Comparison

N vs Quick Maffs

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

N

This app offers a scientifically validated cognitive training program designed to enhance intelligence. It uses the dual n-back method to improve learning, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Track progress, compete with friends, and customize your experience to boost cognitive abilities.

Highlights
  • Dual n-back cognitive training
  • IQ enhancement
  • Progress tracking and streaks
  • Social competition and leaderboards
  • Customizable voices and settings
  • Weekly habit option
Read full description

The N-Back Challenge provides a special type of cognitive training, “dual n-back,” that helps you raise your IQ in just a few minutes per day. Sounds implausible? The N-Back Challenge is based on a decade’s worth of scientific studies, published in top peer-reviewed journals, including Nature. (For more details, see https://nbackchallenge.com/science.) The catch? It’s no fun at all! Indeed, the training is designed to be maximally exhausting. If you are determined enough to make it through 20 sessions, however, science suggests that you stand to reap powerful benefits. Intelligence is the ultimate cognitive ability: You need it to learn, reason, solve novel problems, and see connections. Higher IQs have been linked to improved academic achievement, professional success, and even better health. Since it will take you just 7 hours, in total, to complete the N-Back Challenge, not much more than the length of a single school day, it may prove to be the best investment of time you’ve ever made! ------------------------------ SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND: Not only has the dual n-back paradigm been validated in top peer-reviewed journals, but our two founders – both PhDs, one with a focus on neuroscience, the other with a focus on higher education – have taken particular care to thoroughly align the app with the prevailing scientific research. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS: In order to help you stay motivated, the N-Back Challenge allows you to visually monitor your progress over time, build up “streaks,” and compare yourself against other learners across various stats. COMPETE AGAINST YOUR FRIENDS: Perhaps the most powerful way of making sure you remain motivated to complete the Challenge is to tackle it together with friends or colleagues. To make it more fun, we’ve provided leaderboards that allow you to compete based on who has completed the most sessions, racked up the longest streak, and more. CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE: The N-Back Challenge allows you to choose between different voices across multiple languages, turn on notifications, and customize their timing and style. There are advanced settings for turning on instant button feedback, controlling the n-back level, and tweaking the game speed. And if you are too busy to complete one session every day, you may switch to the Weekly Habit, which gives you a full week to complete each session. ------------------------------ ARE YOU… … A PARENT? Give your children an edge at school or university by nudging them to complete the N-Back Challenge. Indeed, why not tackle the Challenge together as a family? … A GRANDCHILD? Help your grandparents (and other older relatives) fight cognitive decline by introducing them to dual n-back. (See https://nbackchallenge.com/decline.) … A KNOWLEDGE WORKER? Share the N-Back Challenge with your HR department. Dual n-back may well be the single most cost-effective way of making knowledge workers more productive. (See https://nbackchallenge.com/work.) … A TEACHER? Use dual n-back to enhance students' problem-solving skills. You can have a big impact, with a minimal investment of time! (See https://nbackchallenge.com/class.) ------------------------------ HOW IT WORKS: The N-Back Challenge is free as long as you stick to the program. When you miss or delay a session, we ask you to support us with a “coffee,” which you can buy in-app or earn — for example, by using the Share link in the Settings to invite friends. (Each of you will receive a free coffee.) You can also unlock unlimited free breaks by becoming a premium subscriber. CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Do you have any questions or suggestions? Like to say hello? We’re happy to hear from you! Just drop us a note at support@nbackchallenge.com. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: To learn more about dual n-back and the N-Back Challenge, browse our repository of articles at https://nbackchallenge.com/articles. Privacy Policy: https://nbackchallenge.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://nbackchallenge.com/terms-of-use

About

Quick Maffs

This mental math application offers 13 customizable game modes to sharpen arithmetic skills. It's ideal for students, professionals preparing for interviews, or anyone looking to boost their mathematical abilities. The app is completely free with no advertisements or in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • 13 customizable game modes
  • Various arithmetic types
  • Tailored difficulty levels
  • No ads or paywalls
  • Improve math skills
Features
Read full description

QuickMaffs is a simple mental math app with NO ADS or PAYWALLS! Perfect for students, Quant finance interviews, or anyone who wants to improve their math skills. Features include 13 game modes of various arithmetic types, each customizable with tailored difficulty levels. Modes: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, squaring, doubling, halving, linear equations, quadratic equations, equation systems, mean, percentages and trigonometry. (This app is designed and maintained by Andrew Martin.)

Screenshots

N4 screens
Quick Maffs4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Quick Maffs at none against N's 7. Quick Maffs also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and review sentiment (100% vs 83%). N's advantage is ratings volume (237 vs 5). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. N sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Quick Maffs asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for N against 4.8 for Quick Maffs. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: N has 237 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of N's written reviews are positive against 100% of Quick Maffs's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

N ships an update monthly, Quick Maffs weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
N versus Quick Maffs: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNQuick Maffs
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (237 ratings)4.8 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings237 — better5
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB14 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperRivuspurusKeith Martin

Customer experience

N

All ratings237 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.4%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive82.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative14.0%

Quick Maffs

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

N

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • Mid-session freezing and soft locks (most common)
  • Sound not generating for letters during gameplay
  • Buttons greyed out preventing interaction
  • App crashes when accessing stats
  • Double coffee charge on streak breaks
Show 5 more
  • Sound disabled when button pressed simultaneously with letter
  • App crashes on startup
  • Sync failures between iPad and iPhone
  • Game freezing on specific levels (Level 2, 4)
  • Countdown ends but first tile/letter doesn't appear

Requested features

10 requests
  • Single n-back and quad n-back modes
  • Lock screen widgets for streak reminders
  • Color-position dual n-back mode
  • More granular settings (interference, probability, trial count)
  • Penalty system for incorrect answers
Show 5 more
  • Game Center leaderboard integration
  • iPad and desktop versions with synced accounts
  • Offline gameplay capability
  • Data export for personal analysis
  • Extended play duration at higher levels

Quick Maffs

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

N

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (monthly)$8.991 Month
  • Premium (annual)$54.991 Year
One-time5
  • 1 cup of coffee$1.99
  • 4 cups of coffee$5.99
  • Pizza$7.99
Show 2 more
  • 7 cups of coffee$8.99
  • 10 cups of coffee$10.99
None

Quick Maffs

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is N free?
N is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Quick Maffs free?
Quick Maffs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, N or Quick Maffs?
Quick Maffs is rated higher. N averages 4.7 out of 5 from 237 ratings, while Quick Maffs averages 4.8 from 5 ratings.
Do N or Quick Maffs have ads?
Neither N nor Quick Maffs shows ads.
Which is updated more often, N or Quick Maffs?
N ships an update monthly, and Quick Maffs weekly. Most recently, N was updated on September 17, 2026 and Quick Maffs on June 4, 2026.

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