There is no established clinical winner among commercial memory-training apps. Lumosity, Elevate, Peak, CogniFit, and BrainHQ are examples worth comparing if you want short, engaging cognitive games. Choose based on the kinds of exercises you enjoy, the routine you will stick with, and the app’s current features and cost—not a promise that it will improve everyday memory or prevent dementia.
What is the best app to improve memory?
The best fit is the app you find enjoyable and usable enough to practice regularly. The available evidence does not establish that one of these commercial apps reliably improves memory in everyday life, nor does it support ranking one as clinically superior.
Apple’s editorial collection of brain-training apps includes Lumosity, Elevate, Peak, CogniFit, and BrainHQ. That makes them relevant options in the category, not a comparative ranking or proof of memory benefits. Treat an app’s scores as feedback about performance on its own exercises; they do not, by themselves, show that you remember names, appointments, or other daily information better.
Apps to consider
| App | What is established here | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| Lumosity | Included in Apple’s brain-training collection. Lumos Labs describes a randomized study and performance gains on company assessments. | The study description is company-reported; it is not independent confirmation of lasting everyday memory improvement. |
| Elevate | The US App Store listing describes memory and other skill games, personalized daily workouts, performance tracking, and a free download with in-app purchases. | These are listed features, not independently verified outcomes. Check the current listing for availability and terms. |
| Peak | Included in Apple’s brain-training collection. | Comparable current features, price, and independent efficacy findings are not established here; check its current listing. |
| CogniFit | Included in Apple’s brain-training collection. | Comparable current features, price, and independent efficacy findings are not established here; check its current listing. |
| BrainHQ | Included in Apple’s brain-training collection. | Comparable current features, price, and independent efficacy findings are not established here; check its current listing. |
App stores, features, subscriptions, and regional availability can change. Review the listing for your device and country before choosing; do not assume a free download means all exercises are free.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDo brain-training apps actually work?
They work as interactive exercises: an app can give you tasks to practice and make a regular routine more engaging. Whether that practice transfers to broad, lasting improvement in daily memory is a different question.
The US National Institute on Aging (NIA) says there is not enough evidence to conclude that commercially available computer-based brain-training apps have the same cognitive impact as the structured training tested in the ACTIVE trial. NIA’s 2017 summary of a National Academies review described the evidence for cognitive training as “encouraging although inconclusive.” It also explains that ACTIVE’s interventions differed substantially from commercial computer brain-training products, so its long-term findings cannot simply be applied to those apps. The findings do not establish that commercial apps prevent dementia.
Lumosity’s developer reports a randomized study and improvement on its own assessments. That is a company-reported result about those assessments, not independent evidence that the app produces lasting benefits in ordinary life. More broadly, an increase in an app’s score shows how you performed on its tasks; it is not a clinical assessment or proof of general memory improvement.
The FTC’s January 5, 2016 announcement said Lumos Labs agreed to pay $2 million to settle allegations of unsupported claims about everyday performance, age-related decline, and health conditions. The FTC’s action is an important historical caution about broad advertising claims, not evidence that every current claim by every app is false.
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How to choose a memory game app
Because there is no supported clinical winner, compare practical fit rather than treating marketing claims or game scores as proof of effectiveness.
- Training mix: Decide whether you want memory-focused exercises or a broader set of games for attention, language, math, and reasoning.
- Routine and engagement: Look at session structure, variety, daily plans, and reminders. Pick a format you are likely to return to rather than the one with the boldest promise.
- Personalization and feedback: Check whether difficulty adapts and what progress summaries measure. Scores should be understood as app-task performance unless broader benefits have been independently established.
- Practical access: Verify your device and region, accessibility options, account requirements, and whether an internet connection is needed. These details are not established comparably for all five apps here.
- Cost and terms: Check the current store listing for the free tier, any trial, recurring subscription, and cancellation instructions. Prices and terms vary and can change.
- Evidence transparency: Distinguish a study of an app’s trained tasks from evidence that benefits transfer to daily life or last over time. Be cautious when a marketing claim does not make that distinction.
Can an app help with memory problems?
A brain-training app is not a diagnostic or treatment tool. If memory changes persist, concern you, or interfere with daily life, contact a health professional to help identify the cause rather than relying on an app. NIA also cautions against products that promise to enhance memory or prevent dementia without adequate evidence.
Cognitively engaging activities and learning new skills are areas of research, but that broader interest does not validate a particular app or show that it prevents cognitive decline. Use an app for practice and enjoyment, not as a substitute for medical advice.
Quick Recap
Sources and further reading
- Apple App Store: The Best Brain-Training Apps
- Apple App Store: Elevate – Brain Training Games App
- Lumos Labs: Lumosity – Brain Training Games | Exercise Your Mind
- National Institute on Aging: Cognitive Health and Older Adults
- National Institute on Aging: National Academies committee sees promising but inconclusive evidence on interventions to prevent cognitive decline, dementia
- Federal Trade Commission: Lumosity to Pay $2 Million to Settle FTC Deceptive Advertising Charges for Its ‘Brain Training’ Program
- National Institute on Aging: Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease: What Do We Know?
- National Institute on Aging: Memory Problems, Forgetfulness, and Aging
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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