# N'Back vs Mental Math Games

The clearest difference is rating: Mental Math Games at 4.7 against N'Back's 4.0. Mental Math Games also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 9 months). N'Back's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. N'Back sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Mental Math Games sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mental Math Games holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mental Math Games has 1.2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of N'Back's written reviews are positive against 93% of Mental Math Games's.

N'Back ships an update every 9 months, Mental Math Games every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | N'Back | Mental Math Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nback/id591320567/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-math-games-numbio/id1551025256/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | **93.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yasuyoshi Ota](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500357652) | [Peter Schmidt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1551025258) |

## What reviewers say

### N'Back

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nback/id591320567)

Enhance sensory and working memory with this brain training application. It offers various modes to test your ability to recall sequences of numbers, progressing through different 'N' levels.

**Highlights:** Sensory memory improvement, Working memory enhancement, N'Back exercises, Flash Mode, Slow Mode, Step Mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Add Levels (3'Back-10'Back) and Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### Mental Math Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-math-games-numbio/id1551025256)

Sharpen your mental math skills with this app offering a wide range of exercises from basic arithmetic to fractions and percentages. It features timed challenges, progress tracking, and customizable modes to suit all levels.

**Highlights:** Wide variety of math exercises, Timed challenges for speed, Progress tracking and high scores, Adjustable difficulty levels, Math tricks and shortcuts, Customizable trainer mode, Achievements and rewards

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro access (secret discount) | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| Small tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Pro Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for learning math
- 👍 Fun and engaging
- 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Effective for improving mental math skills
- 👍 Great for all ages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited features in free version
- 🔒 Subscription required for full access
- 🐛 Occasional performance issues

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent scoring feedback
- Subscription issues with repeated charges

**Requested features**

- More advanced math operations (e.g., powers, roots)
- Customizable practice sessions
- Detailed performance analytics
- Ability to review past questions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is N'Back free?

N'Back is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Mental Math Games free?

Mental Math Games is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, N'Back or Mental Math Games?

Mental Math Games is rated higher. N'Back averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Mental Math Games averages 4.7 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do N'Back or Mental Math Games have ads?

N'Back shows ads; Mental Math Games does not.

### Which is updated more often, N'Back or Mental Math Games?

N'Back ships an update every 9 months, and Mental Math Games every 9 days. Most recently, N'Back was updated on October 25, 2026 and Mental Math Games on October 25, 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.*