You are wondering what distinguishes Quizlet from Anki as you continue to look for the best flashcard app for you. Anki and Quizlet are two popular educational websites that students adore using to learn academic material quickly. What app is better for you, then? You can learn more about Anki and Quizlet by reading this article.

Why Use Flashcard Apps

The word flashcard came from two words flash, synonymous with fast + card, which is usually a thick or thin pasteboard generally used for writing and jotting down notes. Flashcard preparation takes a little time because people have to manually cut and write on the cards.

Additionally, it depends on how many cards you intend to play. However, thanks to technology, we can modernize these flashcards and make them into fantastic learning tools that continuously update the users’ knowledge.

Despite the fact that it helps students, it also has drawbacks like cost, compatibility issues, and internet connectivity issues. 

Improves Memory And Cognitive Processing

The lowest level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is memory and recall. But, memorization and remembering are essential parts of long-term learning because we associate the new information with our background knowledge and schema. 

The whole process of memorizing and repetition will soon increase your capacity and capability to retain data for a longer period of time.

Ease Of Access

Learning communities and academic institutions are constantly looking for ways to help students and students-to-be develop the skills necessary for 21st-century learning. The majority of these apps for learning languages are fairly intuitive and created for simple access to learning without having to be difficult.

Additionally, you can easily download it to your phone and carry it with you at all times and places. Isn’t it amazing?

It is not necessary to bring books or dictionaries with you if you are a language learner. Different alphabets, vocabularies, sentences, and even dialogs are simple to learn. 

Anki

Anki, which debuted in 2006, is a straightforward flash card app that uses spaced repetition technology to improve learning and memorization.

Anki was initially designed primarily as a learning tool for language learners, but it has since grown in popularity among students across all subject areas, particularly those studying medicine.

Anki comes in four different versions:

• Anki Desktop – a completely free program that you download to your computer, has all of The features of Anki.
• AnkiWeb – Anki also has an online version that can be used, but the online version is quite limited and requires the computer version to function properly.
• AnkiMobile – The paid iOS app that goes along with the open-source software.
• AnkiDroid – The Android version of the app, is free like the computer version and was made by different developers.

Quizlet

A year after Anki, Quizlet was made available to the general public in 2007.

It is a flashcard app that also incorporates games and quizzes to assist students in learning and memorization.

Like Anki, Quizlet started out as a web-based flash card program to aid language learners in learning vocabulary. But it has also gained appeal among students of all academic disciplines.

You can use Quizlet’s web-based version or download one of their basic Android or iOS apps, both of which are cost-free.

Additionally, there are two upgrade subscriptions that can be purchased:

• Quizlet Go (US$2.99/month)
• Quizlet Plus (US$3.99/month)

Particularly when it comes to making your own flashcards, the Quizlet free version has many restrictions.

Anki Vs Quizlet: What Are The Differences

Browser & Device Compatibility

Anki is compatible with many different platforms, including mobile phones, tablets, Macbooks, PCs, LINUX, and a wide range of browsers like Chrome, Opera Mini, Safari, and others. Here is a list of every version of the Anki app so you can determine which one is compatible with your device and download it.

On the other hand, Quizlet and Anki are very comparable in this regard: its app is compatible with all iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads, as well as a number of Android mobile devices and tablets Due to its incompatibility with the Kindle Fire, Quizlet is no longer accessible to Kindle Fire users. 

How They Work

Both apps have a user-friendly interface, and an engaging layout, and are well-organized overall. Therefore, you can benefit from using the two available learning applications for medical school, the MCAT, language study, engineering, or just general learning.

Features

Anki is a free and open-source educational app well known for its incredible flashcard feature, which uses the cognitive scientific technique of “Spaced Repetition” to help students memorize large amounts of information quickly and for a long time.

• Notes: You can create as many flashcards as you’d like, and they will all be saved as Notes and shown to you as database entries with as many fields as you’d like.
• Syncing: You can synchronize your content between various devices and mobile phones with the aid of the free online server AnkiWeb.
• Add-ons: Anki offers more than 750 free plugins that can be used to add a gamified learning component, organize your cards, and import them from other digital sources. These plugins support slow reading, image obstruction, text-to-speech, enhanced user statistics, and other features. These plugins may help you maximize the use of flashcards to boost productivity.
• Users of Anki over the years have also found Review Heatmap, Clickable Tags, Anki Simulator, Frozen Fields, and Pop-up dictionary to be useful add-ons.
• Shared Decks: Anki not only lets you make your decks for the majority of your content as many as you want, but it also has a large number of actively shared pre-made decks for geography, physics, biology, chemistry, and other subjects that you can use and download for free, as well as “decks” for various branches of medicine.

