Comparison

Thinkie vs NextSense

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Thinkie

Engage your mind with a variety of games designed to keep your brain active and alert. Track your cognitive progress in real-time with visual feedback and individualized training insights. This system is guided by extensive research and aims to enhance cognitive sharpness.

Highlights
  • Real-time visual results
  • Brain activity tracking
  • Variety of brain games
  • Individualized training
  • Cognitive sharpness enhancement
  • Free trial available
Features
Read full description

Challenge your brain and track your progress with the industry's first real-time, visual results. The Thinkie app offers a broad range of games specifically designed to engage you and help keep your brain active and alert. You can track your progress with our "Brain Meter" that provides immediate input through an easy-to-use system displaying colors to show level of brain activity. The results provide individualized information for your on-going training. Thinkie is built with fNIRS (Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy), which measures your brain activity through our special headband. Our design is guided by nearly 3 decades of research and development, all packaged into a brain training regimen that will help you stay cognitively sharp. Start your free trial and experience the benefits of cognitive training to reduce your brain age! Unlock more games and more difficulty levels when used alongside your Thinkie Sensor! Subscription options: $8.99/month, $99.99/year. Thinkie sensors are currently intended for United States customers only. The subscription will automatically renew unless turned off in your iTunes Account Settings at least 24 hours before the current period ends. You can turn off an auto- renewing subscription at any time from your App Store Account Settings, but refunds will not be issued for any unused portion of the term. Read Apple's terms and conditions (EULA) here: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Read our terms of service here: https://www.thinkiesystem.com/terms-of-service Read our privacy policies here: https://www.thinkiesystem.com/privacy-policy

About

NextSense

This app works with brain-responsive earbuds to enhance sleep quality. It tracks brain activity to personalize audio, offering insights into sleep patterns and a gentle alarm. Integration with Apple Health provides further personalized data.

Highlights
  • Brainwave tracking for sleep depth
  • Personalized audio for better rest
  • Detailed sleep reports and trends
  • Automatic audio pause when asleep
  • Nap mode with timer and soundscapes
  • Soothing sound library
  • Gentle alarm with calming sounds
Read full description

Introducing NextSense Smartbuds, the world’s first brain-responsive earbuds. Designed for everyday use, Smartbuds sense brain activity in real time and respond with audio that helps you rest deeper, center your mind, and stay sharp all day. The NextSense app is your companion to Smartbuds, giving you tools to personalize your audio experience and uncover meaningful insights into your daily and nightly rhythms. Pair your buds with the app to access dynamic soundscapes, launch sessions, and review trends. What you unlock with Smartbuds + the NextSense app Deeper Sleep See when your brain enters slow wave sleep, giving you a superior measure of sleep depth and recovery. Gentle pink noise enhances slow wave activity, leaving you more refreshed in the morning Focus Sessions Boost your focus with audio that gently nudges your brainwaves into a more alert state. Get recommendations on when to schedule deep work for peak performance. Meaningful Meditation Choose from brain-responsive and guided tracks that help you find your calm. Session summaries help you understand and improve your practice. Sleep Sync Your audio automatically pauses once sensors detect you’ve fallen asleep, so you’ll never lose your place in that audiobook. Nap Mode Reset midday with a nap session. Simply set a timer, choose a soundscape, and unwind. If you drift off, your nap is added to the day’s sleep total. Soothing Sound Library Choose from a collection of original soundscapes designed to give your brain exactly what it needs to meet the moment. Gentle alarm Ease into your morning with calming sounds that slowly build, delivered right through your Smartbuds. Personalized Insights Explore daily and long-term trends related total sleep time, wake-ups, sleep efficiency, and more. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service Learn more about how we handle your data and terms of use: Privacy Policy: https://nextsense.io/policies/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://nextsense.io/policies/terms-of-service *Note: The NextSense app requires NextSense Smartbuds hardware. Apple Health integration - Reads date of birth, sex, heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, VO2 max, sleep, weight, steps, exercise time, and time in daylight to personalize you insights, and audio experience. - Used only to improve your health and sleep experience, never for advertising or selling your data - Users can opt out or change permissions anytime in the Health app

Screenshots

Thinkie4 screens
NextSense4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Thinkie at 100% against NextSense's 50%. Thinkie also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). NextSense's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Thinkie sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. NextSense asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Thinkie holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NextSense has 55 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Thinkie's written reviews are positive against 50% of NextSense's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Thinkie ships an update every 5 weeks, NextSense every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Thinkie versus NextSense: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThinkieNextSense
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (11 ratings) — better4.7 (55 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1155 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size206 MB2.1 GB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperThinkie incLucid Reality

Customer experience

Thinkie

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

NextSense

All ratings55 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral4.5%
Negative45.5%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Thinkie

Subscriptions2
  • Thinkie Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$8.991 Month
  • Thinkie Annual Subscription1 Month trial$79.991 Year
None

NextSense

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Thinkie free?
Thinkie is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NextSense free?
NextSense is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Thinkie or NextSense?
Thinkie is rated higher. Thinkie averages 5.0 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while NextSense averages 4.7 from 55 ratings.
Do Thinkie or NextSense have ads?
Neither Thinkie nor NextSense shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Thinkie or NextSense?
Thinkie ships an update every 5 weeks, and NextSense every 6 days. Most recently, Thinkie was updated on September 21, 2026 and NextSense on September 20, 2026.

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