What it does
Clever is a mobile app that provides a collection of games, puzzles, and tests designed to challenge and improve various cognitive skills. It categorizes activities into areas like Logic, Memory, and Focus, allowing users to train their brain through interactive exercises. The app also offers self-assessment tools to help users reflect on their cognitive health.
Where it shines
Clever stands out by framing simple games within a larger narrative of self-improvement. The onboarding (00:09) features an extensive quiz that goes beyond simple preferences to ask about uncovering personal traits like 'Emotional intelligence level' and 'Trauma level,' building a strong sense of personalized value from the start. After gameplay, the app visualizes progress through a 'Neuroplasticity' dashboard (10:21) and a 'Brain map' (10:39), which turns game scores into tangible metrics of cognitive enhancement. This successfully shifts the user's motivation from mere entertainment to focused self-development.
UX highlights
- Immediate Social Proof: The app opens with a screen (00:07) displaying impressive metrics like '15,000,000 users' and a '4.7 App Store Rating,' which builds instant trust.
- Categorized Game Library: The main dashboard (01:05) organizes games into clear categories such as 'Popular,' 'Memory,' and 'Logic,' making it easy for users to find exercises that target specific skills.
- In-Game Tutorials: Each new game type starts with a simple, animated tutorial that demonstrates the core mechanic, like the 'draw with one line' instruction at 01:10, ensuring users understand how to play.
- Visual Progress Feedback: After completing a game or level, the app provides immediate positive feedback with animations like a checkmark and a '+5%' brain icon (01:45), reinforcing the feeling of accomplishment.
- Gamified Level Progression: For each game, user progress is visualized on a winding path with locked and unlocked levels (01:08), encouraging continued play to advance.
- Clean and Minimal Paywall: The subscription screen (00:52) is uncluttered, presenting a single, clear free trial offer with a prominent call-to-action, reducing decision fatigue.
Monetization & growth
The app uses a free trial model with a paywall encountered at the end of the onboarding quiz (00:51). The offer is for a 3-day free trial, after which it converts to a weekly subscription. The paywall highlights a '39% seasonal discount' to create a sense of value. By placing the paywall after a lengthy personalization quiz, the app leverages the user's investment of time and curiosity about their 'personalized plan' to drive conversions. The subscription unlocks access to the full suite of games and features.
Who it’s for
Clever appears to target users interested in self-improvement, cognitive health, and casual gaming. The inclusion of a 'Dementia Self-Check' (09:04) suggests it may also appeal to an older demographic or individuals concerned about cognitive decline. The quiz framing and progress tracking mechanics are designed for users who are motivated by data-driven personal growth and want to feel that their screen time is productive.
Notes & opportunities
The app immediately requests system permissions for notifications and tracking (00:01-00:04) without any custom warm-up screens. This direct approach can feel abrupt and may lead to lower opt-in rates. A brief warm-up screen explaining the benefit of enabling these permissions could improve user trust and acceptance. Additionally, after a game, the user is sometimes taken to a menu (02:32) rather than automatically advancing to the next level, which introduces a small point of friction in the gameplay loop.