Is StudySmarter the same as Vaia?

Yes, the same app from StudySmarter GmbH in Munich. Since 2023 it has been called Vaia in markets such as the USA and Spain; in German-speaking countries the name StudySmarter remained.

How much does StudySmarter Premium cost?

The German App Store lists EUR 4.99, EUR 9.99 or EUR 19.99 monthly and EUR 34.99, EUR 69.99 or EUR 89.99 yearly. The store page does not explain which offer applies to you. The free version shows ads.

Can I import Anki decks into StudySmarter?

Not directly. Only an Excel import (.xlsx) in the web app is documented; an .apkg import was not found.

Can I take my StudySmarter cards into checkst?

Partly. With Premium you can export your own cards as CSV, but according to StudySmarter only as plain text, without images, formulas and learning progress.

checkst vs. StudySmarter: Flashcard app comparison

StudySmarter is more of a learning platform than a flashcard app. Explanations, summaries, learning paths, practice exams, learning podcasts and, in between, flashcards, much of it created with AI from your lecture notes. checkst is more narrowly focused: an iPhone app that reviews cards well, understands Anki decks and helps you build new cards.

If you are starting a new subject right now without any material of your own, StudySmarter offers more. If you already have cards or want to learn seriously with spaced repetition, take a closer look.

Status: November 2026. All information about StudySmarter comes from the sources linked below.

A quick note on the name

StudySmarter comes from StudySmarter GmbH in Munich. In July 2023 the company announced the name Vaia for markets such as the USA and Spain; in German-speaking countries it kept the name StudySmarter. In the German App Store the app is now called "StudySmarter: KI Lern-App", and in the US store "Vaia: Flashcards & Study Guide". Same app, two names.

The comparison at a glance

	checkst	StudySmarter
Platforms	iPhone and iPad	iPhone, iPad, Android, Web
Free version	Core features free, without ads	free with ads, limits on AI, learning sets and learning sessions
Payment model	Pro 4.99 EUR for six months (subscription, renews automatically)	Premium: EUR 4.99 to EUR 19.99 per month or EUR 34.99 to EUR 89.99 per year
Algorithm	FSRS	Spaced repetition, algorithm not named
.apkg import	yes, with learning progress	no; Excel import only in the web app
Export	.apkg with media	CSV (Premium), plain text only
AI cards	from text, PDF, photos; on-device or your own OpenAI key	from PDFs, lecture notes and notes; model not named; limits in Free
Other learning formats	Flashcards, read-aloud, study groups	Summaries, explanations, practice exams, learning podcasts
Offline	yes, decks stored locally	one own set (Free) or all own sets (Premium), flashcard mode only
Account	not required to learn	required

Where StudySmarter is ahead

Content, if you don't have any yet. StudySmarter bundles explanations and material by school subjects and fields of study, including Abitur exam tasks. If you are sitting in front of a blank page in the first week of the semester, that is a real head start. checkst does not come with its own content catalog.

The entire learning workflow in one app. From a lecture handout, StudySmarter creates cards, summaries, multiple-choice and fill-in-the-gap tasks and practice exams, plus an AI assistant that answers questions about your material. The University of Heidelberg describes exactly this combination in its overview of digital learning tools. checkst makes flashcards, nothing else.

Platforms. StudySmarter runs on iPhone, iPad, Android and in the browser, and synchronizes automatically between all of them. checkst is only available on iOS.

German company. The responsible party is StudySmarter GmbH in Munich, and the privacy policy refers to the GDPR. However, there is no complete absence of a US link here either, see below.

Where checkst is ahead

Spaced repetition you can follow. StudySmarter's help documentation states that intervals become longer after correct answers and shorter after forgotten cards. Which algorithm is behind this is not stated anywhere. checkst schedules with FSRS, the Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler, and shows you with every rating when the card will come back.

Anki decks in and out. StudySmarter does not import .apkg, only Excel files, and only in the web app. With Premium you can export your own cards as CSV; according to StudySmarter, only as plain text: images, formulas and formatting are lost, and learning progress is lost as well. Anyone who later wants to switch to Anki, like someone in a Reddit thread, therefore has to start over with images and formulas. checkst imports and exports .apkg with media.

Offline without a set limit. For free, according to the German help, you can learn exactly one own set offline at StudySmarter; with Premium, all own sets, in both cases only in flashcard mode. The current English Google Play text even calls offline cards a Premium feature across the board. In checkst your decks are stored locally, and the on-device AI does not need a network either.

No ads. The free version of StudySmarter contains ads. On Reddit, someone cited this as the reason for switching to Anki: "the advertising is currently extremely annoying". The App Store privacy label discloses possible tracking via identifiers as well as usage and diagnostic data, and according to the privacy policy, app usage data goes to Amplitude in the USA. checkst shows no ads.

AI that stays on your iPhone. The research did not find out which model StudySmarter uses or where your uploaded lecture notes are processed. checkst generates cards on the device by default using Apple's Foundation Models. And because AI in checkst only works when you ask for it, you are not constantly being pushed toward it. One Reddit comment about StudySmarter: "it also pushes AI in your face".

Prices: three prices per term

The German App Store lists for StudySmarter Premium EUR 4.99, EUR 9.99 or EUR 19.99 monthly and EUR 34.99, EUR 69.99 or EUR 89.99 yearly, plus a "Premium-Abo" for EUR 2.99 with no term stated. The store page does not explain which offer an account receives. The help lists a free trial period of 7 days.

checkst Pro costs 4.99 EUR for six months and renews automatically until you cancel. The core features cost nothing.

Switching from StudySmarter to checkst

In StudySmarter (Premium), export your own cards as CSV.
You will then need to add images and formulas by hand, as the export contains only text.
For new subjects: upload the lecture handout as a PDF into the checkst Split-View Creator and have AI suggest cards, instead of trying to rescue old cards.

Conclusion

StudySmarter fits if you want ready-made German-language content, summaries and practice exams, learn on Android or in the browser, and can live with ads or a subscription.
checkst fits if you learn with flashcards on iPhone or iPad in a focused way, want FSRS, use Anki decks, learn offline, and want to keep your cards together with their images.