Comparison

Focus Factor vs AARP Staying Sharp

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

Head to head
About

Focus Factor

This app offers a holistic approach to brain health with a variety of engaging games and guided meditation sessions. Train your focus, memory, and problem-solving skills, or find relaxation and manage stress with expert-led meditations. Track your progress and mood to build healthy brain habits.

Highlights
  • 20+ brain training games
  • Focus, memory, problem-solving, language, math training
  • Guided meditation sessions
  • Anxiety, stress, pain, sleep management
  • Personalized daily content
  • Progress tracking
  • Mood tracker
Features
Read full description

At Focus Factor, we believe that brain health is the most important thing in your life and has the greatest effect on your present and future. Caring for your brain means finding a healthy balance of stimulation and relaxation. Access brain games and meditation, all in one app, for a holistic, rounded approach to brain health. Train your brain with games that focus on categories such as focus, memory, problem solving, language, and math. Brain training games are suitable for all ages - from children to seniors - and each brain game is under 5 minutes long. The full brain training games library is accessible on demand for app members. Treat your mind with meditation. All meditations sessions have been custom created for Brain Hub members by mindfulness experts Autumn Grant and Jonathan Dododza. The full array of guided meditations are available to members on demand, from sessions for beginners on how to meditate, to advanced sessions on deep concentration, anxiety management and soothing pain. Download Focus Factor and invest in your brain health today - we believe the good things you do for your brain today will last you a lifetime. FOCUS FACTOR FEATURES: Brain Training Games - 20+ brain training games specifically designed to improve focus, memory, problem solving, language and math - Focus games test ability to maintain attention in shifting environments and avoid distractions - Memory games improve information retention and visual recall - Problem solving games improve process of elimination skills - Language games expand active vocabulary and test creative word generation - Math games boost quick calculation skills Guided Meditation Sessions - A library of over 10 different meditation topics, broken down into individual meditation sessions - Included are sessions on Anxiety, Managing Stress, Pain, Good Sleep, Concentration, Breath and more - Sessions range from beginner to advanced Variety and Daily Commitment - Personalized daily brain training games and meditation content selected to give structure and encourage daily usage - Short-form audio books on topics including anthropology, human behaviour, sleep science and biographies from respected visionaries - In-depth performance, progress and usage tracking - Mood tracker with note functionality and calendar view - Breathing exercises module - Supplement log tracker Download today and start engaging in healthy brain habits now! Read more about our terms and conditions here: Terms of service: https://app.focusfactor.com/pages/terms-conditions Privacy policy: https://app.focusfactor.com/pages/privacy-policy

About

AARP Staying Sharp

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
Read full description

Need to learn a variety of healthy-lifestyle skills? The AARP™ Staying Sharp® app is based on a holistic, lifestyle-based approach to brain health and features expert advice on memory, focus and more. Are you sometimes irritated by little memory slips like forgetting where you placed your keys or phone? In our “Memory Loss – Is it Inevitable?” challenge, you can learn how memory works. In addition, our Digital Declutter challenge teaches you ways to manage your digital world. Discover strategies for shifting technology away from being a distracting force in your life and into something that helps you live life more fully. And if you’re tired of forgetting details about new people you meet, our Faces & Names challenge can help you learn the secrets of those impressive people who never forget a name. Here’s what the app lets you do: Take challenges that are designed to help you learn about the brain and its ongoing health, including tips to incorporate healthy habits into your daily life. Take Staying Sharp challenges on the go. Your progress will be saved, no matter where you start or stop your challenge. And that works on a smartphone, computer or tablet. Who can use the app? Anyone can download and preview the Staying Sharp® app. AARP members and other authorized users have access to it. Plus, there’s more. Access includes the following: * Take the challenges to earn AARP Rewards points*. This loyalty program lets you gain points for participating in activities, including eligible Staying Sharp challenges. * Take advantage of easy access to the AARP Now app. This app lets users tap into news, events and savings, plus earn AARP Rewards points. *Unused AARP Rewards points expire 12 months after they are earned, in monthly batches on a rolling basis. About Staying Sharp and AARP Staying Sharp is an AARP program that shows you how to incorporate the six pillars of brain health into your life. Staying Sharp empowers you to develop meaningful and lasting brain-healthy practices that are based on these pillars: Be social, Eat right, Manage stress, do Ongoing exercise, get Restorative sleep and Engage your brain. The program has received industry recognition in multiple national competitions — including the Digital Health Awards and eHealthcare Awards — earning accolades for videos, interactive content and site design. AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. Terms of Service: https://stayingsharp.aarp.org/about/terms-of-service/ Privacy Policy: https://www.aarp.org/privacy/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Focus Factor4 screens
AARP Staying Sharp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AARP Staying Sharp at 4.7 against Focus Factor's 4.1. AARP Staying Sharp also leads on ratings volume (3.2K vs 39) and review sentiment (52% vs 38%). Focus Factor's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (12.3 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Focus Factor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.29 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AARP Staying Sharp holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AARP Staying Sharp has 3.2K ratings behind it against 39, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Focus Factor's written reviews are positive against 52% of AARP Staying Sharp's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Focus Factor ships an update every 2 weeks, AARP Staying Sharp every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Focus Factor versus AARP Staying Sharp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFocus FactorAARP Staying Sharp
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (39 ratings)4.7 (3.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.5% of reviews52.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings393.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.3 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size152 MB76 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperSynergy CHC CorpAARP

Customer experience

Focus Factor

All ratings35 ratings
Positive68.6%
Neutral17.1%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive37.5%
Neutral12.5%
Negative50.0%

AARP Staying Sharp

All ratings2,705 ratings
Positive93.5%
Neutral4.3%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive52.4%
Neutral4.8%
Negative42.9%

Bugs and requests

Focus Factor

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

AARP Staying Sharp

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Games not launching properly
  • App freezing or crashing
  • Inability to access core features

Requested features

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

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Focus Factor

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$0.291 Month
  • Yearly Plan7 Days trial$0.291 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime PlanFree
1 purchases

AARP Staying Sharp

Subscriptions1
  • AARP Membership1 Year trial$20.001 Year

Questions

Is Focus Factor free?
Focus Factor 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, Focus Factor or AARP Staying Sharp?
AARP Staying Sharp is rated higher. Focus Factor averages 4.1 out of 5 from 39 ratings, while AARP Staying Sharp averages 4.7 from 3.2K ratings.
Do Focus Factor or AARP Staying Sharp have ads?
Both Focus Factor and AARP Staying Sharp show ads.
Which is updated more often, Focus Factor or AARP Staying Sharp?
Focus Factor ships an update every 2 weeks, and AARP Staying Sharp every 5 weeks. Most recently, Focus Factor was updated on October 22, 2026 and AARP Staying Sharp on November 1, 2026.

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