Anki Alternatives for iPhone: Twelve Apps Compared

AnkiMobile is the official Anki app for iPhone, and it is good. Still, some people look for something else. On Reddit two reasons come up again and again: the price, before you can even test it ("disappointed that there is a price to pay"), and the interface ("the UI looked pretty old school").

We looked at twelve apps that could serve as an Anki replacement on iPhone. checkst is one of them; that is our app. We still try to be fair, and where another app suits you better, we say so.

Status: November 2026. All information about third-party apps comes from the sources linked below. Prices are from the German App Store; where several prices are listed without a clearly stated term, this is noted.

The three questions that really matter

Before you click through feature lists: three things almost always decide the switch away from Anki.

1. Will your Anki decks come with you? This means .apkg import, ideally with images, audio and learning progress. Without that, you start from zero.
2. How does the app schedule reviews? FSRS, SM-2, or something proprietary that nobody can verify.
3. Can you get out again? If an app does not export .apkg, your learning progress is locked in there.

AI features and prices come after that.

The overview

Briefly on FSRS

The Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler models your memory using three quantities: difficulty, stability and retrievability. From your previous answer history it calculates when you will probably forget a card, and schedules it shortly before that.

Whether this works better than the old SM-2 was measured by the Open Spaced Repetition project. In a versioned version of their benchmark with 59 collections and 2,936,244 reviews, FSRS v4.5.1 had a log loss of 0.37, SM-2 0.55. RMSE: 4.0% versus 18.5%. Lower is better in each case.

Important for context: this measures how accurately an algorithm predicts whether you remember something. It is not an experiment proving better grades. But if a scheduler predicts more accurately when you will forget, it can place reviews better, and that is its purpose.

Currently planning with FSRS: AnkiMobile (optional), checkst (default), RemNote (as beta) and Mochi (optional).

The apps in detail

AnkiMobile: the reference point

If you want to keep learning an existing Anki collection, AnkiMobile is the obvious choice. .apkg directly from the Files app, SM-2 or FSRS, media offline on the device, free sync via AnkiWeb with desktop and Android. €29.99 one-time, no subscription. Criticism concerns the interface and the need to sync manually; a German review says exactly that. Built-in AI card creation was not found in the research.

checkst: our app

Native iPhone and iPad app with FSRS, .apkg import with learning progress (including image occlusion, formulas and furigana) and export, AI card creation from text, PDFs and photos (on-device via Apple's Foundation Models or with your own OpenAI key), PDF split view, text recognition, read-aloud, study groups with shared decks and leaderboard, streaks, widgets and iCloud sync. Core features and groups are free; Pro €4.99 for six months (subscription, renews automatically) only for sync via the checkst account.

Where checkst is weaker: iPhone and iPad only, no Android, no web, no desktop. No sync with AnkiWeb, no add-ons. If you build cards in Anki on a laptop and commute daily between devices, AnkiMobile serves you better. Details: checkst vs. Anki.

RemNote: if you want a note-taking system

Notes, backlinks, PDF work and cards in one environment, on all platforms, with .apkg import including learning history and also .apkg export. Sync is already free. However, RemNote is expensive on iPhone: Pro €179.99 per year, Pro + AI €349.99. AI runs on credits, 250 per month free. FSRS is only available as a beta. checkst vs. RemNote

Mochi: Markdown and local-first

Unlimited cards and decks, offline, no account, free. Optional FSRS, but only with two rating levels. .apkg import with review history, though without CSS and JavaScript. No .apkg export, sync only with Pro. Strong if you already think in Markdown. checkst vs. Mochi

Noji: formerly AnkiPro

Not the official Anki, even though the old name suggested it. Free plan limited to 50 cards per day, offline only with Premium and then at most 6 decks with 200 cards each. Imports .apkg and .colpkg via the website, but exports only CSV or its own OFC format. Real-time collaboration on decks is a genuine strength. checkst vs. Noji

Quizlet: for school and public sets

Many study modes, shared sessions, public sets. But no .apkg, export of your own sets only as text without images, and according to current help the spaced repetition mode is only available on the website, not in the iPhone app. checkst vs. Quizlet

Brainscape: ready-made expert decks

"Certified" collections with Pro, its own algorithm based on self-assessment. No .apkg import; export to Excel-compatible files only with Pro, which users criticise on Reddit. Lifetime for €229.99. checkst vs. Brainscape

Knowt: AI from video and audio

Free Learn, Test, Match and SRS for your own sets, AI from PDFs, presentations, video and audio. Anki import only via a spreadsheet, export as PDF, offline mode not documented. checkst vs. Knowt

StudySmarter: German interface, learning paths

Learning paths, cards and exercises from your materials, German interface. No .apkg, CSV export only with Premium and without images, formulas and formatting. Offline free for only one set at a time. Algorithm not named. checkst vs. StudySmarter

Flashcards Deluxe, Kartenheld, SmartCards+: the one-time buyers

Flashcards Deluxe costs €5.99 one-time, supports several card sides and vocabulary features, but according to a German review it is complex. The research found no reliable .apkg import. Kartenheld (internationally Flashcard Hero) also costs €5.99 one-time, syncs via iCloud Drive and uses the Leitner system. FSRS or .apkg import are not confirmed. SmartCards+ stands out with an Apple Watch app and advertises Anki import but gives no details; its privacy label lists data used for third-party advertising.

Which app for whom?

• You have a large Anki collection and also study on desktop: AnkiMobile.
• You mainly learn on iPhone and want FSRS, AI cards and study groups: checkst.
• You want notes and cards in one system: RemNote.
• You write Markdown and want to work locally without an account: Mochi.
• Your course uses Quizlet sets: Quizlet, but review in the browser instead.
• You want ready-made exam decks: Brainscape, if your subject is covered.
• You want a cheap one-time purchase and do not need Anki decks: Kartenheld or Flashcards Deluxe.