Comparison

AnkiMobile Flashcards vs Readwise

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AnkiMobile Flashcards

This app is a powerful and intelligent flashcard companion for a popular desktop program. It offers smart scheduling algorithms, flexible study interfaces, and comprehensive statistics to aid learning. Sync your progress across devices and study offline with media-rich cards.

Highlights
  • Cloud synchronization across devices
  • SM2 and FSRS scheduling algorithms
  • Flexible and efficient study interface
  • Comprehensive study graphs and statistics
  • Support for large card decks
  • Offline study with media
  • Advanced card search functionality
Features
Read full description

AnkiMobile is a mobile companion to Anki®, a powerful, intelligent flashcard program that is free, multi-platform, and open-source. Sales of this app support the development of both the computer and mobile version, which is why the app is priced as a computer application. AnkiMobile was written by the lead developer of Anki and AnkiWeb, and it has been around since 2010. Beware other apps using "Anki" in their name that have sprung up recently - they are not compatible with the rest of the Anki ecosystem, and they offer far fewer features, despite charging expensive subscriptions. Some of AnkiMobile's features include: - A free cloud synchronization service that lets you keep your card content synchronized across multiple mobile and computer devices. This makes it easy to add content on a computer and then study it on your mobile, easily keep your study progress current between an iPhone and iPad, and so on. - The same SM2 and FSRS scheduling algorithms that the computer version of Anki uses, which remind you of material as you're about to forget it. - A flexible interface designed for smooth and efficient study. You can set up AnkiMobile to perform different actions when you tap or swipe on various parts of the screen, and control which actions appear on the tool buttons. - Comprehensive graphs and statistics about your studies. - Support for large card decks - even 100,000+ cards. - If your cards use images or audio clips, the media is stored on your device, so you can study without an internet connection. - A powerful search facility that allows you to find cards that match criteria such as 'tagged high priority, answered in the last ten days and not containing the following words', and automatically place them into a deck to study. - Support for displaying mathematical equations with MathJax, and rendering LaTeX created with the computer version. - Support for adding images drawn with the Apple Pencil to your cards. Please note that AnkiMobile is currently intended as a companion to the computer version of Anki, rather than a complete replacement for it. While AnkiMobile is able to display and schedule your cards in the same way the computer version does, certain changes like modifying note types need to be done with the computer software. Add-ons are not supported, so while you can study image occlusion cards created with the computer version, they can not be created within AnkiMobile. For this reason, please start with the computer version of Anki before you think about buying this app. The cloud synchronization service is optional, and data can also be imported/exported from the app via a USB cable or AirDrop. Like all apps, AnkiMobile can be purchased once and then used on multiple devices in a household using the same Apple ID. Family sharing is also supported (apart from in India). For information on bulk discounts for educational institutions, please see Apple's Volume Purchase Program. For more information on AnkiMobile, including a link to the online manual, please have a look at the support page: https://docs.ankimobile.net/support.html. If you have any questions or want to report an issue, please let us know on our support site and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

About

Readwise

This app helps you retain more of what you read by centralizing and revisiting your highlights from various reading platforms. It uses spaced repetition and active recall techniques to improve memory and offers features like tagging, note-taking, and OCR for physical books.

Highlights
  • Synchronize highlights from multiple platforms
  • Daily review habit via app and email
  • Spaced repetition and active recall
  • Tag, note, and search highlights
  • OCR for paper book highlights
  • Convert highlights to flashcards
Features
Read full description

Readwise helps you get the most out of what you read by making it fun & easy to revisit your highlights from all your favorite reading platforms in one place. Quickly synchronize your highlights from Kindle, Apple Books, Instapaper, Pocket, Medium, Goodreads, and even paper books. Then start building a daily review habit using the app and daily email. By reviewing your highlights every day, you'll retain dramatically more and you'll finally stop forgetting all the details from books you just finished! --- “Readwise is my favorite new service this year. Save highlights from Kindle, Instapaper, and now tweets... one of the best long-term personal learning tools I’ve come across.” — Caleb Hicks “Besides my Kindle, Readwise has been the most influential tech for improving my reading process.” — Blake Reichmann “If you use Kindle or Instapaper or just enjoy keeping and reading highlights, please sign up to Readwise. It will become one of your cherished services.” — Christopher Galtenberg --- ACTUALLY USE YOUR HIGHLIGHTS Highlighting is great, but why bother if you're never going to see any of your highlights again? Readwise makes it easy to quickly liberate all your highlights into one place, ensuring that you'll actually see and use them, including highlights from: • Amazon Kindle • Apple iBooks • Instapaper • Pocket • Medium • Goodreads • Twitter • Physical Books (using OCR) • Manual Input • CSV Upload STOP FORGETTING WHAT YOU READ How often do you finish a book, only to forget the key ideas two weeks later? We don't remember things by just reading them once. Readwise solves this problem using scientifically proven learning techniques called Spaced Repetition and Active Recall. Readwise resurfaces the right highlights at the right times using a daily email and an app. Readwise even makes it possible to convert your best highlights into flashcards for added retention. TAG, NOTE, SEARCH, AND ORGANIZE With your highlights all in one place, Readwise enables you to organize and connect these ideas in new ways. Use search to find a highlight instantly; use tag to organize highlights within your library; use notes to add your own annotations. HIGHLIGHT PAPER BOOKS Readwise also makes it possible to take highlights from your physical books and papers using your phone’s camera. Just snap a pic, highlight with your finger, and have your favorite highlights saved forever. --- If you are not already a Readwise subscriber, you can get started immediately with a 30-day free trial with no credit card upfront. At the end of the trial, you will not be charged unless you choose to subscribe to Readwise Full or Readwise Lite. Price may vary by location. Manage your subscription from your dashboard. --- Support: Check out readwise.io/faq or email us at hello@readwise.io Privacy Policy: https://readwise.io/tos Terms of Service: https://readwise.io/privacy

