# Purposeful by Kumanu vs AARP Staying Sharp

The clearest difference is ads: Purposeful by Kumanu at none against AARP Staying Sharp's shown. Purposeful by Kumanu also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 52%). AARP Staying Sharp's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (3.3K vs 218). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Purposeful by Kumanu sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and AARP Staying Sharp sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $20.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AARP Staying Sharp holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AARP Staying Sharp has 3.3K ratings behind it against 218, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Purposeful by Kumanu's written reviews are positive against 52% of AARP Staying Sharp's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Purposeful by Kumanu | AARP Staying Sharp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (218 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purposeful-by-kumanu/id1457841328/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aarp-staying-sharp/id1583055598/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 218 | **3.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.8% of reviews** | 52.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 96 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Kumanu, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1044432114) | [AARP](https://appshunter.io/developer/394286732) |

## What reviewers say

### Purposeful by Kumanu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purposeful-by-kumanu/id1457841328)

This science-backed wellbeing app guides you through evidence-based actions to enhance happiness, health, and energy. It helps build simple habits to improve clarity, boost energy, reduce anxiety, and enhance sleep, making wellbeing practices sustainable for daily life.

**Highlights:** Science-backed wellbeing actions, Build simple, evidence-based habits, Improve clarity and energy, Reduce anxiety and negative thinking, Enhance sleep quality, Sustainable wellbeing practice

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Purposeful Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Purposeful Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Purposeful Premium | $49.99 | per year |
| Purposeful Premium | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Daily check-ins and reminders for mindfulness
- 🎯 Helps set intentions and track daily purpose
- 💪 Encourages positive mindset and self-reflection
- 🧠 Evidence-based behavioral and neuroscience approach
- 👥 Supportive and non-judgmental feedback

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Multiple login and account creation failures
- 💳 Unexpected billing and subscription issues
- 🔐 Limited accessibility without employer/healthcare plan
- 🎭 AI responses feel repetitive and superficial
- 🚫 Not helpful for serious mental health issues like bereavement

**Reported bugs**

- Account creation fails with security code errors
- Email verification codes not working
- Login failures through Google, Apple ID, and email
- Integration issues with United Healthcare registration
- App won't open after download

**Requested features**

- Integration with other apps like Day One
- Ability to focus on multiple daily goals (not just one)
- More personalized tracks for different user types (students, retirees, unemployed, etc.)
- Deeper personality assessment and identification features
- Better reminder notification system


### AARP Staying Sharp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aarp-staying-sharp/id1583055598)

This app offers science-based challenges and expert advice to improve brain health, focusing on memory, focus, and digital well-being. It provides interactive tools and exercises to help users build lasting, brain-healthy habits.

**Highlights:** Science-based brain health challenges, Expert advice on memory and focus, Digital decluttering strategies, Interactive tools and exercises, Progress saving across devices, Earn AARP Rewards points

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AARP Membership | $20.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful and practical exercises
- 🧠 Effective for improving mental sharpness
- 🎮 Fun and engaging games
- 🔍 Useful for monitoring brain health
- 💡 Recommended by healthcare professionals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Recurring login issues
- 🚫 Limited game selection
- 🔁 Endless login loops
- 🤯 Confusing user experience
- 🚫 Inaccessible games

**Reported bugs**

- Games not launching properly
- App freezing or crashing
- Inability to access core features

**Requested features**

- Expand game library
- Improve login and navigation experience
- Add more accessibility features
- Provide clearer instructions and guidance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Purposeful by Kumanu free?

Purposeful by Kumanu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AARP Staying Sharp free?

AARP Staying Sharp is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Purposeful by Kumanu or AARP Staying Sharp?

AARP Staying Sharp is rated higher. Purposeful by Kumanu averages 4.4 out of 5 from 218 ratings, while AARP Staying Sharp averages 4.7 from 3.3K ratings.

### Do Purposeful by Kumanu or AARP Staying Sharp have ads?

AARP Staying Sharp shows ads; Purposeful by Kumanu does not.

### Which is updated more often, Purposeful by Kumanu or AARP Staying Sharp?

Purposeful by Kumanu ships an update every 5 weeks, and AARP Staying Sharp every 5 weeks. Most recently, Purposeful by Kumanu was updated on November 2, 2026 and AARP Staying Sharp on November 7, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*