Anki
The gold-standard spaced-repetition flashcard app with community decks for every language.
What it actually is
Free on desktop, Android and web; the iOS app is a one-off paid purchase that funds the project. The interface is dated and the options are overwhelming at first, but nothing beats it for retaining vocabulary over years. Most effective when you stop grinding premade decks and start mining sentences from things you actually read or watch.
Who it suits
Anyone at any level who wants to stop forgetting words, and is willing to spend ten to thirty minutes a day on reviews for months. It is strongest when paired with real input: you meet a word in a show or article, make a card from that sentence, and Anki schedules it so it sticks.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want a course that tells you what to learn next; Anki only schedules what you put into it and teaches nothing by itself. Also skip it if missing a few days would make you quit, because reviews pile up quickly after a break and that backlog is a common reason people give up on it.
What it costs
Free on Windows, macOS and Linux, free on Android (AnkiDroid, a separate volunteer project) and free to sync via AnkiWeb. The iOS app, AnkiMobile, is a one-time purchase of $24.99 on the US App Store (USD); other stores price it locally.
Checked 29 Sept 2026 on the official pricing page. Prices change and can differ by country.
How it compares
What it covers
- Vocabulary
Learners who used it
From field notes — real posts we read and linked. What they say is their account, not our finding.
- Three years stuck on pure input, then a textbook, a teacher and an exam date · used it for SRS
- A 1,480-day Anki streak ended, and the relief was the lesson · used it for SRS
Their verdict: became a job rather than a tool
- Twenty-seven apps over eight years, reviewed one by one · used it for SRS
Their verdict: rated best overall
Official links
Similar tools
Sources
Prices and features above come from these pages, read on 29 Sept 2026. The judgements are ours.