Best Anki Alternatives in 2026: Honest Picks for People Who Want to Switch
TL;DR: Most people searching for an Anki alternative do not actually dislike spaced repetition. They dislike the 2008 interface, the setup curve, and paying 25 USD for the iPhone app. The honest shortlist below keeps the part that works (a real scheduler) and fixes the part that does not (everything else). If you want the closest match without the learning curve, an FSRS-based app like Imprimo is the easiest landing spot.
I used Anki for years. It got me through exams, and I still think it is one of the most effective study tools ever made. I also understand exactly why people type "anki alternatives" into a search bar at 11pm during exam week.
The interface looks like it was designed before the iPhone existed. The setup assumes you already know what an ease factor is. And the moment you want to study on your phone, you hit a 25 USD wall that feels strange for an app that is free everywhere else.
So this is the guide I wish I had when I first went looking. Not a list of every flashcard app that exists, but an honest take on which ones are worth switching to and who each one actually fits.
First, figure out why you are leaving
This matters more than the list itself. People leave Anki for different reasons, and the right alternative depends on which one is yours.
If the interface is the problem, you want an app that keeps real spaced repetition but does not make you fight the menus.
If price on iPhone is the problem, you want something with a usable free tier or a subscription that is cheaper than it sounds over a year.
If making cards is the problem, you want AI generation or a faster capture flow, because typing every card by hand is the part most people quietly give up on.
If you want pre-made decks, the answer is almost certainly Quizlet, and you can stop reading the comparisons below.
Keep your reason in mind. An app that is perfect for one of these can be a downgrade for another.
The shortlist
| App | Scheduler | Best for | Price | Anki import |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imprimo | FSRS by default | Leaving Anki over the interface, iPhone study | Free tier + subscription | Coming soon |
| RemNote | FSRS | Notes and cards in one place | Free tier + subscription | Partial |
| Quizlet | Adaptive Learn mode | Pre-made sets, short-term study | Free with ads + Plus | No (CSV only) |
| Mochi | SM-2 style | Markdown lovers, desktop study | Subscription | Partial |
| Brainscape | Confidence-based | Structured, curated decks | Subscription | No |
| Memrise | Proprietary | Language learning specifically | Free tier + subscription | No |
| Anki itself, with add-ons | SM-2 or FSRS | Power users who want to stay | Free except iPhone | Native |
Now the detail.
1. Imprimo
I built Imprimo, so treat this section with the appropriate amount of suspicion. I am including it because it is built for exactly the person this article is written for: someone who likes spaced repetition but is done with Anki's interface.
It uses FSRS from day one, with no SM-2 mode to configure. There is AI card generation from PDFs and notes, which removes the typing problem. It runs natively on iPhone with offline review, and Anki deck import is coming soon so you can bring your existing cards over.
What it is not: a giant library of pre-made decks, and not a free-forever tool with zero limits. If those are your priorities, look elsewhere on this list. If you want the closest thing to "Anki but pleasant to open," it is the most direct swap.
2. RemNote
RemNote is the best option if your notes and your flashcards should live in the same place. You write notes, then turn key lines into cards inline, and the same FSRS scheduling handles review.
It works well for self-directed learners and anyone who studies from their own writing rather than pre-made sets. The trade-off is that it does more than flashcards, so there is more to learn before it feels simple. If you only want cards, it can feel like a lot of app for the job.
3. Quizlet
If you searched for an Anki alternative but what you actually need is a deck for a quiz next week, Quizlet is the answer. The library is enormous and the search is fast.
The catch is scheduling. Quizlet's free flashcard mode does not space cards based on how well you remember them, and the paid Learn mode adapts within a session rather than planning reviews weeks out. For cramming, that is fine. For board exams six months away, it is not the tool. I went deeper on this in the Anki vs Quizlet comparison.
4. Mochi
Mochi is a quiet favourite among people who like Markdown. Cards are written in plain text, the design is clean, and it stays out of your way. It uses a more traditional SM-2 style scheduler rather than FSRS.
It is a paid app with no real free tier, so it suits people who already know they want a polished desktop card tool and will pay for it. Casual users tend to bounce off the subscription.
5. Brainscape
Brainscape uses a confidence-based system: you rate how well you knew each card on a 1 to 5 scale, and it schedules from there. It leans heavily on curated, expert-made decks, which is either the main appeal or beside the point depending on whether you study your own material.
It is subscription-only for the useful features, and you cannot bring Anki decks in. Good for structured certification prep, less good if you have an existing library you want to keep.
6. Memrise
Memrise is worth mentioning only with a caveat: it is a language app now, not a general flashcard tool. If you are learning a language and want video clips of native speakers plus spaced review, it is strong. For medicine, law, or any non-language subject, the others on this list fit better.
7. Staying on Anki, but fixing it
This is the option most lists skip. If your only complaint is the interface, you might not need to leave at all.
Modern Anki has FSRS built in, you just have to enable it in deck options instead of leaving the SM-2 default. Add-ons can reskin the interface, and the mobile web version covers you if the iPhone fee is the sticking point. The FSRS vs SM-2 article walks through enabling the better scheduler.
It is the cheapest path. It is also the path that keeps every reason you wanted to leave, except the scheduler. Be honest with yourself about whether a reskin is enough.
What actually matters when you compare them
Three things decide whether a switch sticks, and feature lists hide all of them.
The first is whether the scheduler is real. Adaptive practice that shuffles cards you got wrong is not the same as a forgetting-curve model that plans the next review. If long-term retention is the goal, this is non-negotiable. The active recall vs spaced repetition guide explains why.
The second is whether you will actually make cards in it. The best scheduler in the world is useless on an empty deck. If an app makes card creation slow, you will stop, the same way you might have stopped in Anki. This is why AI generation and clean import matter more than they look on paper.
The third is whether you will open it on a tired Tuesday. This is the test that decides everything. An app you avoid is worse than an ugly app you use daily. Whatever you pick, the one that survives bad days is the right one.
So which should you pick
If you are leaving Anki because of the interface and you study on your phone, try Imprimo or RemNote and keep the one you open without being reminded.
If you need pre-made decks for a near-term test, use Quizlet and do not overthink it.
If your only real complaint is the look, enable FSRS in Anki before you migrate anything. You might find the problem was one setting away from fixed.
The honest truth is that the best Anki alternative is the one whose daily review you do not dread. Spaced repetition only works if you show up, and you only show up for tools you do not mind opening. Pick on that, not on the feature grid.