At some stage or another, we all come to the realization that we only have one body, and it needs to last us our entire lifetime. While heading to the gym will help you to stay in good physical shape, looking after your brain is an entirely different ball game.
Brain training apps are the perfect way to exercise your brain and have been proven to help improve cognitive ability. Here are some of the best adult memory game and brain training apps that have been specifically designed to help improve your everyday cognitive function and cognitive reasoning.
1. Train Your Brain
Train Your Brain is a bright, colorful, and fun brain training app, which aims to improve your memory, reasoning, attention, coordination, and visuospatial skills. It has a simple and intuitive interface which makes it popular with older adults who may struggle with more complex technology.
Each brain training game within the app has multiple levels, allowing users to practice and improve their skills gradually.
Some of the games may seem overly simple for more advanced users, however for adults with dementia or individuals who are new to brain training activities; it provides an accessible starting point.
Download: Train Your Brain for Android | iOS (Free, premium version available)
2. Lumosity: Brain Training
Lumosity is one of the most popular brain training apps on both Android and iOS, with more than 100 million users worldwide. After a short Fit Test, which is designed to calculate your base score in three cognitive games, you’ll be able to see where you stand amongst other users within your age bracket.
The free version of Lumosity provides access to a handful of brain training games each day and enables you to see your personal LPI score (Lumosity Performance Index). To access over 50 brain training games, detailed insights, and tools to track your training, you will need to upgrade to the premium plan.
While the free version of Lumosity is worth trying, to get the most out of the app you are forced to upgrade by paying a one-off annual subscription.
Download: Lumosity for Android | iOS (Free, premium version available)
3. Elevate
Like Lumosity, Elevate is another top-rated brain-training app. After a short introduction test to measure your reading, writing, speaking, and mathematics skills, the app generates your unique Elevate Proficiency Quotient (EPQ), which is designed to represent your proficiency at each skill.
With the free version of Elevate, you'll have access to three Elevate training games per day, which is enough to get a feel for the app and pass the time if you have five minutes to spare. For full access to all of Elevate’s 35+ games, and additional subscriber-only study tools to deepen your skills, you will need to pay for the premium membership.
Download: Elevate for Android | iOS (Free, premium version available)
4. Brain Games
You can download this app and jump straight into training without signing up or creating an account. From your home screen, you’ll have access to a daily brain-training workout, which encourages you to complete three tasks a day for 30 days.
To improve your skills and cognitive ability, the Career section lets you work your way up through increasingly challenging levels.
For those who like to play against other users, Brain Games also has a competition section that allows you to compete with other brain trainers and set yourself new records.
All in all, by being ad-supported, Brain Games can offer its free users access to many more games and a more comprehensive range of features than some of the other paid-for apps on this list.
Download: Brain Games for Android (Free, premium version available)
5. Peak
The Peak app was designed as a mobile gym for your brain. The app is centered around your Peak training plan, which is designed to help you improve your Peak score.
To help keep you motivated to train your brain each day, Peak encourages you to set up daily reminders that can be tailored to notify you that it’s time to train your brain at a specific time each day.
Like most other brain training apps, Peak requires a paid-for subscription to access its full capabilities. But free users can still gain access to a limited version of the app, including a short daily workout and basic performance data.
Download: Peak for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
6. Clockwork Brain Training
While many of the other apps on this list have an almost clinical feel to them, the Clockwork Brain Training app is entirely different. Its distinctive, hand-painted look and feel are influenced by Victorian Steampunk and Mayan art, which make it stand out from the crowd.
On launching the app, you’ll be met by Sprocket, a friendly robot whose purpose is to guide you along your brain-training journey.
Because of its distinct design, expertly crafted puzzle games, and additional fun features, the Clockwork Brain Training app is perfect for people who don’t want to feel like they’re training their brain.
Download: Clockwork Brain Training for Android | iOS (Free)
7. Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles
Finally, we have Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles. There are several different Brain Test-branded apps available, each with its own unique design. Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles has been crafted to train your brain through a selection of mind-boggling puzzle games.
If you enjoy brain teasers and online jigsaw puzzle games that will make you scratch your head, then this app is the one for you.
Like the Clockwork Brain Training app, the puzzles and games within Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles don’t really feel like brain training. The free version of the app is ad-supported, which allows you to enjoy the app’s full features at no extra cost.
Download: Brain Test for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
Using Apps To Improve Your Memory
It’s never too late, or too early, to start practicing critical cognitive skills. With your phone at your fingertips, there’s no excuse not to fit a few minutes of cognitive exercise into your day. Whether your memory is getting a little rusty or you simply enjoy a challenge, brain training apps are the ideal way to exercise your brain and improve your cognitive abilities.