BrainHQ review

BrainHQ is our top pick for seniors because it is the program most clearly built around research on aging adults. Posit Science says more than a hundred journal articles report the effect of its exercises on normal aging adults, and the app description names the NIH-funded ACTIVE study. The exercises sit in six categories, Memory, Attention, Brain Speed, People Skills, Intelligence and Navigation, and each one adapts to your performance in small steps. A Personalized Training mode chooses exercises for you, or you can pick your own. Sessions can last two minutes or an hour, and the FAQ suggests three 30-minute sessions a week as a rule of thumb. The free version offers the Daily Spark exercise until you earn 5 stars each day, and full access is $14 a month or $96 a year on the website. The exercises feel more like training drills than casual games, so players who want pure fun may prefer a puzzle app. We compared documented features and published prices.

Who it is for

Older adults who want brain exercises backed by published research on normal aging, and who are willing to pay for full access.

Price

Free Daily Spark exercise; full access costs $14 a month or $96 a year on the BrainHQ website.

you may pay a monthly charge of $14 or an annual charge of $96
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Exercises grouped into Memory, Attention, Brain Speed, People Skills, Intelligence and Navigation
• Personalized Training picks the exercises where you can improve most
• Each exercise adapts to your performance as you get better
• Sessions can be as short as two minutes
• Versions in languages besides English

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Posit Science cites more than 100 journal articles on its exercises in normal aging adults
• Strength: Free version gives one exercise every day
• Strength: Works in a web browser on a computer as well as on iPhone and iPad
• Weakness: Full access is the priciest plan on this list at $14 a month
• Weakness: Exercises focus on speed and perception, which feels less like a casual game
• Weakness: The free version is limited to the Daily Spark exercise

Key facts

• Free version: Daily Spark exercise until you earn 5 stars a day
• Web price: $14 a month or $96 a year
• Exercise categories: 6
• Research: More than 100 journal articles cited by Posit Science, including the ACTIVE study

Where it ranks

BrainHQ is No. 1 in our Best Brain Games for Seniors verdict and No. 6 in Best Free Brain Games.