Anki vs RemNote: which is better for flashcards and notes?

Anki is a free flashcard engine with a deep scheduler and a huge add-on and shared-deck community. RemNote is a note-taking app that turns what you write into flashcards, so notes and cards live in one place. Pick Anki to drill big decks, RemNote if you take notes and want cards from them, and StudyPDF if your source is lecture PDFs you do not want to retype.

Checked October 2026

Pick by what you need

AnkiDrilling large decks with a deep scheduler and add-ons
RemNoteTaking notes and getting flashcards from the same outline

StudyPDFThat's us

Studying your own course files with cited answers

Who should pick which

Anki

Pick it if you drill large decks, want the deepest scheduling and add-ons, or study from a shared deck such as a medical one.

Anki is a free, open-source flashcard app built around a spaced-repetition scheduler. You make the cards or import a shared deck, and Anki decides when each one comes back.

Strengths

Deep scheduling with FSRS and a very large add-on and shared-deck community
Free and open source on desktop and Android, and it works offline
Built-in image occlusion and full control over card layout

Limits

Steeper learning curve and a plain interface
You write cards by hand or import decks, so building a deck takes time

Official site

RemNote

Pick it if you take lecture notes in an outline and want the cards to come from them, with notes and cards linked.

RemNote is a note-taking and knowledge-base app with spaced repetition built in. You write notes in an outline and turn lines into flashcards, so the notes and the cards stay linked.

Strengths

Notes and flashcards in one place, linked to each other
PDF annotation, image occlusion cards and an exam scheduler
AI tools for cards, quizzes and summaries on paid plans

Limits

Free plan caps annotated PDFs at 3 and AI credits at 250 a month
Smaller add-on and shared-deck community than Anki

Official site

Side by side

	Anki	RemNote
Free tier	Free on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, free AnkiWeb sync	Free plan: no cap on notes and cards, limited AI and PDFs
Price (October 2026)	iPhone app: one-time $24.99, check the price	Pro $8 a month, Pro with AI $18 a month, billed yearly
Platforms	Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, web	Web, Desktop, iPhone, Android

Prices as of October 2026. Check the vendor's site for the current price.

StudyPDF

That's us

Studying your own course files with cited answers

Pick it if your source is lecture PDFs and slides you do not want to retype, and you want cards plus quizzes and exams from them. It exports to Anki.

If your cards start as lecture slides and PDFs, StudyPDF saves the typing. Upload the files, press New material and pick flashcards, a quiz or a practice exam. Bo, the tutor, answers from your files and cites the page. On Pro and up you can export the flashcards as an Anki (.apkg) file and keep reviewing in Anki. The free plan needs an account, no credit card.

Strengths

Works from your own slides, PDFs and notes
Tracks mastery per concept and shows what to drill next
PDF export on every plan, Word and Anki (.apkg) on Pro and up

Limits

Weekly caps on every plan
Not a public library of ready-made decks
Review timing is less deep than Anki's scheduler and add-ons

Free tier: About 4 materials a week, 2 courses, no credit card
Price: Pro and Ultra add a bigger weekly pool
Platforms: Web, iPhone, iPad, Android

Get started free

More on this

Both use spaced repetition, so the real question is where your cards come from. In Anki you make cards in a separate editor or download a shared deck. In RemNote you write notes in an outline and mark the lines that should become cards, so the notes and the cards stay linked.

Anki is the more powerful reviewer: it has FSRS and the older SM-2 scheduler, thousands of add-ons, and image occlusion built in. It also has a steeper learning curve and a plain interface. RemNote looks like a modern notes app and adds PDF annotation, an exam scheduler and AI tools on paid plans, but its free plan caps several of them and its add-on world is smaller.

The cost differs too. Anki is free on computer and Android, with the iPhone app a one-time purchase. RemNote has a free plan and paid plans billed monthly or yearly.

More comparisons

Questions and answers

Is RemNote better than Anki?

Neither wins on everything. Anki is better for drilling big decks and has the deeper scheduler and more add-ons. RemNote is better if you want notes and flashcards in one workspace. Try the free plan of each with one chapter.

Is RemNote free?

RemNote has a free plan with no cap on notes and cards, but it limits annotated PDFs, image occlusion cards and AI credits. As of October 2026 Pro costs $8 a month and Pro with AI $18 a month, billed yearly ($96 and $216 a year). Check RemNote's pricing page for the current price.

Is Anki free?

Anki is free on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android, and AnkiWeb sync is free. The iPhone app AnkiMobile is a one-time purchase, listed at $24.99 as of October 2026.

Can I import my Anki decks into RemNote?

Yes, RemNote can import Anki deck files, and you can keep reviewing in either app. Check RemNote's help center for the current steps.

Can StudyPDF make cards for Anki?

Yes. StudyPDF builds flashcards from your PDFs and slides, and Pro and up can export them as an Anki (.apkg) file. PDF export is on every plan.