MindymFree brain game apps compared: what you actually get without paying
October 7, 2026 · By the Mindym team
Most brain-game apps are free to download and paid to use properly. The free versions differ a lot, though, and the difference decides whether an app fits into your day. Here's what each of the best-known apps gives you without paying.
We make Mindym, so we're not neutral. We've stuck to facts you can check, and we've said where other apps are the better choice. Everything here was checked in October 2026; apps change their plans often, so confirm on each app's own page.
The short version
| App | Free to play | Focus | Where it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumosity | 3 games a day, after signing up | A large library of short games | Web, iPhone, Android |
| Elevate | Up to 3 games a day | Reading, writing, speaking, maths | iPhone, Android |
| Peak | Rotating games and one daily workout | A wide mix, about 45 games | iPhone, Android |
| Matiks | Free to download; Pro adds extras | Live maths duels and number puzzles | iPhone, Android |
| Mindym | A daily 3-game workout, 7 daily puzzles, 9 games; no account | Logic puzzles and quick brain games | Any web browser; apps on the way |
How to choose
- You want the biggest library: Lumosity or Peak.
- You want to practise reading, writing and everyday maths: Elevate.
- You love competing live: Matiks.
- You want logic puzzles, and to start without an account: Mindym, with seven daily puzzles and a short brain-game workout.
A word on claims
Be sceptical of any app that promises to make you smarter or protect your memory. The evidence for broad benefits from brain games is limited, and in 2016 the US Federal Trade Commission took action over exactly those kinds of claims. Mindym makes none: it's for fun and practice, with an honest scorecard that tells you when it doesn't have enough data yet.
More detail
- Lumosity alternatives
- Elevate alternatives
- Peak alternatives
- Matiks alternatives
- Puzzles like LinkedIn's Queens, Tango, Zip and Patches
Try Mindym
Play today's puzzles free in your browser. No sign-up, no ads.