Free brain-training apps: what can you play without paying?

Lumosity, BrainHQ and Elevate offer ongoing free access with limits. Simon Tatham’s Puzzles offers a different option: a free collection of logic puzzles without a daily allowance. A free download or a temporary premium trial does not mean the whole app stays free.

Checked 16 October 2026. This comparison uses official help pages, developer websites and store listings, not hands-on testing of the paid apps. We make Puzzle Lantern, which is listed separately as a paid alternative after introductory access. Inclusion here describes what you can play, not proof of a cognitive benefit.

Four options with ongoing free play

Swipe the table horizontally on a narrow screen. Ad information below describes what the cited sources disclose; an absent store label is not a guarantee of an uninterrupted experience on every platform.

Lumosity: a rotating selection you can replay

The useful distinction is between three available games and three attempts. Lumosity’s free-game instructions explicitly allow repeated play of the daily three. You complete its initial Fit Test before regular play. The selection changes each day, so free access does not let you choose any game from the catalogue whenever you want.

Premium expands game access and progress tools. The US iOS listing discloses advertising-related data practices; we have not established whether a given free session contains banners, videos or only upgrade prompts. Do not choose it solely on an assumption of no ads.

BrainHQ: one exercise with a star allowance

BrainHQ’s FAQ defines its free limit as five stars in the Daily Spark, rather than unlimited access to every exercise. That makes it an option for sampling a daily exercise, with less freedom to select your own activity.

The registration guide requires an account and covers web, Apple and Android access. Its US App Store listing confirms daily free exercise access and subscriptions. We found no advertising content label there, but did not test sessions across devices. A purchase invitation is also different from a third-party ad.

Elevate: check that you selected the limited version

Elevate’s current plan comparison specifies a three-game workout each day and a game of the week for free accounts. The full version opens the wider catalogue, memory training, longer or custom workouts, daily puzzles and advanced tracking. Its no-ads feature belongs to that full version.

To remain on ongoing free access, the official instructions say to close the purchase screen and select “Continue with Limited Version”. Check that Account Status says Free. That is different from activating the seven-day full-access trial. The UK iOS listing also identifies advertising; Android is listed on Google Play.

Simon Tatham’s Puzzles: logic without a daily allowance

If “free Lumosity alternatives” really means “give me thinking puzzles without a subscription”, this is worth considering. It is a collection of single-player logic games, not the same mix of recall tasks and performance tracking as Lumosity.

The Android developer confirms forty game types, on-demand generation, adjustable settings, offline play and no ads. Use that developer’s store link: similarly named ports can have different terms. The original collection also has browser versions. The table’s mobile access claims apply specifically to Chris Boyle’s Android port, not every iOS or Android app using similar names.

Puzzle Lantern: a paid alternative after introductory access

Our app offers Daily word, card, pattern and Sudoku activities. New installs have a seven-day free-access window in the current product configuration, after which continued access requires a subscription unless an existing entitlement applies. Eligible store introductory offers can differ; check the offer shown in the app. We therefore do not count Puzzle Lantern among the four ongoing-free options.

The Australian App Store listing confirms iPhone/iPad availability and in-app subscriptions. Android currently uses closed-test enrolment. If its activities appeal, read the Word Sense or Recall guide before deciding about access.

Choose the restriction you can live with

For a small changing selection, compare Lumosity’s three replayable games with Elevate’s daily workout. For one daily exercise, look at BrainHQ’s star limit. For freely chosen logic puzzles on Android, look at the named Simon Tatham port. Before accepting any trial, check its renewal terms and distinguish that trial from the free tier described here.