Elevate is brain training: 40+ adaptive games for memory, focus, math, writing, and speaking, packaged as a short daily workout with performance tracking. It is an Apple App of the Year with hundreds of thousands of ratings.
MindShark is not brain training. It teaches subjects — you name a topic, it generates a Deep Dive with quizzes and explanations. The two apps share a five-minute daily habit and an adaptive engine, and share almost nothing else.
| Feature | MindShark | Elevate |
|---|---|---|
| What you learn | A subject of your choice | Cognitive skill drills |
| Topic choice | Any topic you name — a Deep Dive is generated on demand | Fixed set of games |
| Session format | 10 Modules of ~5-minute quiz-driven Bites | 5–10 minute game workouts |
| Adaptive difficulty | Yes | Yes |
| Retrieval practice / quizzes | Yes | Games, not quizzes |
| Explanations | Yes | No |
| Progress tracking | Per Deep Dive and Module | Per skill, weekly reports |
| Streaks and gamification | XP, streaks, leagues | Streaks, scores |
| Platforms | Web app, installable as a PWA; native iOS/Android planned | iOS, Android (no web) |
| Best for | Learning a topic you can name | Daily mental drills |
| Tier | MindShark | Elevate |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 Deep Dive/day, 2 Bites/day, no ads | Limited games per day |
| Paid | Premium $7.99/mo or $49.99/yr (7-day trial) | Pro $9.99/mo or ~$19.99–$39.99/yr |
Elevate Pro yearly SKUs range roughly $20–$40; trials are 7 or 14 days depending on the offer.
Elevate is well made and the adaptivity is genuine, but what it trains is performance on Elevate's games. Whether that transfers to anything outside the app is contested in the research, and the app does not claim otherwise very loudly.
MindShark trains a subject. If you finish a Deep Dive on thread seal tape or list comprehensions, you know about thread seal tape or list comprehensions. If that is what you mean by "getting smarter", the choice is straightforward; if you enjoy the games, they are cheap.
There is a free tier with a limited number of games per day. Pro unlocks all games and the detailed tracking.
$9.99/mo, or roughly $19.99–$39.99/yr depending on the offer. MindShark Premium is $7.99/mo or $49.99/yr.
No. Elevate trains skills like memory and focus through games. MindShark generates a course on any subject you name.
Elevate leans toward practical skills (writing, math, speaking); Lumosity toward abstract cognitive games. Neither teaches a topic.