Nootropic reviews, without the hype
Independent brain supplement reviews backed by ingredient audits, published human research and transparent product ratings.
Brain supplements we've audited
Each rating out of 10 comes from the doses on the label, the research behind them, how complete the label is and any lab testing, never from price or commissions.
Prices checked Oct 19 to Oct 21, 2026
The public lab report checks contaminants, not ingredients
No lab report behind "3rd Party Tested"
No testing claim and no lab report
Six of the eight main ingredients fall short of the studies
Seven of ten actives are hidden in blends
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Single ingredients, checked the same way
For each one, the amount the studies used, how good that research is, and the single-ingredient product we'd buy.
Citicoline may be worth trying if you're over 50, but give it time and judge it by test results rather than how you feel.
Our pick, Nootropics Depot Cognizin Citicoline
Rhodiola is worth trying if stress has left you tired during night shifts or exams.
Our pick, Nootropics Depot Rhodiola Rosea
Lion's mane is a long shot worth trying if you're older and worried about your memory.
Our pick, Nutricost Organic Lion's Mane Capsules
Phosphatidylserine is worth considering only if you're older and have noticed memory slips.
Our pick, Nutricost Phosphatidylserine (Soy Free) 400 mg
We wouldn't buy ginkgo for a healthy memory, because the trials it clearly won were in people with dementia.
Our pick, Life Extension Ginkgo Biloba Certified Extract 120 mg
How we review
Every rating starts with the Supplement Facts panel. We compare each amount with the study dose we use as that ingredient's benchmark, grade the research behind it, and check whatever lab reports the brand publishes.
Some links on this site earn us a commission. Commission is never an input to a score, and the scoring script has no field for it. Price and buyer ratings stay outside the score too. A product's cost a day is the brand's one-time price for a single bottle, divided by the servings on its label, and an ingredient's is our pick taken at the studied dose.
Our ratings rest on that research audit. Where we've also taken a product ourselves, the review says so.
- Dose fit40%
- Evidence30%
- Transparency20%
- Testing10%