Support
Last updated: September 1, 2026
Need a hand, found a wrong answer, or have an idea? Email hello@brainsnail.com and we usually reply within a couple of days. There is more detail on what to include on the contact page.
Do I need an account?
No. Both the browser version and the Android app start playing straight away, with no sign-up step and no email required. An account is optional and does exactly one thing: it syncs your progress so the same XP, streak and shells appear on every device you use.
How is my progress saved?
On the web, progress is written to your browser’s local storage for brainsnail.com. In the app, it is stored on the device. Either way it saves as you play rather than at the end of a round, so closing the tab mid-quiz does not cost you what you had already answered.
If you sign in, the same progress is also written to your account and restored anywhere you sign in again.
Why did my progress disappear?
Almost always because the storage holding it was cleared. The usual causes are clearing browsing data, using a private or incognito window, a browser set to wipe site data on close, or reinstalling the app while signed out.
Progress that had been synced to an account comes back when you sign in again. Progress that only ever existed on the device cannot be recovered by us, because we never had a copy of it - which is also why signing in is the only real protection against this.
Hearts, gems, XP and shells
Hearts are the wrong-answer allowance for a session. You have 3, one is lost per incorrect answer, and one returns every 30 minutes on its own. You can refill instantly for 50 gems, and BrainSnail Plus makes them unlimited. Running out ends the round but keeps everything you had already earned in it.
Gems come from finishing rounds - 3 each, plus 5 for a perfect one - and are spent on heart refills and streak freezes. They are not for sale.
XP is awarded for every question you attempt, more for a correct answer, with a bonus for completing a round. XP raises your level. Shells rate one step: one shell at 70% correct, two at 85%, three only for a perfect round. Because a step draws fresh questions each time, replaying is a real second attempt rather than a memory test.
I lost my streak even though I played
Streaks roll over at midnight in your device’s own time zone, so a late-night session and an early-morning one can land on the same calendar day, and two sessions an hour apart can land on different ones. If you were holding a streak freeze it is spent automatically to cover a missed day - you do not have to do anything.
I found a wrong answer or a bug
Please tell us. Email hello@brainsnail.com with the subject, the unit and the question text if you have it. Every question carries an explanation precisely so that mistakes are checkable - if the explanation does not justify the answer, the question is wrong and we want to know.
Corrections normally ship within a couple of days, and because content is served from our backend rather than baked into the app, a fix reaches you without an app update. More on how questions are written and reviewed is on the editorial standards page.
How do I remove ads?
Upgrade to BrainSnail Plusin the app (Profile → Premium). It removes ads and gives you unlimited hearts. You can choose a monthly or yearly plan.
How do I restore a purchase or manage my subscription?
In the app, open Premium and tap Restore purchases. To change or cancel a plan, open the Google Play Store app → your profile → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions. Subscriptions are billed by Google Play, so cancellations and refunds go through them rather than through us.
How do I reset my progress?
In the app: Profile → Settings → Reset progress. On the web, clearing site data for brainsnail.com does the same thing. Either clears XP, streaks, shells and saved answers on that device. If you are signed in, reset on one device and then sync will propagate the reset - so do not reset on a device you are only borrowing.
How do I delete my data?
See our dedicated Delete Your Data page, which covers both the in-app reset and full account deletion by request.
Is BrainSnail suitable for children?
The tone and reading level are aimed at roughly upper-primary and above, and the content is written to be classroom-safe. The app is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them; see the privacy policy for the detail. Some later units - genetics, twentieth-century history, human biology - are written at secondary or introductory undergraduate level, and each subject page states the range it covers.
Can I suggest a subject or unit?
Yes, and it is the most useful mail we get. Several subjects on the site exist because someone asked. Email hello@brainsnail.com with what you would want covered and roughly what level. You can see what already exists in the question library.