Brain Training & Memory Improvement Apps for iOS

By Anna Hazard

View the Rest of the Series

Part 1 : Cross Platform
Part 2 : Android Exclusive

Introduction

​Similar to the Android exclusive apps, these iOS based ones tend to be completely free or inexpensive to upgrade or purchase compared to the more well known cross-platform mind training apps such as Luminosity, Elevate, and Peak.

​With some exceptions such as the Mensa based programs games, these games tend to focus more on being entertaining with the side effect of improving mental acuity & memory due to their puzzle-like natures rather than having scientifically backed research & studies behind their activities.

iOS Apps

Brain'up - Social Brain Training

• iOS | Website ($3.99 with in-app purchases)
• Includes 8 games meant to be played for at least a few minutes per day for improving memory, concentration, math skills, enhancing mood, and assisting with clearer and quicker thinking as well as a dashboard for keeping track of your progress vs your friends.

Mensa Brain Training

• iOS | Website (Free with in-app purchases)
• Daily training mental exercise regimen from the original high IQ society Mensa for improving fluid intelligence (for reasoning, detecting patterns, and learning) as well as memory, concentration, mental agility, perception, and reasoning.

Mensa Brain Test

• iOS ($1.99)
• Includes a training mode and three different varieties of tests using randomly generated questions for logic, mathematics, language and visual acuity that are used in official Mensa tests for establishing people with IQ in the top two percent.

Brain Games : Words & Numbers for Brain Training

• iOS | Website (Free with in-app purchases)
• Includes 2 modes for word search games and number match & addition. Includes leaderboards for all players as well as rewards in the form of in-app neuro-stars that can be unlock clues.

Logic Grid Puzzles - Word Games For Brain Training

• iOS (Free with in-app purchases) 
• Similar to sudoku or kenken, these word problem grids & logic puzzles are meant to be filled in by using clues to deduce more complicated solutions. Similar in style to the Lewis Carroll's puzzles, these problems can also often be found on standardized tests such as the SAT, MCAT, and GRE.

Brain Toot Free

• iOS | Website (Free, Premium Upgrade Available)
• Includes 4 games meant to be played for a few minutes each day for training memory, math, visual and thinking skills with the paid version offering up to 16 separate games. 

Brain Training - Remember the Circles

• iOS (Free with in-app purchases)
• 4 game modes to compete with players from around the world that revolve around memorizing the location, colors, order, or inverse order of colored circles. Comes with training data analysis and reminders for monitoring your progress & play schedule.

Memory Brain Trainer : Memory Games, Memory Boost

• iOS (Free)
• Simple games for training memory with additional leaderboard challenges.  

Conundra Math: A Brain Training Number Game

• iOS | Website (Free with in-app purchases)
• A simple number game with 3 free levels (5 in total available) for combining numbers using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to reach a certain target number. Particularly helpful at improving mental arithmetic. Includes stats for tracking your progress.

Hi Words - Word Search Game for Brain Training

• iOS | Website (Free with in-app purchases)
• Themed word search puzzles with 10 free included hints (more available for purchase) and over 220 levels of play. Search categories include fruits, animals, sports, fictional characters, and more.

Mahjong Jewels™ Deluxe Brain Training Memory Game!

• iOS | Website (Free)
• A classic tile matching game with simple classic to 1300 advanced emoji to match. Random layouts to play through are infinitely generated and the lack of a timer encourages relaxed play.

Brain Trainer Working Memory Training

• iOS (Free with adds & in-app purchases)
• This game is intended to improve working memory (short-term memory for immediate perceptual and linguistic processing) by training the user to memorise an increasingly large grid of colored jewels. Upgrade to an ad free version is available.

Brain Tuner X

• iOS(Free)
• A game for improving mental arithmetic & processing speed for all ages that requires a minute or so of play each day. Includes high scores for direct player to player comparison.