Elevate Alternatives: Apps Like Elevate (Including Free Ones)
Elevate trains words and everyday math, which most brain apps don’t. Here are the alternatives that genuinely cover language, the free options, and where Memo fits (and doesn’t).
Updated 2026-10-07. Ratings and prices from the US App Store and Google Play.
What makes Elevate different
Most brain apps are about memory grids and reaction speed. Elevate is about words and numbers you use every day: vocabulary, spelling and punctuation, reading comprehension, speaking clearly, and practical math like tips, discounts and splitting a bill. It has 40+ games, adapts to your level, and is rated 4.8 from about 544,000 reviews on the US App Store. It was Apple’s App of the Year.
Its developer, Elevate Labs, renamed itself The Mind Company in October 2025. It now runs Elevate alongside Balance, a meditation app, and Spark, a daily learning-puzzle app. Elevate itself hasn’t gone anywhere; the new name is the company, not the app.
So why look for an alternative? Usually it’s the price ($9.99 a month or $39.99 a year on the US App Store, Oct 2026), wanting a free option, or wanting more memory and attention practice than Elevate offers.
Read this first: Memo has no language games
We make Memo, and it appears on this list, but only for the math and memory side of Elevate. Memo has no reading, writing, vocabulary or speaking games. If language is why you use Elevate, the apps ranked above Memo are the real alternatives. Ratings and prices were checked on the US App Store in October 2026.
Did you know Elevate is partly free?
Before switching, check whether the free version is enough. Elevate has a basic free version as well as a 7-day trial of the full program. Its own store listing explains how to reach it: after you create an account, tap the X in the upper-left corner of the subscription screen. It’s more limited than the paid program, but it costs nothing.
Elevate alternatives at a glance
| App | Language practice? | Free option | Price (App Store, US, Oct 2026) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MindPal | Yes: vocabulary and writing word games | Free to use, Pro upgrade | $7.99/mo, $39.99/yr, $99.99 lifetime | 4.7 (86k) |
| Peak | Yes: a Language category | Basic free version | Pro plans $2.99–$34.99 | 4.7 (146k) |
| Lumosity | Some: word games among 40+ | Fit Test + limited daily games | Premium options $11.99–$89.00 | 4.7 (130k) |
| Memo | No (math and memory only) | Free browser versions; 2 free in app | $4.99/mo or $29.99/yr, 7-day trial | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Impulse | Not a focus | 3-day trial only | Weekly from $6.99; lifetime $99.99 | 4.7 (850k) |
1. MindPal: the closest free app like Elevate
MindPal trains memory, attention, language, math, flexibility, speed and problem solving across 40 games. Its listing specifically mentions word games for vocabulary and writing, which makes it the nearest match to Elevate’s strengths. The free version is usable, and the yearly price matches Elevate’s at $39.99. The lifetime plan ($99.99) is the difference if you’re tired of renewals. It’s rated 4.7 from about 86,000 reviews.
Good
- Language is one of its seven skills, with vocabulary and writing word games
- Free to use, with Pro as an upgrade
- Published prices: $7.99/mo, $39.99/yr, $99.99 lifetime
Not so good
- Broader focus, so less depth in language than Elevate
- Less known
2. Peak: language games plus a big general library
Peak’s workouts include language alongside memory, attention, problem solving, mental agility, coordination and emotion control. You get some of what Elevate does, plus a lot more general brain training. Pro plans are listed from $2.99 to $34.99, and the basic version is free. Our Peak alternatives page explains the pricing.
Good
- 45+ games, including a Language category
- Free basic version
- Also covers memory, attention and emotion control
Not so good
- Many overlapping prices in the store
- Rated 4.4 on Google Play vs 4.7 on iPhone
3. Lumosity: a few word games among many
Lumosity lists math and word games among its skill areas, but the core of the app is memory, attention, speed and problem solving. Choose it if you want broader brain training with a bit of language on the side. For a head-to-head, see Lumosity vs Elevate.
Good
- 40+ games including some word games
- Free 10-minute Fit Test
- 4.8 on Google Play
Not so good
- Language is a small part of it
- Free tier is very limited
4. Memo: only for Elevate’s math and memory side
If what you liked in Elevate was the quick mental math, Memo’s mental math game is a good stand-in: 12 timed problems that build to two-digit carrying and three-number chains. The rest of Memo is memory and focus. That’s the Chimp Test, a word recall test, card matching, a Stroop test and a geometry puzzle, plus free breathing and Do Nothing timers. Word recall uses words, but it trains memory, not vocabulary. Breathing and Do Nothing are free. Premium unlocks the other six games for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, after a 7-day free trial.
Good
- A mental math game that builds from warm-ups to carrying and three-number chains
- Free browser versions of every game
- About five minutes a day
Not so good
- No language, reading or writing games at all
- Brand new: 3 App Store ratings
- No adaptive difficulty
5. Impulse: if you want more games, not more language
People comparing Elevate often look at Impulse because it’s so popular. It’s a general brain-games app rather than a language trainer, and its billing is weekly by default. Read our Impulse alternatives page before starting the trial.
Good
- Huge library of short games
- 850k App Store ratings
- $99.99 lifetime plan
Not so good
- Not language-focused
- No free tier after a 3-day trial
- Weekly billing adds up
If you mainly want words: two non-training picks
If vocabulary and wordplay are what you’ll miss, a dedicated word app may beat any brain trainer:
- Vocabulary – Learn words daily by Monkey Taps teaches a new word at a time at a difficulty you choose. It’s rated 4.8 from about 219,000 reviews on the US App Store.
- NYT Games (Wordle, the Crossword, Spelling Bee) is free to download with new puzzles daily. It’s rated 4.8 from about 295,000 reviews. It’s puzzles, not training, but it will keep your vocabulary busy.
Elevate’s sister app Spark does daily learning puzzles on topics like history and geography. It’s from the same company, so it’s more of a companion than an alternative.
How to choose
- You want Elevate’s language practice, free or with a lifetime plan: MindPal.
- You want language plus lots of other brain games: Peak.
- You just want vocabulary: a word-of-the-day app.
- You want quick mental math and memory, and don’t need words: Memo. Try the free browser games.
- You’re happy with Elevate but not the price: try its free basic version first.
Whatever you choose, expect to get better at the games themselves. Whether that carries into everyday life is less certain; see do brain training apps work?
Questions people ask
Is there a free app like Elevate?
MindPal is free to use and includes vocabulary and writing word games. Peak has a free basic version with a Language category. Elevate itself also has a basic free version: tap the X on the subscription screen after you sign up.
Is Elevate free?
Partly. There’s a basic free version and a 7-day trial of the full program. Full access costs $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year on the US App Store (October 2026).
What happened to Elevate Labs?
Nothing bad. In October 2025 the company renamed itself The Mind Company. It still makes Elevate, along with the Balance meditation app and the Spark puzzle app.
Does Memo have language games like Elevate?
No. Memo covers memory, attention, mental math and geometry, plus breathing and a Do Nothing timer. Its word recall game uses words but trains memory, not vocabulary or writing.
Is Elevate better than Lumosity?
For reading, writing and practical math, yes. For memory, attention and speed, Lumosity has more to offer. See our Lumosity vs Elevate comparison.
Keep reading
- Lumosity vs Elevate: Which Brain Training App Should You Pick?
- Peak Brain Training Alternatives: 6 Apps Worth a Look
- The Best Brain Training Apps in 2026, Honestly Compared
- Mental math gameTwelve problems, one clock: warm-ups, carrying, then chains.
- Word recall testStudy 16 words for a minute, then type back all you remember.