Peak Brain Training Alternatives: 6 Apps Worth a Look

Why look for a Peak alternative?

Peak – Brain Training is a good app. It has 45+ games, short “Coffee Break” workouts, and a 4.7-star rating from about 146,000 reviews on the US App Store. People who leave usually aren’t unhappy with the games. It’s one of three other things:

• The prices are hard to read. The US App Store shows ten Peak in-app items: two free advanced-training modules and eight paid options from $2.99 to $34.99 (App Store, US, Oct 2026). Several share the same name, such as “Peak Pro Plan” at $3.99, $4.99 and $34.99, and only the discounted ones say whether they’re monthly or yearly: “40% Off Peak Pro Monthly” at $2.99 and “40% Off Peak Pro Yearly” at $19.99. It’s hard to know if you’re getting a good deal.
• Android ratings are lower. On Google Play, Peak has 10M+ downloads but a 4.4 rating from about 516,000 reviews, against 4.7 on iPhone. That’s still decent, but it’s a gap worth noticing if you’re on Android.
• Who makes it has changed. More on that next.

Who owns Peak now?

Peak was created by Brainbow, a London startup founded at the end of 2012, and launched on iPhone in 2014. In December 2016, Hachette Livre, the French book publisher, announced it had acquired a majority stake in Brainbow (Hachette). Today the App Store lists the seller as Synaptic Labs Ltd, and the listing’s copyright line names Phoenix Games Holding UK Ltd. In other words, Peak is no longer run by the startup that built it, and it has changed hands more than once.

That isn’t a reason to avoid it. The app is still updated (the latest iPhone version is from August 2026), and it supports Family Sharing. But if you’d like a brain app whose makers focus mainly on brain training, or you simply want clearer pricing, here are the alternatives.

Peak alternatives at a glance

1. Lumosity: the closest match

If you like Peak’s mix of quick games and daily workouts, Lumosity is the same idea from the company that popularized it. It’s rated 4.7 on iPhone (about 130,000 reviews) and 4.8 on Google Play (about 324,000), so it’s the stronger pick on Android. Premium options on the App Store run from $11.99 to $89.00. Its 2016 FTC settlement over advertising claims is covered in our Lumosity alternatives guide.

• Website
• App Store
• Google Play

Good

• 40+ games for memory, attention, speed, flexibility and problem solving
• Free 10-minute Fit Test with age-group comparison
• Rated 4.8 on Google Play, higher than Peak there

Not so good

• Free tier is a small daily selection
• Settled FTC advertising charges in 2016

3. Elevate: if you liked Peak’s language games

Peak has a language category; Elevate is almost entirely that, plus practical math like tips and discounts. It costs $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year, and its basic free version is reached by closing the paywall after sign-up. Elevate’s developer renamed itself The Mind Company in October 2025. See Elevate alternatives if you want to compare further.

• Website
• App Store
• Google Play

Good

• Built around reading, writing, vocabulary and everyday math
• Basic free version that doesn’t expire
• 4.8 from about 544,000 reviews

Not so good

• Fewer memory and attention games than Peak
• Personalized program is paid

4. Memo: if you want fewer games, not more

Memo is our app, and it’s deliberately small. You get the Chimp Test, a Stroop test, a 16-word recall test, a memory matching game, mental math, a geometry puzzle, and two free calm-down tools, box breathing and a Do Nothing timer. If Peak’s 45 games felt like too much choice, a fixed set you finish every day may suit you better. If you liked Peak’s language and emotion games, Memo isn’t a replacement. 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.

• Play free
• App Store
• Google Play

Good

• Eight games, about five minutes for the whole set
• Every game playable free in the browser
• Charts your daily best against your first try

Not so good

• Brand new: 3 App Store ratings
• No language games, no adaptive difficulty
• Far smaller library than Peak

5. NeuroNation: a structured plan instead of a game catalog

NeuroNation, from Berlin’s Synaptikon, builds a personalized plan rather than letting you browse. It’s far more popular on Android (rated 4.6 from about 480,000 reviews) than on the US App Store. Its listing quotes 3 months from $41.99 and 12 months from $83.99.

• Website
• App Store
• Google Play

Good

• Adaptive courses from 30+ exercises
• 10M+ downloads on Google Play, rated 4.6
• Award-winning in Germany

Not so good

• Shorter plans are pricey
• Only about 4,500 US App Store ratings

6. BrainHQ: if you want research over variety

BrainHQ is the opposite trade from Peak: fewer thrills, more science. Its speed training comes from the long-running ACTIVE study. It costs $13.99 a month or $94.99 a year. Avoid it on Android unless you’ve tried the free daily exercise first. Details in our BrainHQ alternatives guide.

• Website
• App Store
• Google Play

Good

• The most published research of any consumer program
• One free exercise a day

Not so good

• Clinical feel
• Android app rated 2.9
• $94.99 a year

Before you switch: canceling Peak

Peak’s store terms say you can’t cancel partway through a period you’ve paid for. Instead you turn off auto-renewal, at least 24 hours before the period ends, and keep access until then. On iPhone that’s Settings → your name → Subscriptions. On Android it’s Google Play → profile picture → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions. Deleting the app doesn’t cancel anything.

How to choose

• Same experience, better Android rating: Lumosity.
• Same experience, clearer pricing or a lifetime plan: MindPal.
• You mostly played the language games: Elevate.
• You want a short routine you’ll finish: Memo. Try the free browser games first.
• You care most about research: BrainHQ.

For the whole field, see the best brain training apps.