Lumosity vs Elevate: which brain training app is right for you?

01Two different takes on brain training

Lumosity and Elevate often come up together, but they lean in different directions. Lumosity, from Lumos Labs, describes 40+ games that adapt as you play, built around speed, memory, attention, flexibility, problem-solving, math and words. Elevate, from The Mind Company, lists over 40 games built around reading, writing, speaking, memory and math, plus daily puzzles.

Both say they cover memory and math. Beyond that, Lumosity lists speed, attention and flexibility, and Elevate lists reading, writing and speaking. If you already know which of those you care about, that may settle it.

02Lumosity and Elevate side by side

Every row comes from the app’s own site or App Store listing:

03Free plans and prices

Elevate is more specific about its free plan: one three-game workout a day, a game of the week and basic tracking. Lumosity is free to download and includes a free 10-minute Fit Test; its App Store listing doesn’t spell out the rest of the free tier.

On price, Elevate’s site listed US App Store prices of $39.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or $9.99 a month, when we checked on November 7, 2026. Lumosity Premium has several prices listed on the App Store, so check the listing in your country before you subscribe.

04Devices

Lumosity runs on iPhone, iPad and Android, and its site links to both app stores. Elevate is a mobile app, and its site links to the app stores too. If you want an Apple Watch app, neither source mentions one; Peak lists Apple Watch support.

05Lumosity may suit you if

Lumosity is a good fit for people who like to see how they’re doing:

• You want a personalized training program with detailed performance insights.
• You’d like to compare your scores with your age group.
• You want speed, attention and flexibility games in the mix.

06Elevate may suit you if

Elevate is a good fit for people who think in words:

• You want a large library focused on reading, writing and speaking.
• You prefer a monthly plan.
• You want a free plan with a clearly described daily workout.

07Questions to ask yourself

If you’re still torn, these questions usually decide it:

• Do I want to work on how I read, write and speak, or on how quickly I notice and react?
• Do I want detailed performance insights, or a simple daily workout?
• Would I like to compare my scores with my age group?
• Do I want a monthly plan, which Elevate lists, or will I check Lumosity’s App Store prices first?

08What research says about both

The same research applies to both apps. A large 2016 review led by Daniel Simons found extensive evidence that brain training improves performance on the trained tasks, and little evidence that it improves everyday cognitive performance. Either app will make you better at its own games, so pick the one whose games you’d like to be better at.

09Where Wits fits

We make Wits, so we’re not neutral here, but it may be worth a look if you want something neither app lists: general-knowledge games. Wits mixes knowledge and language with reasoning, numbers, memory and focus, and in the iPhone app, a day brings Dot Path, a set of quick games and one-minute lessons.

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). Wits for iPhone is available on the App Store. For the details, see our pages comparing Wits with Lumosity and with Elevate.