# BrainHQ vs Cogstate Lila

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cogstate Lila at 100% against BrainHQ's 47%. Cogstate Lila also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). BrainHQ's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 2) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BrainHQ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per month. Cogstate Lila asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cogstate Lila holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: BrainHQ has 22K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of BrainHQ's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cogstate Lila's.

BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, Cogstate Lila every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainHQ | Cogstate Lila |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainhq/id537452201/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cogstate-lila/id1565848070/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 47.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 172 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Posit Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/329913981) | [CogState Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/599475525) |

## What reviewers say

### BrainHQ

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

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


### Cogstate Lila

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cogstate-lila/id1565848070)

This app assesses auditory verbal learning and delayed recall by having users repeat words read aloud. It uses familiar consumer item words to test memory accuracy. The results record the recall accuracy of the test taker.

**Highlights:** Auditory verbal learning assessment, Delayed recall testing, Word list recall, Familiar consumer item stimuli, Recall accuracy recording

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainHQ free?

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

### Is Cogstate Lila free?

Cogstate Lila is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, BrainHQ or Cogstate Lila?

Cogstate Lila is rated higher. BrainHQ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Cogstate Lila averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do BrainHQ or Cogstate Lila have ads?

Neither BrainHQ nor Cogstate Lila shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BrainHQ or Cogstate Lila?

BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, and Cogstate Lila every 4 months. Most recently, BrainHQ was updated on November 7, 2026 and Cogstate Lila on November 3, 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.*