# BrainHQ vs CBT

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CBT at none against BrainHQ's 2. BrainHQ's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for BrainHQ against 4.6 for CBT. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22K and 13K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 47% and 47% positive.

BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, CBT every 7 months. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BrainHQ | CBT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainhq/id537452201/reviews)** | [4.6 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbt-i-coach/id655918660/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 13K |
| Positive reviews | **47.2% of reviews** | 47.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 172 MB | 217 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Posit Science](https://appshunter.io/developer/329913981) | [US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/430646305) |

## 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


### CBT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbt-i-coach/id655918660)

This app guides users through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) to improve sleep habits and alleviate insomnia symptoms. It teaches strategies for better sleep routines and environments, complementing professional therapy.

**Highlights:** Sleep education, Positive sleep routines, Sleep environment improvement, Structured CBT-i program, Integration with Apple Health and Fitbit

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Thank you
- 👍 Helpful
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Excellent resource
- 👍 Valuable for treating insomnia

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Zero direction
- 🐛 Worthless
- 🐛 Compatibility issues
- 🐛 Not a sleep journal
- 🐛 Completely dysfunctional

**Reported bugs**

- Sleep data import broken
- Date malfunction in sleep diary
- Cannot set date past 7/23/2024
- Functionality
- Export doesn't work

**Requested features**

- Add cycle tracking
- Separate napping & dozing
- Dark mode option
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- 5 minute increments for time tracking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BrainHQ free?

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

### Is CBT free?

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

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

BrainHQ is rated higher. BrainHQ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while CBT averages 4.6 from 13K ratings.

### Do BrainHQ or CBT have ads?

Neither BrainHQ nor CBT shows ads.

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

BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, and CBT every 7 months. Most recently, BrainHQ was updated on November 5, 2026 and CBT on November 5, 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.*