BrainHQ vs Steady
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BrainHQ
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.
- Scientifically validated brain exercises
- Improves memory and processing speed
- Adaptive training adjusts to performance
- Daily free exercise
- Personalized brain fitness goals
- Flexible training sessions
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Train your brain with BrainHQ from Posit Science—the most rigorous program available for better brain health, and the only one backed by more than 100 scientific papers showing benefits - including the breakthrough NIH-funded ACTIVE study. Now with new features that contribute to your brain fitness success! BrainHQ represents the culmination of 30 years of research in neuroscience and brain health. Top scientists from around the world helped to develop and test the BrainHQ exercises. The result: a training system that comprehensively improves brain performance, from the most basic elements of perception through the most complex elements of memory, attention, and cognitive function. No other brain fitness program can match BrainHQ in scientific proof. More than 100 publications from independent, randomized controlled trials have shown that the exercises and assessments in BrainHQ drive real change. These changes include: • cognitive improvements, such as better memory and faster processing speed • real-world improvements, including safer driving and improved quality of life • physical brain changes, like healthier white matter and more coordinated neurons. All of this means that BrainHQ works—in laboratory studies, and in the lives of everyday people: •"BrainHQ is a no-brainer must-have in my book…This training has expanded my visual, fine-tuned my audio and even my reflexes seem to be getting faster. BrainHQ is fun and gives me the challenges I need to keep my brain working out on a daily basis." - C. MacDonald •"Only a few months into the BrainHQ exercises the difference is clear, this isn’t left to speculation, I saw drastic improvements…and my family has noticed a strong improvement." - A. Amitrano And leading publications agree: “Our testers concluded that Posit's product—one of the few so far to undergo clinical trials and peer-reviewed research—had the firmest scientific grounding.” - Wall Street Journal The BrainHQ app helps you set and achieve your brain training goals—so it not only works, it works for you. Each exercise adapts to your performance and gets more challenging as your performance improves, just like a personal trainer for your brain. The training is designed to fit into your life: train for just 5 minutes in your spare time, or do a complete workout in an hour. BrainHQ is a free download, and includes a free exercise every day. For full access, we offer the following recurring subscription options: 1 month: $13.99 1 year: $94.99 These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on your country or residence. Monthly subscription are billed once per month, and an annual subscriptions are billed once per year. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Privacy Policy: https://www.brainhq.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.brainhq.com/terms
Steady
This app offers a private, gentle companion for managing depression and panic. It learns your patterns to provide timely nudges and support, with features like mood check-ins, guided breathing, and a skills library. Access advanced pattern analysis and thought reframing with an optional subscription.
- Mood check-ins
- Guided breathing and grounding
- Safety plan access
- Skills library
- Crisis resources
- Free-text check-ins
- Mood pattern analysis
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Some days announce themselves. Others just quietly get heavier. Steady is a private mood tracker and panic-support app for living with depression and anxiety — one that pays attention so you don't have to carry it all alone. It notices your patterns over time, and it's one tap away when things spike. No streaks to keep. No guilt for missing a day. And when you've had a good one, Steady asks what helped — not just what went wrong. FREE, AND STAYING FREE • Mood check-ins — a tap and a tag, in seconds • Panic mode — paced breathing, grounding, and your safety plan, one tap away • Anchors and future-self notes — a photo, a phrase, or words from your steadier days • A skills library and plain-language reads for the hard moments • Crisis resources — 988, Crisis Text Line, and your emergency contact STEADY PLUS — THE PART THAT NOTICES BEFORE YOU DO • Write check-ins in your own words, and Steady reads your mood back to you • Patterns — what lifts you and what weighs on you, over time, in plain language • CBT thought records, for a thought that keeps circling • Plan one small thing, and see which ones actually help BUILT TO NOTICE, NOT TO NAG Steady stays quiet. It surfaces just enough to help you see yourself changing, then gets out of the way. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your entries are encrypted, and your data is never sold — ever. Steady is here for you, not for advertisers. SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS Crisis support is always available and never behind a paywall. Steady's crisis and safety content is written by people, never generated by AI. It can point you toward help — it will never try to handle a crisis itself. IMPORTANT — MEDICAL DISCLAIMER Steady is a self-help support tool for adults (18+), intended to complement — never replace — professional care. It is not therapy, not a medical device, and not a crisis service, and it does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health professional with any questions about a medical or mental-health condition, and consult them before making any medical decisions. Never disregard or delay professional advice because of something you read or did in Steady. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (US) or contact your local emergency services. STEADY PLUS Steady is free to use. Steady Plus unlocks the pattern-aware tools above — free-text AI check-ins, Patterns, CBT thought records, and the small-steps planner — after a 14-day free trial: • Monthly — $7.99/month • Yearly — $59.99/year Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Crisis help is always available. Terms of Use (EULA): https://steadywellness.app/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://steadywellness.app/legal/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Steady at 100% against BrainHQ's 48%. Steady also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). BrainHQ's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 4) and chart position (#100 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. BrainHQ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $13.99 per month and Steady sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Steady 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 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of BrainHQ's written reviews are positive against 100% of Steady's.
BrainHQ ships an update every 2 months, Steady fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BrainHQ | Steady |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (22K ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 47.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 22K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #100 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 172 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Posit Science | Steady Wellness Limited Liability Company |
Customer experience
BrainHQ
Steady
Bugs and requests
BrainHQ
Reported bugs
4 issues- Frequent app crashes
- Audio issues on iOS
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Progress reset issues
Requested features
5 requests- Apple Watch app
- Apple TV app
- Better progress tracking in-app
- Customizable difficulty levels
- More diverse representation in exercises
Steady
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
BrainHQ
- BrainHQ$13.991 Month
- BrainHQ$94.991 Year
Steady
- Monthly3 Days trial$7.991 Month
- Annual3 Days trial$59.991 Year









