What’s The Difference Between Mind Sparke And Lumosity?
I have received a number of emails asking me to explain the difference between Mind Sparke and Lumosity – two popular brain training programs.
They each base their training on scientifically designed systems. Both are featured at the innovative San Francisco based brain gym, vibrantBrains, and they are two of the more affordable options on the market. So how do you choose which one is right for you?
Mind Sparke focuses solely on dual n back training which is a protocol that was developed during the now famous Jaeggi study.
You’re presented with a screen where you see a block appear and at the same time you hear a letter called out. After the block disappears, you must remember where it appeared, as well as which letter you heard.
The program increases in difficulty as you are asked to recall the block placement and spoken letter of two spaces back, three spaces back and so on. Confusing? No worries. Everyone gets confused when they first begin dual n back training. After the first few sessions, it begins to make sense – and the quick results are worth it.
MindSparke is either downloaded to your computer or you can have a CD-ROM shipped out to you. You do not need an internet connection to use it, so as long as you have your computer, you can train anywhere.
The program consists of 30 minute sessions performed for 19 straight days, and then you can reduce your training to as little as 1 to 3 times a week. By the end of the first week, you should notice a dramatic increase in focus and a marked improvement in your short term or working memory.
Those 19 days take commitment, and this is why I recommend the program to those in need of concentrated training or those who have the self discipline to exercise their brain even if the exercise isn’t necessarily fun.
Added Bonus: Because Mind Sparke is part of a smaller company, you have more interaction with creator and CEO, Martin Walker. There is also an active and popular blog where users can post their personal training results and get feedback and support.
Who Is Mind Sparke For?
Students looking to perform better in school and/or on standardized/admissions tests like the SAT, GRE, MCAT etc.
Adults looking to function more highly at work, think more clearly and perform better on tests like the Bar, CPA exam, IQ tests, Civil Service exam, etc.
Seniors looking to improve memory, focus, thought speed and clarity.
What is the cost?
Brain Fitness Pro Single User $46.95
Family Pack Multi-User $71.95
(Works on PC or Mac)
Brain Fitness Pro Jr All Siblings $63.95
Family Pack with Jr Multi-User $86.95
(Jr is PC only. Mac version not available yet.)
You can learn more about the Mind Sparke program here.
If you are looking for a more casual form of brain exercise, I would recommend Lumosity. Now, by “casual” I don’t mean less effective.
The brain training is centered around a wide variety of scientifically designed brain games. The company focuses on providing a fun environment so that users are encouraged to continue their training.
Because the program is online, you can log in to your account anywhere you have an internet connection.
After you sign up, you can start Basic Training – a 40 day workout of games that the company designed to, “improve memory, attention, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility.”
You can also choose to skip Basic Training and go straight to the core modules which are each designed to target specific areas such as processing speed, focus, math ability, high school standardized testing and ADHD.
Lumosity gives you more control over your training. If you want to log in every day, there is plenty for you to do. If you can only train a few times a week, that’s fine too.
The company also offers an Assessment section where you can periodically test your improvement within individual cognitive domains. So, say you’ve been training in the core module for attention speed. Click on the attention speed assessment, take it and you can actually measure your improvement.
Added Bonus: This past Spring, Lumosity implemented a nice community feature where you can add other users as friends and keep tabs on how their brain training is progressing. If you’re not into the social scene, you can easily set your profile to private and keep your training to yourself.
Who Is Lumosity For?
All ages, although the company states it is too difficult for young children.
Anyone looking to improve cognitive function in a relaxed and varied game format.
Those seeking tailored brain training modules in order to focus on particular problem areas.
What is the cost?
Monthly Subscription: $9.95
Yearly Subscription: $79.95
You can check out the games by creating a FREE ACCOUNT.
If you’re a Mind Sparke or Lumosity user, leave a comment below and let us know which program you use and what ultimately made you choose it.
Brain Training 101 chooses products to review based on quality. Some of these products are part of affiliate programs which earn the site a commission. Lumosity and Mind Sparke are two of these products. Our philosophy has always been to provide in depth, honest reviews of high quality products regardless of their participation in affiliate programs.
Posted: August 4, 2009
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is this where i sign up for the free brain training power pack? i don’t see a place to do that. thanks.
Hi Wendy,
You can sign up for the Brain Power Pack by clicking here.
:-)
How do the benefits of Mind Sparke, Lumosity, etc compare with eg the somewhat addictive `Spider Solitaire that comes with my computer software, I wonder?
Both MindSparke and Lumosity use scientifically designed training where as Spider Solitaire and other popular computer games focus on providing (addictive!) fun. The more you play Solitaire, just like the more you do the daily crossword puzzle, the easier it gets. Your brain needs a challenging variety of stimulation, so make sure you are adding levels of difficulty into your game playing. Try changing the hand you use to control the mouse, set increasingly difficult time limits, add a social element to the game by competing against a friend – those are a few ideas to switch things up a bit.
Hi Kathy,
Thank you so much for your comment. I haven’t written about ADHD tools before, so I made a new post here:
http://www.braintraining101.com/which-adhd-software-will-work-for-you/
Hopefully, with the help of other Brain Training 101 readers, we can really dig into the current offerings and decide which ones are worth the investment.
Erin :-)
Hi,
I’m wondering if you could comment, from your experience and what you’ve heard from others, re: what software/training programs one might reasonably expect to benefit an 11-year-old girl with ADHD? (specific weaknesses seem to be in planning, organization, focus – not working memory).
I’m trying to sort out MindSparke, Brainware Safai, Sharper Brains, PACE, etc. (I appreciate your disclosing any financial ties you have to any of the products, like your mention of affiliates in this post.)
Do you know of any published articles evaluating these types of cognitive training programs?
Thanks very much.
Roy,
Thanks so much! Yes, I absolutely have plans to compare other products. In fact I have quite a few in line to be reviewed and posted here on the site.
My reviews take longer than other blogs because I personally test everything for an extended period in order to truly see how and if they work.
I have heard of CogniFit Personal Coach. In fact I have a review scheduled and hopefully will have it out within the next several weeks.
I haven’t tested it yet, but they do have a free demo on their website that you can check out before making a purchase.
Thank you for an interesting comparison.
I feel that there aren’t enough articles such as this one that can help people choose the right brain training program.
Do you have plans to compare other products that are available on the market today?
I recently heard about a product called “CogniFit Personal Coach”. Do you know anything about it?
Thanks,
Roy
The more you ‘exercise’ your mind, the better you will become and certain tasks. There was a study released about a year ago that tracked young people who played a lot of video games. The study found that universally they were better problem solvers and worked better together in groups than people who didn’t game.
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