Comparison

ESP Trainer vs Video Poker Strategy

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

Head to head
About

ESP Trainer

Enhance your psychic abilities with this ESP trainer. Developed under a NASA program, it helps you improve clairvoyant skills through interactive color-square guessing games. Experience multi-sensory feedback and learn to recognize intuitive impressions.

Highlights
  • Color-square guessing game
  • Multi-sensory feedback (chime, vibration, visual)
  • Score tracking and encouragement
  • Optional 'Pass' button for non-forced choices
  • Reinforcement for skill learning
  • Develop intuitive awareness
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The ESP trainer was developed under a NASA program by Russell Targ at Stanford Research Institute. We have found that people are able to improve their ESP scores by using a machine just like this and get in touch with the part of themselves that is psychic. This is often called a clairvoyant ability, and can enhance your life in many surprising ways. The player is presented with four colored squares. For each trial, one has been selected at random by the ESP Trainer. Your task is to choose the correct square. If you succeed, you will hear a chime, feel a vibration, and see a large color picture. Otherwise, the system lights up the correct square, and you proceed with the next trial. The score indicator at the top counts the number of correct choices. Words of encouragement appear as you achieve the scoring levels of 6, 8. 10, 12 or 14 hits. After 24 trials you may begin a new game. The game offers multi-sensory feedback, reinforcement, and an opportunity to Pass, meeting all the requirements needed for learning this skill. ESP Trainer improves your ability to recognize your intuitive impressions, and it can bring you to a level of intuitive awareness beyond anything you've experienced before. The purpose of the trainer is to allow you to become aware of what it feels like when you psychically choose the correct square. When you don't have that special feeling, we encourage you to press the Pass button. (So this is not a "forced choice" test.) In a year long NASA program with 145 subjects (under Contract 953653 NAS7-100) many were able to significantly improve their scores. Four of the subjects improved their scores at the hundred-to-one level or better. This approach has been used with surprising success on Wall Street. But of course, past results are no guarantee of future performance. Because you are learning a new skill, slower is better than faster. If you find yourself frequently scoring 12 or more, write to the developer at his web site www.espresearch.com. This game can provide the first steps toward experiencing and developing the psychic abilities hidden within us all. software by Levity Novelty LLC

About

Video Poker Strategy

Master video poker with this advanced simulator. It analyzes every discard and payout combination to instantly suggest the statistically best move. Learn optimal strategies to maximize your winnings and play at full speed.

Highlights
  • Optimal card-holding suggestions
  • Millions of payout calculations
  • Real-time move analysis
  • Fastest learning method
  • Maximizes potential winnings
  • Includes Jacks or Better
Features
Read full description

This is a true video poker simulator with a twist. It tells you when you choose the most optimal cards to hold. The software checks every possible discard combination and then adds up millions of possible payouts to arrive at the statistically best move. By pre-calculating some data, the best move can be calculated in a blink of an eye which allows you to play this game at full speed without waiting even a fraction of a second. There is no faster way to learn Video Poker! Casinos change the payouts of machines to maximize their earnings. But, this app gives you the best payouts you can find anywhere. This means you win more as you have fun playing. The app comes with Jacks or Better Video Poker and the option to buy additional game packs. Additional coins and hints are also available as in-app purchases.

Screenshots

ESP Trainer4 screens
Video Poker Strategy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Video Poker Strategy at Free against ESP Trainer's $0.99. Video Poker Strategy also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). ESP Trainer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14) and review sentiment (75% vs 53%). On ads 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

Video Poker Strategy is free to download; ESP Trainer costs $0.99 up front. Video Poker Strategy sells 14 one-off in-app purchases. ESP Trainer asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Video Poker Strategy holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 294 and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of ESP Trainer's written reviews are positive against 53% of Video Poker Strategy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ESP Trainer ships an update every 14 months, Video Poker Strategy every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard10 real differences · 1 level
ESP Trainer versus Video Poker Strategy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterESP TrainerVideo Poker Strategy
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (294 ratings)4.7 (1.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.2% of reviews — better52.6% of reviews
Number of ratings2941.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 14 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#8 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS7.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB11 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperRussell TargBrainware LLC

Customer experience

ESP Trainer

All ratings293 ratings
Positive84.6%
Neutral6.5%
Negative8.9%
Written reviews113 reviews
Positive75.2%
Neutral13.3%
Negative11.5%

Video Poker Strategy

All ratings1,233 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive52.6%
Neutral5.3%
Negative42.1%

User reviews

ESP Trainer

From 294 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and effective
  • 🤩 Helps develop intuition
  • 🧠 Trains psychic abilities
  • 🎯 Accurate feedback on performance
  • 🌟 Impressive high scores possible

Room to improve

  • 🔇 Loud, annoying sound effects
  • 🔍 Lack of performance tracking/history
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🤔 Questionable scientific validity

Video Poker Strategy

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great app to learn
  • 👍 Excellent training tool
  • 👍 Fun to play and learn
  • 👍 Easy to navigate

Room to improve

  • 💰 Requires payment for hints and coins
  • 💰 Coins don't last long
  • 🔍 Hints not always the best option
  • 🐛 Buggy, credits not working as expected

Bugs and requests

ESP Trainer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Freezing or crashing on some devices
  • Inconsistent responsiveness of color squares
  • Inability to disable sound effects

Requested features

4 requests
  • Volume/sound control options
  • Performance tracking and statistics
  • More difficulty levels or game modes
  • Integration with other mindfulness apps

Video Poker Strategy

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Coins/credits not working as expected
  • Games locked even after payment

Requested features

2 requests
  • Ability to play all games for a one-time fee
  • Provide feedback on performance (e.g. % correct plays)

In-app purchases

None

ESP Trainer

No in-app purchases

14 purchases

Video Poker Strategy

One-time14
  • 1,000 Coins$0.99
  • 100 Hints$0.99
  • 1000 Hints$0.99
Show 11 more
  • 5,000 Coins$2.99
  • 500 Hints$2.99
  • 5000 Hints$2.99
  • Bonus Poker Games$3.99
  • Wild Poker Games$3.99
  • Special Poker Games$3.99
  • Joker Poker Games$3.99
  • 15,000 Coins$4.99
  • 15,000 Hints$4.99
  • 35,000 Coins$8.99
  • All Poker Games$9.99

Questions

Is ESP Trainer free?
ESP Trainer costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Video Poker Strategy free?
Video Poker Strategy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ESP Trainer or Video Poker Strategy?
Video Poker Strategy is rated higher. ESP Trainer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 294 ratings, while Video Poker Strategy averages 4.7 from 1.3K ratings.
Do ESP Trainer or Video Poker Strategy have ads?
Neither ESP Trainer nor Video Poker Strategy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ESP Trainer or Video Poker Strategy?
ESP Trainer ships an update every 14 months, and Video Poker Strategy every 3 months. Most recently, ESP Trainer was updated on October 29, 2026 and Video Poker Strategy on October 29, 2026.

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