# Brain Explorer vs Longleaf Valley

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Brain Explorer at none against Longleaf Valley's 35. Brain Explorer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Longleaf Valley's advantage is ratings volume (8.2K vs 6) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Longleaf Valley sells 31 one-off in-app purchases. Brain Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brain Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Longleaf Valley has 8.2K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Brain Explorer's written reviews are positive against 82% of Longleaf Valley's.

Brain Explorer ships an update monthly, Longleaf Valley every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brain Explorer | Longleaf Valley |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-explorer/id1490281801/reviews)** | [4.7 (8.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longleaf-valley-merge-game/id1573565989/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **8.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 82.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 358 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [thkp, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556761728) | [TreesPlease Games Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1548005800) |

## What reviewers say

### Brain Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brain-explorer/id1490281801)

Engage in fun, scientifically-backed games to test your cognitive abilities. Compare your brainpower with others and contribute to neuroscience research. Explore a galaxy-themed adventure while unlocking new challenges and earning achievements.

**Highlights:** Play brain-testing games, Compare brain scores with others, Win medals and unlock games, Help scientists understand the brain, Space-themed exploration, Anonymous data collection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Longleaf Valley

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/longleaf-valley-merge-game/id1573565989)

Merge items to restore a natural valley and help fight climate change. Play through an eco-adventure, collect animals, and plant real trees in conservation projects worldwide. It's a relaxing way to make a positive impact on the planet.

**Highlights:** Merge to restore nature's garden, Uncover eco-adventure story, Collect and rescue animals, Plant real trees with partners, Relaxing merge gameplay, Compete with other players

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (31)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Value Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Valley Trove XS | $0.99 | one-time |
| Handful of Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| Harvest Trail XS | $1.99 | one-time |
| Eco Trail XS | $2.99 | one-time |
| Energy Booster Bundle | $3.99 | one-time |
| Small Coins Pouch | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bug Hunt Event Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Reforesting Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dylan the Dog Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Puppy Rescue Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Summer Event Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Harvest Festival Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Eco Chic Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Puppy Rescue Dash Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Veganuary Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cozy Kitchen Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Crystal Cavern Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Scuba Safari Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Vet Visit Collection Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Jungle Jim Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Kitten Chaos Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Canyon Quest Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Treellionaire Cup Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| Golden Leaf Cup Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| Medal Mania Bundle | $6.99 | one-time |
| Boosted Energy Bundle | $7.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coin Pile | $9.99 | one-time |
| Eureka All Access | $9.99 | one-time |
| Adopt both! | $9.99 | one-time |
| Large Coin Pack | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very entertaining
- 👍 Soothing background music
- 👍 Fun and relaxing gameplay
- 👍 Helps plant real trees
- 👍 Interesting story and characters

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent ads can be frustrating
- 🔋 Energy runs out quickly
- 🔒 No way to transfer game progress
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches with game loading
- 🐛 Issues with certain features like the beehive

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezing or crashing on certain devices
- Disappearing items from the board
- Issues with event timers and completion
- Inconsistencies with item rewards and payouts

**Requested features**

- Ability to transfer game progress to new devices
- More board space as the game progresses
- Faster energy recharge time
- Fewer mandatory ads
- Ability to skip or bypass certain tasks


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brain Explorer free?

Brain Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Longleaf Valley free?

Longleaf Valley is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Brain Explorer or Longleaf Valley?

Brain Explorer is rated higher. Brain Explorer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Longleaf Valley averages 4.7 from 8.2K ratings.

### Do Brain Explorer or Longleaf Valley have ads?

Longleaf Valley shows ads; Brain Explorer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Brain Explorer or Longleaf Valley?

Brain Explorer ships an update monthly, and Longleaf Valley every 2 weeks. Most recently, Brain Explorer was updated on September 30, 2026 and Longleaf Valley on October 20, 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.*