DecksDecks vs Anki
An Anki alternative for iPhone, compared honestly
Anki is free on desktop and Android, and AnkiMobile is a one-time purchase on iPhone. Decks is a free iPhone app with the same four ratings and SM-2 scheduling, plus 23 built-in language decks. This page lists what each one does and doesn't do.
| Decks | Anki | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | Again · Hard · Good · Easy | Again · Hard · Good · Easy |
| Scheduler | SM-2 | SM-2, or FSRS |
| Ready-made decks inside the app | 23 curated language decks | Download from AnkiWeb |
| Rate by dragging the card | ||
| Photo of a page → cards | ||
| Ask questions about a card | ||
| Open .apkg files / shared Anki decks | ||
| Add-ons | ||
| Desktop and Android apps | ||
| iPhone price | Free; optional Premium | AnkiMobile: $24.99 once |
Choose Decks if…
- You study on iPhone and want a deck without finding and importing one.
- You're learning Spanish, Japanese, Chinese or French, which the library covers.
- You want AI to turn a photo of a page into cards.
- You don't want to pay up front.
Stay with Anki if…
- Your study runs on a shared .apkg deck, such as a medical-school deck.
- You use add-ons, custom note types or the FSRS scheduler.
- You review on a desktop or an Android phone.
- You've already paid for AnkiMobile and it works for you.
Questions
Is Decks made by the Anki team?
No. Decks is an independent app by TR Studios. Anki, AnkiMobile and AnkiDroid are separate projects; we use the same family of scheduling algorithm Anki started with.
Can I import my Anki decks into Decks?
Not yet. Decks can't open .apkg files you download or export. If your study depends on a shared Anki deck, such as a medical-school deck, stay with Anki.
Is there a free Anki app for iPhone?
The official iPhone app, AnkiMobile, is a one-time purchase. AnkiWeb works free in Safari. Decks is free to download, with ready-made decks and Anki-style scheduling.
Which is better for learning a language?
If you want to start studying today without finding and importing a deck, Decks: its decks have native audio and, for Japanese, furigana. If you want full control over note types, add-ons and FSRS, Anki.