Comparison

N vs Advanced Dual N

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

Head to head
About

N

Features
Read full description

Dual N-Back is a scientifically-backed cognitive training game designed to strengthen your working memory and fluid intelligence. First introduced by Wayne Kirchner in 1958 and popularized by Susanne Jaeggi's landmark 2003 research, the N-back task remains one of the most studied tools in cognitive neuroscience. Each round, you're shown a sequence of positions on a grid and hear a sequence of spoken letters. Your goal: identify when either the position or the letter matches what appeared N steps earlier. As your accuracy improves, the game advances your N-level — pushing you further. Game Modes: Dual N-Back lets you track both auditory and visual stimuli simultaneously — the most challenging and most studied mode. Single N-Back focuses on one stimulus type at a time, great for getting started or isolating a weakness. Silent Dual N-Back is visual-only, ideal for quiet environments. Adaptive difficulty adjusts your N-level based on performance. Score history lets you track progress over time. Light and dark mode included. Clean, distraction-free interface built for focus. No ads. No subscriptions. No nonsense. Whether you're a student, professional, or just someone who wants to stay sharp, Dual N-Back gives you a rigorous, research-grounded workout for your mind.

About

Advanced Dual N

Features
Read full description

Advanced Dual N-Back is the working memory protocol from the research, built to be done every day: one visual stream, one audio stream, and a level that follows you. Inspired by dual n-back working-memory research, including Jaeggi et al. (2008). HOW IT WORKS In each session, a sequence of positions and sounds is presented simultaneously. Your task: identify when the current stimulus matches the one from N steps back. As you improve, N increases, keeping you always at the edge of your capacity. FEATURES • Classic Dual N-Back protocol (position + audio) • Workshop library: all 28 Brain Workshop combinations and 110 variants, from Quad and Pentuple to Crab, multiple objects and cross-modal tasks • Arithmetic, Crab-Back and Image Pairs presets for when classic gets easy • Seven sound sets including piano, Morse and NATO, and grids up to 5x5 • Training profiles, plus session export and import • Adaptive difficulty: N adjusts automatically based on your performance • Detailed session history and progress charts • Customizable session length and number of trials • Daily reminders to keep your training streak • Offline. No internet connection required • Premium features available through an optional one-time in-app purchase. No subscription • Clean, distraction-free interface THE SCIENCE Working memory is the mental workspace your brain uses to hold and manipulate information in real time. This app provides structured working-memory practice. It does not diagnose or treat a medical condition or guarantee improvements in intelligence. You start at 2-back, the level the original study used, after a short tutorial that teaches one stream at a time. Most people aim for 3 to 5 with consistent training.

Screenshots

N4 screens
Advanced Dual N3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: N at none against Advanced Dual N's 1. Advanced Dual N's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Advanced Dual N sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. N asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

N ships an update every 3 months, Advanced Dual N every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
N versus Advanced Dual N: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNAdvanced Dual N
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAGL Consulting, LLCGustavo cesar Sola Barreto Marcelino

In-app purchases

None

N

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Advanced Dual N

One-time1
  • Premium Unlock$3.99

Questions

Is N free?
N is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Advanced Dual N free?
Advanced Dual N is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do N or Advanced Dual N have ads?
Neither N nor Advanced Dual N shows ads.
Which is updated more often, N or Advanced Dual N?
N ships an update every 3 months, and Advanced Dual N every 2 weeks. Most recently, N was updated on October 30, 2026 and Advanced Dual N on October 31, 2026.

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