# BrainHQ vs SonicTonic

The clearest difference is ratings volume: BrainHQ at 22K against SonicTonic's 11. BrainHQ also leads on chart position (#181 vs unranked). SonicTonic's advantage is review sentiment (71% vs 48%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BrainHQ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per month and SonicTonic sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for BrainHQ against 4.5 for SonicTonic. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BrainHQ has 22K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 48% of BrainHQ's written reviews are positive against 71% of SonicTonic's.

BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, SonicTonic every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainHQ | SonicTonic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainhq/id537452201/reviews)** | [4.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonictonic/id1057946205/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 47.5% of reviews | **70.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#181** | — |
| Size | 172 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Posit Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/329913981) | [GROVES Sound Branding GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057946204) |

## What reviewers say

### BrainHQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainhq/id537452201)

**Currently charting:** #181 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

This app offers a scientifically-backed brain training program designed to improve cognitive functions like memory, attention, and processing speed. It features adaptive exercises that adjust to your performance, fitting into your daily routine with sessions as short as five minutes.

**Highlights:** Scientifically validated brain exercises, Improves memory and processing speed, Adaptive training adjusts to performance, Daily free exercise, Personalized brain fitness goals, Flexible training sessions

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BrainHQ | $13.99 | per month |
| BrainHQ | $94.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🧠 Scientifically-backed brain exercises
- 🤓 Challenging and engaging games
- 🧠 Noticeable cognitive improvements
- 👍 Customizable training focus
- 🤝 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🤔 Unclear instructions and scoring
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🙈 Limited free version
- 🎨 Lack of diversity in some exercises

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Audio issues on iOS
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Progress reset issues

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch app
- Apple TV app
- Better progress tracking in-app
- Customizable difficulty levels
- More diverse representation in exercises


### SonicTonic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonictonic/id1057946205)

This app uses sound and music, informed by neurophysiology, to improve mental well-being. It helps reduce stress, enhance sleep, and boost concentration without requiring any practice.

**Highlights:** Stress reduction, Sleep improvement, Concentration stimulation, Learning ability enhancement, Anxiety and phobia treatment, Uses neurophysiological knowledge

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription Offer | $9.99 | per year |
| SonicTonic Annual Discount | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium (annually) | $34.99 | per year |
| 10 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| Single Purchase Category 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Single Purchase Category 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Single Purchase Category 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 30 Credits | $3.99 | one-time |
| 80 Credits | $8.99 | one-time |
| Premium (lifetime) | $179.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainHQ free?

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

### Is SonicTonic free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BrainHQ or SonicTonic?

BrainHQ is rated higher. BrainHQ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while SonicTonic averages 4.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do BrainHQ or SonicTonic have ads?

Neither BrainHQ nor SonicTonic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrainHQ or SonicTonic?

BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, and SonicTonic every 2 weeks. Most recently, BrainHQ was updated on October 19, 2026 and SonicTonic on October 17, 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.*