DecksDecks vs Anki: what's the same, what's different, and who should switch
Decks uses SM-2, the algorithm behind Anki's original scheduler, with the same Again, Hard, Good and Easy buttons and Anki's default settings, so reviewing will feel familiar if you've used Anki. It isn't a replacement for every Anki user. Decks can't import Anki decks or your review history, has no FSRS, no add-ons and no custom note types, and only runs on iPhone. We make Decks, so we've kept this to things you can check.
What's the same
These match Anki's defaults under SM-2:
| Setting | Anki default | Decks |
|---|---|---|
| Buttons | Again, Hard, Good, Easy | Same |
| Learning steps | 1m 10m | Same |
| Relearning steps | 10m | Same |
| Graduating interval | 1 day | Same |
| Starting ease | 250% | Same |
| Easy bonus / Hard interval | 1.30 / 1.20 | Same |
| Ease after Again / Hard / Easy | −20 / −15 / +15 points | Same |
| Minimum ease | 130% | Same |
| New cards per day | 20 | 20, adjustable |
| Day starts at | 4am | 4am |
So a card you rate Good every time follows the same path: 10 minutes, 1 day, 2, 5, 12, 30, 75 days. How spaced repetition works in Decks has the full rules.
Where the scheduling differs
- Easy on a new card graduates it to 1 day in Decks; Anki's default easy interval is 4 days.
- Hard on a learning card moves to the next step in Decks, like Good. In Anki it repeats or averages steps; see Anki learning steps.
- Nothing to tune. Decks has no deck option presets, interval modifier, bury, suspend or custom study. You set new cards and reviews per day in Settings, and that's it.
- No FSRS. Anki has offered FSRS since version 23.10. It's a real improvement for many people, especially with a lot of review history. SM-2 vs FSRS explains the difference. Because of FSRS and the settings above, the same deck won't be scheduled identically in both apps.
What Anki does that Decks doesn't
- Shared decks. Anki opens .apkg files, including the big shared decks on AnkiWeb. Decks can't.
- Your existing collection. Your Anki cards and history stay in Anki. Nothing carries over to Decks.
- Add-ons and note types. Custom card templates, fields and hundreds of add-ons.
- Other devices. Anki runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPad and the web. Decks is iPhone only.
- No daily limit on the free version. Anki is free on everything except iPhone and iPad, with no cap on reviews. Decks' free plan has a daily review limit.
What Decks does that Anki doesn't
- Ready-made language decks inside the app, for Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French and German, many with native audio. No searching AnkiWeb or importing files.
- Cards from a photo. Take a picture of a page of notes or a textbook and Decks makes cards from it.
- Ask about a card. Ask a question about the card you're studying, like how a word is used.
- Free to download on iPhone, where AnkiMobile is $24.99 once.
Who should use which
| If you | Use |
|---|---|
| Study from a shared Anki deck, such as a medical deck | Anki |
| Already have a large Anki collection | Anki |
| Want FSRS, add-ons or custom note types | Anki |
| Review on a computer or Android phone | Anki |
| Want to start a language today on iPhone without setting anything up | Decks |
| Want cards made from photos of your notes | Decks |
Plenty of people use both: Anki for the collection they already have, and Decks for a new language on their phone. There's no way to sync between them, so keep each deck in one app.
For how Anki compares with Quizlet, RemNote and Mochi as well, see Anki vs other flashcard apps. The short version of this page is at Decks vs Anki.
Published 2026-10-19.