IQ Masters - Brain Training

What it does

IQ Masters is a mobile brain training app that combines a wide variety of puzzle games with psychological tests. The app aims to improve users' cognitive abilities like focus, memory, and problem-solving through daily challenges. It also offers tests for things like IQ, ADHD, and anxiety, providing users with personalized reports and insights into their mental state.

Where it shines

IQ Masters excels in its breadth of content and clear, gamified progression. The game library is extensive (02:44), covering everything from spatial reasoning in "Single Line" (01:09) to logic in "Smoothie" (02:19). The app effectively uses a daily challenge system to create a habit loop, culminating in a satisfying streak celebration (02:31). Furthermore, the progress dashboard (07:31) provides a clean, visual breakdown of performance across different cognitive categories, helping users see where they're improving.

UX highlights

Gamified Onboarding Task: Instead of a tutorial, the app starts with a challenge to complete 3 games for a surprise (00:50), immediately engaging the user.
Clear Game Instructions: Each game is preceded by a simple, animated tutorial that demonstrates the core mechanic, like in "Connect the Dots" (01:29).
Instant Positive Feedback: Completing a game level triggers immediate positive reinforcement with confetti and celebratory text (01:14), enhancing the feeling of accomplishment.
Contextual Rating Prompts: The app cleverly asks for a rating right after the user's first win (01:17), maximizing the chance of a positive review.
Organized Content Libraries: Games and tests are neatly categorized, with filters for different cognitive skills like Attention and Memory (04:29), making navigation easy.
Detailed Progress Tracking: The Progress screen visually breaks down scores by category and individual game (07:35), offering clear insights into performance.

Monetization & growth

The app employs an aggressive, front-loaded monetization strategy. During onboarding, the user is funneled directly into an unskippable paywall at 00:19. The only option to proceed is to start a 3-day free trial for a weekly subscription. This approach gates all content and ensures a high trial conversion rate from anyone who wants to use the app. Two plans are offered: a weekly plan at $6.99 and a yearly plan at $39.99.

Who it’s for

IQ Masters is for individuals interested in casual brain training and self-assessment. Its target audience likely includes students looking to sharpen their minds, adults seeking to maintain cognitive function, and anyone curious about their own psychological traits through accessible, non-clinical tests. The simple game mechanics make it suitable for a broad range of ages.

Notes & opportunities

The mandatory subscription during onboarding is a significant point of friction and could deter many potential users. Allowing a limited preview of a game or two before hitting the paywall could improve user trust and long-term retention. Additionally, while the test reports (06:02) provide a result, they could be enhanced with more detailed explanations, actionable advice, or links to relevant games within the app to help users improve on specific areas.