Screenshots

AnkiMobile Flashcards4 screens
Readwise4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Readwise at Free against AnkiMobile Flashcards's $24.99. Readwise also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (72% vs 59%). AnkiMobile Flashcards's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Readwise is free to download; AnkiMobile Flashcards costs $24.99 up front. Readwise sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. AnkiMobile Flashcards asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Readwise holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.3K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of AnkiMobile Flashcards's written reviews are positive against 72% of Readwise's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AnkiMobile Flashcards ships an update every 6 weeks, Readwise every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
AnkiMobile Flashcards versus Readwise: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAnkiMobile FlashcardsReadwise
Price$24.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (2.3K ratings)4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews58.7% of reviews72.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.3K — better1.5K
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#1 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.2 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size46 MB110 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperAnki Software, LLCReadwise, Inc

Customer experience

AnkiMobile Flashcards

All ratings2,311 ratings
Positive74.0%
Neutral5.1%
Negative20.9%
Written reviews1,560 reviews
Positive58.7%
Neutral12.9%
Negative28.4%

Readwise

All ratings1,513 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews324 reviews
Positive72.2%
Neutral7.7%
Negative20.1%

User reviews

AnkiMobile Flashcards

From 2.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💯 Excellent learning tool
  • 🤓 Powerful spaced repetition algorithm
  • 🌐 Seamless cross-device sync
  • 🎨 Customizable flashcards
  • 📚 Supports various media (text, images, audio, video)

Room to improve

  • 🤯 Steep learning curve
  • 🤖 Unintuitive interface
  • 🖼️ Issues with image syncing and display
  • 🔌 Syncing problems between devices
  • 🕰️ Slow performance and lag

Readwise

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful spaced repetition
  • 📚 Seamless integration with reading apps
  • 🔍 Helpful AI-powered features
  • 🗓️ Useful daily review routine
  • 🧠 Boosts knowledge retention

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🔌 Sync issues with some platforms
  • 📱 Subpar mobile app experience
  • 🕰️ Lack of flexibility in daily review
  • 🔍 Limited search functionality

Bugs and requests

AnkiMobile Flashcards

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Cards disappearing after updates
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps
  • Inability to delete decks on mobile
  • Sync issues causing data loss
  • Compatibility problems with older iOS versions

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve card browsing and management features
  • Integrate with Apple Pencil for better note-taking
  • Add support for more file formats (e.g., Opus audio)
  • Enhance mobile-specific features and UI
Show 1 more
  • Provide better onboarding and tutorials

Readwise

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Frequent app crashes
  • Sync failures with certain accounts
  • Unreliable highlight capture

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for more reading apps
  • Improve sync and import capabilities
  • Introduce more customization options
  • Enhance search and organization tools
  • Develop a more intuitive mobile interface

In-app purchases

None

AnkiMobile Flashcards

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

Readwise

Subscriptions8
  • Readwise Lite Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Readwise Lite Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Readwise Full Monthly Plan$8.991 Month
Show 5 more
  • Readwise Full Monthly$12.991 Month
  • Readwise Lite Yearly$52.991 Year
  • Readwise Lite Yearly$66.991 Year
  • Readwise Full Yearly$94.991 Year
  • Readwise Full Yearly$119.991 Year

Questions

Is AnkiMobile Flashcards free?
AnkiMobile Flashcards costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Readwise free?
Readwise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, AnkiMobile Flashcards or Readwise?
Readwise is rated higher. AnkiMobile Flashcards averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while Readwise averages 4.8 from 1.5K ratings.
Do AnkiMobile Flashcards or Readwise have ads?
Neither AnkiMobile Flashcards nor Readwise shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AnkiMobile Flashcards or Readwise?
AnkiMobile Flashcards ships an update every 6 weeks, and Readwise every 2 weeks. Most recently, AnkiMobile Flashcards was updated on September 23, 2026 and Readwise on September 24, 2026.

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