Comparison

Aging Brain Boost vs Smart

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

Head to head
About

Aging Brain Boost

This app trains key cognitive skills like working memory and verbal recall, crucial for aging adults. Developed by a neuroscientist, it offers brief, science-backed exercises to enhance cognitive resilience and daily decision-making.

Highlights
  • Working memory training
  • Verbal recall and inner voice development
  • Short-term recall exercises
  • Decade-themed memory engagement
  • Carryover skills for daily life
  • Brief, sustainable daily sessions
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Train the cognitive skills that decline first and matter most as you age — working memory, verbal recall, and the inner voice that drives daily decision-making. Aging Brain Boost is designed for adults 50 and over who want to age sharp. Not a gamified puzzle app. A clinical-grade training program from Dr. Donalee Markus, a Northwestern-trained neuroscientist with 40 years of clinical practice in cognitive maintenance and recovery. WHAT IT TRAINS • Working memory — the mental scratchpad behind every task you complete • Verbal rehearsal and inner voice — the cognitive engine of daily life • Short-term recall and word retrieval • Decade-themed exercises that engage long-term memory alongside working memory • Carryover skills that translate to conversation, planning, and decision-making WHY THESE SKILLS MATTER When people describe "feeling slower" with age, they're usually describing changes in working memory and processing speed. These are also the cognitive skills that respond most strongly to training — and the skills with the clearest connection to long-term cognitive resilience. Northwestern University's SuperAging research studies adults over 80 whose memory rivals people decades younger. Their brains physically look different — and the underlying neuroplasticity can be cultivated through the right kind of cognitive challenge over time. Aging Brain Boost is designed around that science. THE PROGRAM • Decade-themed working-memory exercises • Hierarchical difficulty that progresses with you • Brief sessions (5–10 minutes) designed to build a sustainable daily habit • Designed for adults 50 and over, but used by adults of all ages WHO IT'S FOR • Adults 50+ wanting to maintain cognitive function • Anyone with a family history of dementia who wants to be proactive • Professionals who plan to keep working into their 70s and 80s • Caregivers who want to model healthy cognitive habits • Used alongside the broader Designs for Strong Minds program WHAT WE WON'T CLAIM We're careful with our claims. Cognitive training has not been shown to prevent Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, and we won't tell you it will. What it can do is build cognitive reserve — the mental capacity that helps the brain maintain function over time. We position this honestly, as one pillar of healthy cognitive aging alongside physical exercise, sleep, and social engagement. ABOUT THE DEVELOPER Dr. Donalee Markus earned her Ph.D. at Northwestern University and completed post-doctoral training under Reuven Feuerstein. She has practiced cognitive restructuring since 1983 and has been featured in Psychology Today, in Clark Elliott's "The Ghost in My Brain," and in peer-reviewed publication.

About

Smart

Enhance memory recall and mental agility with engaging, mood-boosting puzzles. This game offers a personal touch with customizable options and supports research for brain health conditions.

Highlights
  • Memory recall improvement
  • Mental agility enhancement
  • Mood-enhancing activities
  • Customizable puzzles
  • Personalized photo uploads
  • Supports brain health research
Features
Read full description

Smartpal is the perfect game for anyone looking to improve their memory recall and mental agility. Our app is dedicated to providing uplifting and mood-enhancing activities that may pay dividends for your mental health and state of mind. Even those in treatment for conditions like Dementia, Depression, and trauma recovery can benefit from Smartpal's engaging and customizable puzzles. With the option to upload pictures of loved ones and pets, Smartpal offers a personal touch that can enhance the user's memory recall abilities. By supporting research on dementia, brain disease, brain injury, and autism, Smartpal is also helping to make a positive impact on the wider community. Join our community of players today and experience the benefits of Smartpal!

Screenshots

Aging Brain Boost4 screens
Smart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Smart at Free against Aging Brain Boost's $29.99. Smart also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.2). Aging Brain Boost's advantage is chart position (#180 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Smart is free to download; Aging Brain Boost costs $29.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Aging Brain Boost against 5.0 for Smart. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aging Brain Boost ships an update every 5 months, Smart every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 27, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Aging Brain Boost versus Smart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAging Brain BoostSmart
Price$29.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#180 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.211.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size58 MB110 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDonalee MarkusReignsol

Customer experience

Aging Brain Boost

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Smart

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Aging Brain Boost

No in-app purchases

None

Smart

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aging Brain Boost free?
Aging Brain Boost costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Smart free?
Smart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Aging Brain Boost or Smart?
Aging Brain Boost and Smart are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Aging Brain Boost or Smart have ads?
Neither Aging Brain Boost nor Smart shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aging Brain Boost or Smart?
Aging Brain Boost ships an update every 5 months, and Smart every 3 weeks. Most recently, Aging Brain Boost was updated on August 27, 2026 and Smart on June 1, 2026.

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