Comparison

Lumosity alternatives for adults over 40

Compare Lumosity alternatives by your goal, preferred pace and budget. The six options below cover different kinds of practice; we make Keen, so the comparison discloses that connection and includes its drawbacks.

By Riyad, maker of Keen at Oyrial · Updated 4 November 2026

Disclosure: we make Keen, one of the apps below. Facts about the other apps come from their public store listings and websites, checked on 1 November 2026, and prices change by country. Every app here gets an honest drawback, ours included.

Which alternative should you consider?

If you want a wide set of games, Elevate, Peak or Lumosity are the usual picks. If you want speed and attention drills, look at BrainHQ. If everyday memory is the point, such as names, lists and PINs, Keen is built for that.

How do the six alternatives compare?

Elevate

Elevate is a general skills app, with short daily games for reading, writing, maths, speaking and comprehension. A session gives you a handful of quick exercises and a score, so it suits people who like a broad workout and a clear sense of progress. It is a good match if you enjoy words and numbers and want a little of both. It is a less good match if memory is your main concern, or if you want one calm lesson about names and lists rather than a set of quick games.

Peak

Peak is built around short workouts. You choose a goal, such as memory, attention or problem solving, and do a few minutes of games that fit it. Workouts slot easily into a coffee break, and the app keeps track of your scores over time. It suits people who like a guided routine and plenty of variety. It is a less good match if countdowns make you rush, or if you would rather practise a real errand, such as remembering a shopping list, than a game score.

BrainHQ

BrainHQ comes from Posit Science and puts its focus on speed and attention. The exercises ask you to spot details quickly, follow moving objects or hold a sequence in mind, and the pace adjusts as you go. It suits people who want a structured programme and are happy to work on attention as well as memory. It is a less good match if speed pressure puts you off, or if you want gentle, untimed practice built around everyday errands instead of drills.

NeuroNation

NeuroNation is a German brain training app that builds a personalised exercise plan after a short set of starting tests. The plan mixes memory, attention and reasoning tasks, and it adjusts as you go. It suits people who like a clear plan, a mix of skills and something they can follow for months. It is a less good match if you want everyday memory alone, or if you would rather not spend the first sessions on tests and setup before the real practice begins.

CogniFit

CogniFit is built around assessment as well as training. You take a set of tests, see a profile of your results, then work through exercises chosen for the skills that scored lower. That structure suits people who like measurements and want to track change over time. It is a less good match if tests feel like pressure, or if you want to start on names and lists straight away without a round of assessment first. Either way, an app result is not a diagnosis.

Keen

Keen is our app, and it is deliberately narrow. Each day has one warm-up game, one lesson on everyday memory such as names, lists, PINs or numbers, a short side vision exercise and a check-in, about ten minutes in all. Relaxed mode turns off every timer. It suits adults over 40 who want calm, practical practice. It is a less good match if you use an iPhone, because Keen is Android only, or if you want a wide game set: ours is smaller, and Premium is needed after the first free day.

How should you choose an alternative?

• Start with the skill. Wide game set, speed and attention, or everyday memory for names and lists. Pick the one you actually want to practise.
• Check the real price. Store listings show several plan prices with no billing period. Look inside the app before you subscribe, and check what the free version allows.
• Decide about timers. If countdowns hurry you, look for an untimed or relaxed option rather than fighting the clock. You can play matching pairs with no timer here to see how that feels.
• Try before you pay. Use a free trial, a free version or the free 3-minute memory test on this site, which is not a medical test.
• Check your phone. Keen is Android only, so an iPhone rules it out. The others are on both stores.

For a longer look at the wider field, see our comparison of brain training apps for adults over 40. If subscriptions are the problem, read about brain training without a subscription, or try our printable memory exercises.