6 iPhone Apps For Keeping Your Brain Sharp

In today's society, iPhone users are rarely seen without a phone on their person, especially since the piece of technology is more than just a phone now. There's an iPhone app for nearly every use from looking at the weather to streaming videos. Do you need to use your phone for notetaking? There are several apps for that as well. But, what if you wanted to use your iPhone to help keep your mind active and alert? There are many apps for that as well.

It is important to mention that there hasn't been any substantial evidence found that using brain-training apps helps prevent a decline in function and memory. However, like any other muscle, it is still important to exercise your brain. Based on a variety of reviews from users, as well as our own experience with the apps, here are six iPhone apps for keeping your brain sharp. The methodology we used to select these apps will be explained in more detail at the end of this article.

Back in 2014, Elevate won Apple's App of the Year award, and since then, it has shown no signs of slowing down. It comes with a 4.8/5 rating from over 400K users and is both free to use. You have a choice to play the game or you can use the study feature if you find that you are slacking in a specific subject and want to focus more on it. The subjects include writing, speaking, reading, math, and memory. Each subject comes with several subtopics to advance in, so you'll never run out of material.

Every day, you will receive personalized games based on your previous use. The first three are free to play, and it will give you a choice between two different styles of sessions to focus on for each game. However, if you want to play all five daily training session slots, you will have to upgrade to a subscription. There are three choices for a subscription: $9.99 per month, $39.99 per year, or $399.99 for a lifetime.

Impulse is another popular brain-training app with a 4.7/5 rating from over 500K users. The app uses badges as a reward system to give you the drive to keep using it and leveling up. There are several free games that you play and levels of puzzles you can progress through. Additionally, there are tests you can take to check multiple things, like if you're a left-brain or right-brain or what your IQ is. However, to unlock everything the app has to offer, like more games, you will need to sign up for a subscription. You have a choice between $6.99 per week or $99.99 for a lifetime.

The app will also showcase challenges to spark the interest of anyone who is competitive. For example, in February 2024, Impulse held The Artist Challenge, which required the user to complete 100 levels in the Draw One Line game. Impulse also comes in several languages, so it's an immensely inclusive app.

Brain Test is a completely free app to download and play. There are packages you can pay for to receive upgrades or remove the ads, but they are not required to play. The app received a 4.8/5 rating from over a million reviewers, and it's no wonder why. It's not like some of the brain-testing apps that give you different categories. You just keep leveling up with a new puzzle for each level. Best of all, you don't need to connect to the internet to play, as this app can be played completely offline.

One downside of this app, though, is that it can be a bit confusing to figure out at first due to how interactive it is. It starts with an incredibly simple question, but then the next couple of slides will require you to have to move pieces around. However, the app doesn't really offer any instructions on what to do. There are hints that you can use to figure it out, but you'll need to make sure you don't use them all just to figure out the game.

Peak is another brain workout app that pushes you through training exercises and challenges and has a rating of 4.7/5 from over 140K users. The free version only comes with a limited selection of available games. However, with the subscription, you get access to all 48 games, personalized Pro workouts, and an ad-free experience. The subscription costs $8.99 per month, $34.99 per year, and $99.99 for a lifetime.

You do have the option to personalize your training sessions. When you first start the app, you'll be asked what you want to train. The choices include things like memory, languages, mental agility, and emotional skills, among others. From there, you'll take an assessment, so the app can gauge where you are in your chosen subjects. Another cool feature of the app is the ability to use it on your Apple Watch. Keeping mind, on the Apple Watch, the games are going to be a bit more simple since the screen is much smaller.

More than likely, you've heard of Duolingo, but in case you haven't, it's a language-learning app. You don't always have to do little math and spelling tests to keep your brain sharp. Simply spending a few minutes a day learning a new language can do it too. Unsurprisingly, Duolingo has a 4.7/5 rating from 2.5 million users. It comes with of different languages to learn, so whether you're interested in ordering your next meal in Spanish or saying hello in Japanese, you're covered. The app also has new courses for learning math and music, which is great for grade school children who need a bit of extra help with their classes.

The app itself is free to download, and you can take as many courses as you want in a day. However, with the free version, there is a catch. If you miss five questions, you'll run out of chances and have to wait until they are replenished. With the subscription, though, you'll have unlimited tries, so you can spend all day learning your preferred language. The subscription costs $83.99 per year or $9.99 per month.

Many of the brain-testing apps will usually have a language or vocabulary section, but what about playing a popular word game that can include not only people from around the world but also your family and friends? Words With Friends has been around for a while, and in 2017, Zynga came out with an upgraded version with more features titled Words With Friends 2, and many people love playing the game. In fact, it has 4.6/5 stars from over 670K reviews — the original games has way more.

Playing word games has proven to be a good exercise for your brain. Not only does it allow you to strategize, but you'll also improve your attention, language skills, memory, and processing speed. With the new features in the app, though, you'll be able to do more than the traditional Scrabble-style playing against an opponent. It now offers solo challenges and crossword puzzles. Not only do you get to exercise your brain, you can have fun doing it.

The iPhone brain training apps discussed in this article were selected after thorough research of the technology. Additionally, personal experience with these apps and high reviews from consumers who have downloaded and used the apps were taken into consideration. All of these apps have at least a four out of five-star rating and are free to download. However, some may require a subscription to use all or more of the apps' features. We urge you to do a bit more research to see if these apps are something you'll honestly enjoy before paying for any subscription.