What are the best brain training apps?

01How we compared them

We looked at five brain training apps that people often weigh against each other: Elevate, Lumosity, Peak, Impulse and Wits. For each one we noted what it says it covers, how many games it lists, what you can do for free, what the paid plan costs and where you can play it.

Facts about the other four come only from their makers’ own websites and App Store listings, read on November 7, 2026. Where a source didn’t say something, we left it out rather than guess. We make Wits, so read what we say about it with that in mind.

There are no scores or rankings here. The right app depends on which skills you want to practice, how you like to play and what you’re willing to pay, so each section describes who the app may suit instead.

02The five apps at a glance

Here is what each app says about itself. Prices and features change, so check each app before you subscribe.

Five brain training apps compared

App	Focus	Free option	Where to play
EElevate	Reading, writing, speaking, memory and math, plus daily puzzles	One three-game workout a day, a game of the week and basic tracking	Mobile app (its site links to the app stores)
LLumosity	Speed, memory, attention, flexibility, problem-solving, math and word games	Free to download, with a free 10-minute Fit Test; its listing doesn’t spell out the rest of the free tier	iPhone, iPad and Android (its site links to both app stores)
PPeak	Memory, attention, problem-solving, mental agility, language, coordination and emotion control	A free basic version; its listing doesn’t detail what it includes	iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android
IImpulse	Memory, processing speed, attention, mental math and problem-solving, plus IQ, personality and emotional-intelligence tests	Free with ads; a 3-day trial gives full access to all games	iPhone (its listing says “Only for iPhone”)
WitsOurs	Six skills: knowledge, language, reasoning, numbers, memory and focus	App: Dot Path, Sort It, Word Wheel, Speed Math, Card Pairs and Color Clash, plus daily trivia. Web: Dot Path, Color Clash and Word Code (Word Code is Premium in the app), with a free account	iPhone app on the App Store; web with a free account

03Elevate

Elevate, from The Mind Company, says it has over 40 games across reading, writing, speaking, memory and math, plus daily puzzles. Its free plan includes one three-game workout a day, a game of the week and basic tracking. On November 7, 2026, its site listed US App Store prices of $39.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or $9.99 a month. Subscribers get longer custom workouts and crosswords.

04Lumosity

Lumosity, from Lumos Labs, is a long-running brain training program. It describes 40+ games that adapt as you play, covering speed, memory, attention, flexibility, problem-solving, math and words. It’s free to download with a free 10-minute Fit Test, though its App Store listing doesn’t spell out the rest of the free tier. Lumosity Premium adds a personalized training program and in-depth performance insights, at several prices listed on the App Store. It runs on iPhone, iPad and Android.

05Peak

Peak, from Synaptic Labs, lists 45+ games and workouts for memory, attention, problem-solving, mental agility, language, coordination and emotion control. There’s a free basic version, though its listing doesn’t detail what it includes, and a paid tier called Peak Pro with several prices on the App Store. Peak runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android, and it comes with a built-in Coach and Advanced Training modules.

06Impulse

Impulse, from GMRD Apps Limited, offers a personalized daily plan for memory, processing speed, attention, mental math and problem-solving. Alongside the games it has IQ, personality and emotional-intelligence tests, and time-limited events. It’s free with ads, a 3-day trial gives full access to all games, and subscriptions are listed at several prices on the App Store. Its listing says it’s only for iPhone.

07Wits

Wits is ours. In the iPhone app, each day brings Dot Path, a logic puzzle with a new level every day, and a set of quick games from different skills: knowledge, language, reasoning, numbers, memory and focus. One-minute lessons there explain an idea, like chunking a long number, before a game uses it. There are 43 games.

Wits Basic is free in the iPhone app and on the web. In the app: Dot Path, Sort It, Word Wheel, Speed Math, Card Pairs and Color Clash, plus daily trivia. On the web, a free Wits account plays Dot Path, Color Clash and Word Code (Word Code is Premium in the app). In the iPhone app, Premium unlocks every game and lesson for $39.99 a year with 3 days free for new subscribers, or $6.99 a week. Wits for iPhone is available on the App Store.

08How to choose

A week with each app’s free tier tells you more than any comparison. While you try them, ask yourself:

• Which skills do I want to practice: words, numbers, memory, attention or general knowledge?
• Do I enjoy the games enough to open the app again tomorrow?
• Will I play on a phone, a tablet, a watch or in a web browser?
• Would I rather pay monthly, weekly or yearly, and when does any trial start charging?
• Does the app describe what it does honestly?

On that last point, the research is fairly consistent. People reliably get better at the games they practice, while evidence that brain games make everyday thinking easier is much weaker. An app that’s fun enough to keep playing is a better pick than the one with the biggest promises.