The spaced repetition method in flashcards was utilized by Quizlet’s free version as a “long-term learning” feature up until 2020, though. It’s unfortunate that the company decided to stop utilizing this amazing technology, which has greatly altered teaching and learning strategies.

• Flashcard: You can make as many flashcards (similar to paper flashcards) as you’d like. You can flip through them by tapping, using the arrow keys, or pressing the space bar. The card’s face can be either an image, a word, or both depending on the user’s preferences.
• Gravity: The definition scrolls down vertically in the shape of an asteroid in one of the entertaining play study modes for speedy learning, and the user must enter the word that best matches the description before it reaches the bottom.
• Write: By giving users a word or definition and asking them to enter the phrase or meaning that best matches it, this mode enables you to practice quizzes to increase your vocabulary. Users can then double-check their answers.
• Spell: By reading terms and definitions aloud and prompting you to type in the proper spelling of the expression you just heard, it aids in the learning of words with correct spellings.
• Match: This mode asks you to quickly clear the grid by dragging the words on top to their corresponding definitions while words are scattered across the grid.
• Live: This section is just for educators who use Quizlet. By creating a format of chosen flashcards and asking students or teams to choose the correct phrase or definition to win the game, educators can typically run live games with a class or team.

You can create an infinite number of decks on Quizlet, which you can then combine to create a combo deck.

Costs

However, desktop and Android users can use Anki for free. You can sync access to one device and store a certain amount of data in the cloud for no cost. iOS users, on the other hand, must pay $25 for a lifetime subscription which is a one-time purchase. 

However, similar to the Anki app, you can also sign up for free to use the Quizlet app to learn through different study modes like flashcards and practice questions, but you only have access to a limited number of features.

Users can customize advanced study materials and activities through Quizlet’s subscription plans, which enable them to get around the restriction.

The difference between Quizlet’s freemium and premium features is shown in the graph above. Quizlet’s free 7-day trial version can be used to study while offline on any device.

Interface

The appearance and interface of an app are two features that draw users in at first glance. It should be simple to use and appealing to the eyes, as this is what learners want. A learner’s disposition toward learning may occasionally be influenced by the colors themselves.

For students, a user-friendly app is crucial. Therefore, the interface will be the first thing we compare when comparing Quizlet and Anki.

The design of Quizlet is simple. It makes use of the hues blue, and white, with hints of yellow and green.

The learners can stay focused on learning by using its cutting-edge interface. You can easily see the features on the landing page because it is not overly wordy.

Anki, on the other hand, has a much simpler user interface. Anki’s design is more retro in comparison to Quizlet’s. It lacks strong colors for emphasis. You can mostly see whites and a touch of blue hues.

Anki is incredibly user-friendly because of this. Additionally straightforward and unworthy is the landing page.

Study Modes

Students learn in different ways. Other factors to think about when comparing Quizlet and Anki are your preferred study and learning styles. The variety of study methods will make you more at ease as you learn. Let’s examine the differences between Anki and Quizlet’s study modes now.

Quizlet shows that there is much more to it than just card-flipping games. You can learn more effectively and enjoyably by using its five study modes:

1. Of course, you can learn using custom or pre-made flashcard sets when using the Flashcard mode.
2. The Learn mode creates a study plan and guides you through the whole process of learning. The Write mode focuses on and measures how well you know your material and keeps track of your missed lessons. Practicing your spelling skills is the main focus of the Spell mode. The Test mode evaluates your learning.

It could be a true-false, multiple-choice, writing test, or matching exercise.

Unlike Quizlet, Anki has only one study mode, which is the card flipping mode. You can quickly determine if you answered correctly by simply clicking the “show the answer” button. The Anki app can be useful for you if you prefer learning in this manner.

Which Flashcard App Is Better For You

The unique features of each flashcard app set it apart from the competition. What app to use depends on your goals, preferred learning methods, and, of course, your budget.

Learning a language can be difficult, but with the right resources and enthusiasm, anything is possible. Therefore, if you’re still undecided between Quizlet and Anki, consider the following:

• Is a modern-looking app something I want?

If you’re the kind of learner who prefers something straightforward but attractive, choose Quizlet. Compared to Anki, it looks more contemporary.

• Do I prefer a range of teaching techniques?

Quizlet will be your ideal study partner if you enjoy experimenting with various learning techniques.

• What’s my purpose?

Anki is still one of the best apps to use if your main goal is to seriously learn a language because it encourages spaced repetition, which is a method of transferring your knowledge to long-term memory.

• Do I have a budget?

There is nothing improper with purchasing a Quizlet Plus subscription if you are willing to pay for access to additional features. Anki is your friend, though, if you don’t have a separate budget for this.