Free brain training alternatives compared. Price, free part, language and ads
· 7 min read · Tyamka team
Five brain training apps and sites and Tyamka compared on facts from their own pages, checked on 26.09.2026. What is free, what is a subscription, and ads.
If you are looking for a free alternative to Lumosity, the first thing to settle is what "free" means. Many well-known brain training apps are free to download and then sell a subscription. Some are free with ads, some give a short trial, and a few are free in the browser with nothing to install. This article compares five well-known options and our own games on facts taken from their App Store pages and websites on 26.09.2026. It covers the price model, what you get without paying, the languages, ads and where each one runs. It does not rate anyone's science. That question has its own article, does brain training work. If you want to try one of our games while you read, the visual memory test online takes a couple of minutes.
We make Tyamka, so we are not a neutral party. We have tried to describe every option only by what its makers say on their own pages, and to state the facts about our games the same way.
How we compared
- Sources. The US App Store page of each app (iPhone), the app's own website, and for Tyamka our home page. All checked on 26.09.2026.
- Prices. In US dollars as the US App Store lists them. Prices differ by country and change over time, so treat them as a snapshot.
- What we did not do. We did not rate the games, compare scientific claims or count how many games you can play per day where the store page does not say.
The short version
| How you play | Without paying | Paid model | Languages | Ads | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumosity | App, website | Free download, free 10-minute Fit Test | Premium subscription | App in English, website in 7 languages | Not listed in the store |
| Elevate | App | Basic free version, 7-day trial | Yearly subscription | English | Store lists ads |
| Peak | App | Basic free version | Pro subscription | 14 languages | Store lists ads |
| Impulse | iPhone app | 3-day trial with full access | Subscription | 25 languages | Store lists ads |
| Human Benchmark | Website | All 8 tests | None shown | English | Advertising partners |
| Tyamka | Browser, Telegram | All 15 games up to level 5 | One-time purchase | English, Ukrainian | After some rounds on the website, none in Telegram |
"Store lists ads" means the App Store page carries the label that the app contains advertising. The details follow below.
Lumosity
Lumosity, made by Lumos Labs, is one of the best known names in brain training. Its App Store page describes more than 40 games that adapt as you play, daily workouts, insights into your performance and progress tracking. You can start with a free 10-minute Fit Test that sets your baseline scores.
The paid part is Lumosity Premium, a subscription. The in-app purchases listed on the US store page range from $11.99 to $89.00, including a one-month subscription at $14.99. The terms say the subscription renews automatically unless you turn off auto-renewal at least 24 hours before the end of the period. The store page does not spell out how much you can play without Premium.
The iPhone app lists English as its only language. The website's language menu offers English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese.
Elevate
Elevate, from The Mind Company, leans toward reading, writing, speaking and everyday maths as well as memory. The store page mentions more than 40 games, personalised daily workouts of three to five games and weekly reports.
The subscription terms on the store page say Elevate offers a 7-day free trial and a basic free version, which you reach by closing the offer screen after you sign up for an account. The paid plan is a yearly subscription. Listed in-app purchases run from $4.99 to $39.99. The app is in English, and the store page carries the advertising label.
Peak
Peak says you can play a basic version for free or upgrade to Pro. Pro opens dozens of tailored workouts, detailed analysis and the full set of more than 40 games and activities. Peak also offers Advanced Training programmes, which it says were developed with scientists and universities, and two of them are listed on the store page at $0.00.
Pro is a subscription that renews automatically unless you turn it off at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Listed Pro prices on the US store run from $2.99, a discounted monthly offer, to $34.99. The app is in 14 languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Korean, and the store page carries the advertising label.
Impulse
Impulse, from GMRD Apps, says it builds a personal daily plan with games for memory, attention, mental maths and problem solving. According to its store page it is available for iPhone only.
It offers a 3-day free trial with full access to all games and no ads. After that it is a subscription, with in-app purchases listed from $6.99 to $49.99. It has the longest language list of the four apps here, 25 languages including Ukrainian, and the store page carries the advertising label.
Human Benchmark
Human Benchmark is a website, not an app. Its home page lists eight tests: reaction time, sequence memory, aim trainer, number memory, verbal memory, chimp test, visual memory and typing. Each one opens in the browser and you can start without an account. If you sign up, the site keeps your score history.
We found no paid plan on the site. Its cookie notice asks for consent for advertising partners. It is in English. Results are set against data from other visitors. The reaction time page, for example, quotes a median of 273 milliseconds from the data collected so far. We compare its tests with ours in more detail in free online memory and reaction tests.
Tyamka
Tyamka is 15 short games in five groups, focus, memory, reaction, logic and words. They run in the browser on phones, tablets and computers, and inside Telegram, with nothing to install.
- Free. All 15 games up to level 5, plus the daily challenge. No account needed.
- Paid. The full version opens all 15 levels in every game and removes ads. It is a one-time purchase with no subscription, paid with Telegram Stars in our Telegram bot.
- Languages. English and Ukrainian, including the word game, which has its own Ukrainian word list.
- Ads. On the website, an ad after some rounds in the free version. Inside Telegram, no ads. Any purchase removes them.
- Results. Each round is compared with your own previous best, not with other players.
We have fewer games than the big apps, no personalised plan and no insights reports. What we offer is a clear free part, one payment instead of a renewal, and a Ukrainian version. The full breakdown is in brain games without a subscription.
Which one fits
There is no single best choice. It depends on what you want.
- A large library with a personal plan and reports. Lumosity, Elevate and Peak are built for that. Expect a subscription for the full experience, and check the trial dates.
- Quick tests in the browser, free. Human Benchmark offers that, in English and with advertising partners.
- Many languages on iPhone. Impulse lists 25, including Ukrainian, with a subscription after a short trial.
- Short games with levels, no subscription, in Ukrainian or in Telegram. That is what we made Tyamka for.
Before you pick
A few quick checks save trouble later, whichever option you choose.
- Read the subscription terms at the bottom of the store page, not only the "Try for free" button.
- Note the date a trial ends and how to turn off auto-renewal.
- Check the language list on the store page if you want something other than English.
- Look for the advertising label and ask whether any purchase removes ads or only the top plan.
- Treat any promise of better memory or focus in daily life with care. Our article on whether brain training works explains why.
Our games are on the all games page. Grid Trail, the visual memory test, is a good first one if you came here looking for memory games.