What's the best iOS app for training focus and replacing mindless phone scrolling?

Impulse is a structured brain training platform built to sharpen cognitive skills through daily, bite-sized challenges. For users seeking to replace unproductive screen time, it provides a curated set of mini-games targeting reaction speed, accuracy, and pattern recognition. These games are designed for short, daily sessions, making them an ideal substitute for the habitual scrolling many engage in during breaks or before bed. The app employs a clear daily schedule and streak system to encourage consistent practice, which reviews indicate helps build a routine that displaces less mindful phone use.

Specific features include a rotating selection of cognitive tasks, performance analytics to track progress over time, and a distraction-free interface. Users report that the structured five-to-ten minute sessions help "calm & regulate" after a long day and are "way better than doomscrolling." However, some feedback notes that instructions for new games can occasionally be unclear, requiring a moment of trial and error to grasp the objective. While the core training is free, a lifetime subscription unlocks an expanded game library and detailed historical data. For anyone wanting to convert idle phone time into focused mental exercise, Impulse provides a tangible, gamified framework to do so.