogniFit can feel overwhelming. There is a lot to navigate, and the games tend to run long, which makes it a poor fit for a quick daily session.
Also worth a look
These apps are not part of our scored roundup, so we have not ranked or rated them. NeuroNation runs on iPhone and iPad (iOS 15 or later), and the App Store also lists Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro. It has a free version, and its Premium prices vary by plan length. Impulse is a popular brain games app, but its App Store listing names iPhone (iOS 18 or later) and Apple Vision Pro, not iPad, so it is an option only if you train on your phone. It offers a 3-day free trial.
Zenelia is a brain training app made by Mindkindly’s owner, so we don’t rank or score it here. It costs $6.99 a month or $44.99 a year, has a 7-day free trial, and is iPhone only for now; read more about Zenelia or see it on the App Store.
iPhone or iPad: which is better for brain training?
Both work well, and they suit different habits. A phone is always with you, which makes it easier to keep a short daily session going. An iPad gives games more room, which helps with exercises that ask you to watch the edges of the screen, such as BrainHQ’s Double Decision, or that need landscape orientation. If you want to use both, choose an app that keeps your progress in one account, which all five ranked apps do, and buy your subscription once. If you also want to train on a computer, BrainHQ, Lumosity, and CogniFit have web versions; Elevate and Peak do not.
What the research says
Brain training apps reliably make you better at their own games. Whether that carries over to everyday life is much less clear. A major 2016 review led by Daniel Simons found extensive evidence that training improves the trained tasks, less evidence for closely related tasks, and little evidence for distantly related tasks or everyday thinking.
The strongest long-term evidence in the field comes from the ACTIVE trial, which randomly assigned 2,832 adults aged 65 to 94 to memory, reasoning, or speed-of-processing training, or to a control group. Its training was a supervised research program of ten group sessions in the late 1990s, not an app. Each type of training improved the specific ability it targeted, and later follow-ups reported encouraging long-term results for the speed training group. Those later findings are still debated: a 2026 reanalysis of the 20-year results found that none of the training groups stayed statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons, though its author argued the overall pattern still hinted at a possible shared effect. The National Institute on Aging says there is not enough evidence that commercial computer-based brain training apps have the same impact as the ACTIVE training.
So choose one of these apps because you enjoy it and want a daily mental habit, not as a health treatment. Our guide on whether brain training apps work covers the evidence in more depth.
How we chose
We ranked only apps that already have a Mindkindly score, in the order of those scores. Each score comes from hands-on use, rated on our five-criterion framework: scientific basis, personalization, engagement, price-to-value, and platform availability. We did not create separate scores for iPhone or iPad. Device requirements, prices, and features in this guide come from each app’s US App Store listing and help center, listed in the sources below.
Common questions
What is the best brain training app for iPhone? For research credentials, BrainHQ. For practicing everyday skills, and for the best free version, Elevate. For a polished all-rounder at a lower price, Peak.
Do brain training apps work on iPad? Yes. BrainHQ, Elevate, Peak, Lumosity, and CogniFit each run natively on both iPhone and iPad from a single App Store download.
Do I have to pay twice to use an app on my iPhone and iPad? Usually not. Sign in to the same account on both devices. Elevate restores your subscription when you sign in, and Peak has a Restore purchase option for App Store subscriptions.
Which brain training apps also work on a computer? BrainHQ, Lumosity, and CogniFit have web versions. Elevate and Peak are mobile apps only.
Is there a good free brain training app for iPhone? Elevate’s free version gives you a new daily workout every day. BrainHQ’s Daily Spark gives you one free exercise a day, and Lumosity gives free users three games a day. Our guide to the best free brain training apps compares them in detail.
Is it cheaper to subscribe in the App Store or on the website? It depends on the app. BrainHQ is slightly cheaper in the App Store, but only website purchases come with its 30-day refund guarantee. CogniFit’s app and website plans are different, so compare both before you buy.
The bottom line
For the deepest research record on iPhone and iPad, choose BrainHQ, as long as you can live with its clinical, dated feel. For practicing reading, writing, and math, and for a free version you can use every day, choose Elevate. For a polished veteran all-rounder at a lower price, choose Peak. Start with the free version or free trial on the device you will actually use, and keep your expectations realistic. For how these apps compare beyond Apple devices, see our complete brain training roundup.
Sources
- BrainHQ on the App Store
- Elevate on the App Store
- Peak on the App Store
- Lumosity on the App Store
- CogniFit on the App Store
- NeuroNation on the App Store
- Impulse on the App Store
- Which subscription plan is right for me? (BrainHQ Support)
- What is the Daily Spark? (BrainHQ Support)
- System requirements for iOS (BrainHQ Support)
- Offline training on the BrainHQ app for iOS (BrainHQ Support)
- How do I register for BrainHQ? (BrainHQ Support)
- BrainHQ family plans (BrainHQ Support)
- BrainHQ refund policy (BrainHQ Support)
- Double Decision (BrainHQ)
- Free version vs. upgraded version (Elevate Help Center)
- How do I change my workout length? (Elevate Help Center)
- How much does a subscription to Elevate cost? (Elevate Help Center)
- How do I sync devices? (Elevate Help Center)
- Do you offer a Family Plan? (Elevate Help Center)
- Do you offer Family Sharing? (Elevate Help Center)
- What is Peak Pro? (Peak Help Center)
- How do I log in on a new device? (Peak Help Center)
- How is my PBS calculated? (Peak Help Center)
- Why isn’t Jump Control available on my device? (Peak Help Center)
- I purchased a subscription, but it’s not active (Peak Help Center)
- What is the Family Plan? (Peak Help Center)
- Where are the free games? (Lumosity Help Center)
- What are the types of Lumosity subscriptions available? (Lumosity Help Center)
- What do I get when I purchase a Lumosity subscription? (Lumosity Help Center)
- How do I take the Fit Test? (Lumosity Help Center)
- Can I train offline? (Lumosity Help Center)
- Why are my stats different on the mobile app and the website? (Lumosity Help Center)
- Lumosity to pay $2 million to settle FTC deceptive advertising charges (Federal Trade Commission, 2016)
- CogniFit for iPad (CogniFit)
- What subscription plans does CogniFit offer for mobile app users? (CogniFit Help)
- Do “brain-training” programs work? (Simons et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2016)
- Effects of cognitive training interventions with older adults (Ball et al., JAMA, 2002)
- Reanalyzing the impact of cognitive training over 20 years in the ACTIVE study (Dickens, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, 2026)
- Cognitive health and older adults (National Institute on Aging)