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Education · head to head

Lumosity vs Pl@ntNet

Lumosity logo

Lumosity

Education

Brain training game app from Lumos Labs, which paid an FTC settlement in 2016 over unsupported cognitive improvement claims

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pl@ntNet logo

Pl@ntNet

Education

Free plant identification app run by a consortium of French public research institutes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lumosity lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.; Pl@ntNet it offers no plant care guidance, watering reminders or disease diagnosis, unlike commercial apps built around ongoing plant care.
  • They diverge on capability: Lumosity covers Daily training set, Pl@ntNet covers Photo identification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lumosity and Pl@ntNet actually diverge.

Attributes where Lumosity and Pl@ntNet differ
AttributeLumosityPl@ntNet
Pricing modelFree with a subscriptionFree, no ads and no in-app purchases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (iOS, Android, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Lumosity

  • Daily training set
  • Brain Performance Index
  • Game library by domain
  • Fit Test assessment
  • Progress tracking
  • Insights and tips

Only in Pl@ntNet

  • Photo identification
  • Large species coverage
  • Multi-language support
  • Community-sourced database
  • Regional flora filtering
  • Contribution to research

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Lumosity

  • An adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical interventionnot Pl@ntNet
  • Someone comparing Lumosity against Elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practicenot Pl@ntNet
  • A user who wants a long historical performance trend across many game sessionsnot Pl@ntNet
  • A buyer evaluating whether the current marketing claims about cognitive benefit are consistent with the 2016 FTC settlement findings before subscribingnot Pl@ntNet

Pl@ntNet

  • A gardener or hiker who wants free plant identification without a subscriptionnot Lumosity
  • A student or researcher wanting a citation-friendly, institutionally-run identification toolnot Lumosity
  • Someone identifying plants outside English-speaking regions who needs one of its 50-plus languagesnot Lumosity
  • A forager wanting a second opinion on a plant before relying solely on one sourcenot Lumosity

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lumosity

  • Lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.
  • The free tier is limited to a small daily set of games, and the personalised training programme the product is built around is a paid-only feature.
  • As with the brain training category broadly, evidence that improved performance on the specific games transfers to real-world cognitive ability remains contested, independent of the marketing claims addressed by the settlement.
  • The subscription auto-renews and, like most mobile subscriptions, requires cancelling through app store account settings rather than within the app.
  • The game library has not changed dramatically in years, and long-term subscribers report the exercises becoming repetitive well before a years subscription is up.

Pl@ntNet

  • It offers no plant care guidance, watering reminders or disease diagnosis, unlike commercial apps built around ongoing plant care.
  • Identification accuracy varies by region depending on how well local flora is represented in the community-submitted training data.
  • The interface is more utilitarian than a commercial app, reflecting its research origins rather than consumer product design.
  • It should never be relied on alone to determine whether a wild plant or fungus is safe to eat, and the project itself does not claim otherwise.
  • Because it is run by a nonprofit research consortium rather than a company, feature development and interface updates move more slowly than a funded commercial competitor.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lumosity

Free
  • Lumosity$11.99/month
    • Free tier gives a small daily set of games
    • Full subscription unlocks the complete game library and personalised programme
    • Annual plans typically run $59.99 to $79.99, cheaper per month than monthly billing

Pl@ntNet

Free
  • Pl@ntNetFree
    • Full identification for over 80,000 species
    • Available in over 50 languages
    • No account required for basic identification

Which should you pick?

Choose Lumosity if

  • You need daily training set.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want brain performance index.
Lumosity review

Choose Pl@ntNet if

  • You need photo identification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want large species coverage.
Pl@ntNet review

Questions people ask

Is Lumosity or Pl@ntNet better?
Neither clearly leads. Lumosity starts at Free and Pl@ntNet at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lumosity or Pl@ntNet?
Lumosity starts at Free and Pl@ntNet at Free.
Does Lumosity or Pl@ntNet run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Lumosity for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lumosity best used for?
Lumosity is most often used for an adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical intervention, someone comparing lumosity against elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practice, a user who wants a long historical performance trend across many game sessions, a buyer evaluating whether the current marketing claims about cognitive benefit are consistent with the 2016 ftc settlement findings before subscribing. Of those, an adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical intervention and someone comparing lumosity against elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practice are not what Pl@ntNet is typically brought in for.
What can Lumosity do that Pl@ntNet cannot?
Lumosity covers Daily training set, Brain Performance Index, Game library by domain, Fit Test assessment. Pl@ntNet covers Photo identification, Large species coverage, Multi-language support, Community-sourced database.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lumosity: What was the FTC settlement about?

In 2016 the FTC found Lumos Labs advertising made unsupported claims that Lumosity games could delay cognitive decline, protect against conditions like Alzheimers, and improve real-world performance. The company paid 2 million dollars and was barred from such claims without solid evidence.

Pl@ntNet: Is Pl@ntNet free?

Yes, entirely free with no ads or in-app purchases, run by a consortium of French public research institutes.

Lumosity: Is Lumosity still available and does it still make cognitive claims?

Yes, the app and games remain available, but the company is legally restricted from the specific unsupported claims covered by the settlement.

Pl@ntNet: How accurate is it?

Accuracy varies by region and species depending on how much community-submitted photo data exists for that flora, but it is generally strong for well-represented regions.

Lumosity: Is Lumosity free?

A small daily set of games is free. The full library and personalised training programme require a paid subscription.

Pl@ntNet: Can I use it to check if a plant is safe to eat?

No. It is an identification aid, not a safety tool, and should not be relied on alone for foraging decisions.

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