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Anki alternatives that take less setting up

Six Anki alternatives compared on spaced repetition, AI cards from your notes and price, for when Anki feels like too much work.

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If Anki feels like too much work, pick by what you want to keep. Brainscape keeps spaced repetition and puts AI card making on its free plan. RemNote grows flashcards out of your notes. Knowt has free study modes and games. StudyVisually runs FSRS, a scheduler Anki also offers, with nothing to set up, and exports decks back to Anki.

What to keep when you leave Anki

  1. A real review schedule

    Anki's strength is its scheduler. An alternative should still bring cards back on a spaced schedule, not just shuffle them.

  2. Your old decks

    Export your Anki decks as plain text first. StudyVisually's flashcard maker reads that format, so your cards come with you.

  3. A way back

    If you might return to Anki, pick an app that exports to it. StudyVisually exports any deck you made as an Anki deck with its review dates, on every plan.

  4. Less typing

    AI can draft cards from a PDF or your notes in a minute. Read each deck once, because AI cards still need a check.

Side by side

Anki alternatives
ToolSpaced repetitionAI study material from your own notes or PDFsPrice
StudyVisuallySpaced repetitionYes. FSRS with a 90% target, and each rating button shows the gap it will set.AI study material from your own notes or PDFsYes. PDFs, text files or pasted notes become concept cards, flashcards, practice questions, explain-it questions and diagrams (uploads up to about 20 pages on Free).PriceStudying is free. Basic is $4 a month or $40 a year; Premium is $8 a month or $80 a year.
BrainscapeSpaced repetitionYes. A spaced retrieval algorithm that uses your own 1 to 5 confidence rating for each card.AI study material from your own notes or PDFsYes. Give it instructions or a PPT, PDF or document and it makes flashcards: hundreds on the free plan, unlimited on Pro.PricePro is $7.99 a month on its yearly option.
Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)Spaced repetitionYou mark flashcards "Got it" or "Missed it" and progress is remembered; Google's help page doesn't describe a review schedule.AI study material from your own notes or PDFsYes. Chat with your sources, and generate flashcards and quizzes from them with the difficulty and number you choose.PriceFree with a Google account. Google AI Plus, Pro and Ultra plans raise the limits.
KnowtSpaced repetitionYes, as one of its study modes (spaced repetition mode).AI study material from your own notes or PDFsYes. AI flashcards from lecture videos and notes, study guides and quizzes from notes; PDF, video, slide and lecture summaries on Ultra.PriceUltra is $24.99 a month, or $149.99 a year ($12.99 a month), with a 3-day free trial.
QuizletSpaced repetitionQuizlet describes Learn as personalised study rounds; its home and pricing pages don't describe a spaced-repetition schedule.AI study material from your own notes or PDFsYes. Turns notes (recorded, written or typed) into study guides, flashcards, practice tests and games.PriceQuizlet Plus is $7.99 a month or $35.99 a year. Plus Unlimited is $9.99 a month or $44.99 a year. Yearly plans start with a 7-day trial.
RemNoteSpaced repetitionYes. Flashcards are scheduled with spaced repetition, with a daily practice plan tailored to your exam date.AI study material from your own notes or PDFsYes. AI flashcards from text, PDFs and slides; quizzes, summaries and AI grading on Pro with AI.PricePro is $8 a month or $96 a year. Pro with AI is $18 a month or $216 a year.

Every app compared

StudyVisually

Study app that turns a topic or your own notes into concept cards, flashcards on a spaced-repetition schedule, practice questions, timed explain-it answers and step-by-step diagrams.

Best for: Learning a topic visually, with spaced repetition and a short daily plan, from free subjects or your own notes.

Visit StudyVisually

Brainscape

Flashcard app built on spaced repetition, with AI card making from your documents and expert-certified decks for exams.

Best for: Spaced-repetition flashcards with AI card making included on the free plan.

Full comparisonVisit Brainscape

Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)

Google's research notebook (renamed from NotebookLM in July 2026): ask questions across your sources, and make flashcards and quizzes from them.

Best for: Asking questions across a pile of your own sources at once.

Full comparisonVisit Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)

Knowt

Free study platform with flashcards, Learn mode and practice tests, plus AI summaries of PDFs, videos and lectures on its paid plan.

Best for: Free flashcard study modes, bringing Quizlet sets over, and AI summaries of lectures and videos.

Full comparisonVisit Knowt

Quizlet

Flashcard and study platform with sets made by other users, games, practice tests and AI study materials from your notes.

Best for: Finding flashcard sets other people made, and quick games for a class.

Full comparisonVisit Quizlet

RemNote

Note-taking app with flashcards built into your notes, spaced repetition, PDF annotation and AI study tools.

Best for: Taking notes and making flashcards in the same place.

Full comparisonVisit RemNote

Questions people ask

Is there an easier app than Anki?

Yes. Brainscape, Knowt and StudyVisually all schedule reviews without settings to learn. StudyVisually runs FSRS from your first card, aiming for 90% recall, and each rating button shows when the card comes back. You can open it and study before you make an account.

Which Anki alternative uses FSRS?

StudyVisually uses FSRS for every flashcard with nothing to switch on. Anki itself offers FSRS or the older SM-2 scheduler in its deck options. Brainscape uses its own spaced retrieval algorithm, based on the 1 to 5 confidence rating you give each card.

Can I bring my Anki decks to another app?

Yes. Export the deck from Anki as plain text, then paste it into StudyVisually's free flashcard maker, which reads that format. Going the other way, StudyVisually exports any deck you made to Anki with its review dates, to a CSV file, or as printable cards.

Is there a free Anki alternative for iPhone?

Anki's iPhone app, AnkiMobile, is a one-time purchase. StudyVisually is free to study on an iPhone: it installs from the browser, and the study screens keep working offline. Brainscape has native iPhone and Android apps with spaced repetition on its free plan.

Sources

Prices and features change. We read each fact on the company's own pages; tell us through the contact page if one is out of date.

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