Cognitta brain mascot

Want a hit?Earn it first.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

iPhone & Android · No account · Free to start

No new habit to build

same reflex. new reward.

You already reach for your phone dozens of times a day. Cognitta turns each reach into a rep that retrains the reflex — no new routine, no reminders to set.

Step 1

name the habit

Every habit runs on a trigger. Pick the apps that fire yours — the ones you open on reflex, before you've even decided to.

Step 2

let the urge happen

Cognitta doesn't block anything. Open the app exactly like you always do — the reflex is allowed to fire.

Step 3

do the hard part first

Right where the dopamine hit would normally land, a real problem shows up instead — math, logic, a pattern. A few seconds of actual thought, standing between you and the reward.

Step 4

rewire the loop

Every solve is a rep. Enough reps and the habit itself changes — your brain starts expecting a beat of thought, not just a hit.

Try it

One problem.
That's the toll.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is Cognitta?+
Cognitta is an app for iPhone and Android that puts a quick problem in front of the apps you choose to guard. Reach for a guarded app, solve a short problem, and carry on. It's designed to interrupt the reflex that drives mindless phone use and turn each interruption into a rep that retrains it.
Why "solve a problem" instead of just blocking the app?+
Blocking creates resentment and gets switched off. A problem does something better: it inserts a beat of real thought between the craving and the reward, so you decide consciously whether to continue — and your brain gets a rep either way.
Will this make me smarter?+
We're careful here. Regular practice reliably makes you better at these problems, and a deliberate pause genuinely disrupts compulsive scrolling — those are benefits we stand behind. The broader science on whether training transfers to general intelligence is mixed, so we don't make medical or cognitive-improvement claims. Treat Cognitta as a good habit, not a treatment.

Cognitta is a tool for mental exercise and mindful technology use. It is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or cognitive condition, including memory loss or cognitive decline. Statements on this site have not been evaluated by any medical or regulatory authority. Individual results vary. If you have concerns about your cognitive health, consult a qualified healthcare professional.
What kinds of problems are there?+
Five types: Math, Sequences, Logic, Patterns, and Visual (memory and search). You toggle which ones are active in Settings, and choose how many problems each unlock takes — up to 3 on the free plan, more with Pro.
Which apps can I guard?+
Any app on your phone. Most people start with the usual dopamine machines — Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, X — but you can guard anything you reach for without thinking.
Why does it need special permissions?+
On iPhone, Cognitta uses Apple's Screen Time API to shield the apps you've chosen. On Android, the Accessibility Service is the only reliable way to detect when you've opened a guarded app. Either way it's used for nothing else — it does not read screen content, capture keystrokes, control other apps, or send any data off your device. You grant the permission yourself and can revoke it anytime.
Do you collect my data?+
There's no account, and your scores, streaks, settings, and the problems and answers themselves stay on your phone — we never see them. We do use a standard analytics tool to understand how the app is used: app opens, screens visited, and a defined set of in-app events like when you add a guarded app or solve a problem (recorded by category, never the problem or answer itself). It's never used for ads or cross-app tracking. If you buy Cognitta Pro, our payments provider also processes your purchase record so your subscription restores on a new device. Full detail in the Privacy Policy.
Is it free?+
Cognitta is free to download, and the free tier guards one app with the full problem engine — every category, no time limit, no ads. Cognitta Pro unlocks guarding more apps plus settings customization, like how many problems each gate requires and how long the grace period lasts. It's available monthly, annually with a 7-day free trial, or as a one-time lifetime purchase.