# N'Back vs Mind Games

The clearest difference is rating: Mind Games at 4.6 against N'Back's 4.0. Mind Games also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 9 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. N'Back sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Mind Games asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mind Games holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mind Games has 12K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of N'Back's written reviews are positive against 84% of Mind Games's.

N'Back ships an update every 9 months, Mind Games every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | N'Back | Mind Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nback/id591320567/reviews) | **[4.6 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mind-games-brain-training/id860325400/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **83.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 6 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yasuyoshi Ota](https://appshunter.io/developer/1500357652) | [Mindware Consulting, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/792581008) |

## 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 |


### Mind Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mind-games-brain-training/id860325400)

Engage in a variety of brain-training games designed to exercise different mental skills. Track your progress with score histories and standardized scales. A training center helps select personalized exercise routines.

**Highlights:** Brain training games, Mental skill practice, Score history tracking, Progress graphs, Standardized score conversion, Personalized training center

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Effective brain training
- 🧠 Variety of challenging games
- 📈 Tracks progress and performance
- 🤓 Helps improve memory and focus
- 🎮 Fun and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Too many ads in free version
- 🤔 Confusing navigation and layout
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🇺🇸 American-centric content and terminology
- 🔒 Limited access without paid upgrade

**Reported bugs**

- Screens going blank or freezing
- Answers/instructions being cut off
- Inconsistent scoring and percentile calculations

**Requested features**

- Add a tutorial for new users
- Provide more language and region options
- Improve scoring and feedback system
- Introduce a dark mode option
- Allow users to track and review past performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is N'Back free?

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

### Is Mind Games free?

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

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

Mind Games is rated higher. N'Back averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Mind Games averages 4.6 from 12K ratings.

### Do N'Back or Mind Games have ads?

Both N'Back and Mind Games show ads.

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

N'Back ships an update every 9 months, and Mind Games every 3 weeks. Most recently, N'Back was updated on October 3, 2026 and Mind Games 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.*