Short answer
Binaural beats clearly produce an auditory percept. Whether they reliably entrain EEG activity or improve cognition is less certain. Two 2023 reviews illustrate why the topic cannot be reduced to either “proven” or “fake.”
EEG entrainment evidence
The PLOS ONE systematic review of 14 qualifying EEG studies found five results supporting the entrainment hypothesis, eight contradictory results and one mixed result. The authors highlighted major methodological heterogeneity and said the question could not be settled from the available evidence.
Attention and memory
A separate meta-analysis and systematic review of 15 studies reported an overall medium, statistically significant pooled effect across memory and attention outcomes (Hedges' g = 0.40), while its systematic-review component described conflicting results, especially for theta and beta conditions.
How to interpret this responsibly
A positive pooled effect is not proof that every recording works, that every frequency has a predictable mental effect, or that a commercial program is validated. Differences in carrier tones, beat frequencies, duration, controls, sample size and outcome measures matter.