# AnkiMobile Flashcards vs Brainscape

The clearest difference is price: Brainscape at Free against AnkiMobile Flashcards's $24.99. Brainscape also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (82% vs 59%). AnkiMobile Flashcards's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and chart position (#1 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Brainscape is free to download; AnkiMobile Flashcards costs $24.99 up front. Brainscape sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. AnkiMobile Flashcards asks for nothing beyond the download.

Brainscape holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Brainscape has 21K ratings behind it against 2.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of AnkiMobile Flashcards's written reviews are positive against 82% of Brainscape's.

AnkiMobile Flashcards ships an update every 6 weeks, Brainscape every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AnkiMobile Flashcards | Brainscape |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $24.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.0 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ankimobile-flashcards/id373493387/reviews) | **[4.8 (21K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.3K | **21K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.7% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 46 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.2** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anki Software, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895276950) | [Brainscape](https://appshunter.io/developer/380833754) |

## What reviewers say

### AnkiMobile Flashcards

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ankimobile-flashcards/id373493387)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Paid · Education, #10 Top Paid, #37 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

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:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- 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


### Brainscape

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainscape-study-flashcards/id442415567)

This app uses AI and spaced repetition to help you learn faster and remember longer. Create your own multimedia flashcards or access a vast marketplace of expert-curated content for various subjects and exams. It's designed for serious learners who want to optimize their study time.

**Highlights:** AI-powered flashcard maker, Spaced repetition algorithm, Expert-curated flashcard marketplace, Create multimedia flashcards, Collaborative content creation, Active recall and self-assessment

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brainscape Pro | $19.99 | per month |
| Brainscape Pro | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Brainscape Pro | $95.99 | per year |
| Brainscape Pro Lifetime | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazing flashcard app
- 👍 Great for studying and learning
- 👍 Helpful for passing exams and tests
- 👍 Convenient to use on mobile devices
- 👍 Effective spaced repetition algorithm

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and syncing issues
- 🔒 Limited functionality in free version
- 👎 Difficult to edit and organize cards
- 👎 Inaccuracies in some pre-made decks

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between cards
- Syncing issues causing data loss
- Difficulty importing and organizing custom cards
- Inconsistent performance on different devices

**Requested features**

- Allow more customization of cards (e.g., adding images, audio)
- Improve search and browsing functionality
- Provide more detailed progress tracking and statistics
- Offer family/group subscription plans
- Add support for more languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AnkiMobile Flashcards free?

AnkiMobile Flashcards costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Brainscape free?

Brainscape is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, AnkiMobile Flashcards or Brainscape?

Brainscape is rated higher. AnkiMobile Flashcards averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while Brainscape averages 4.8 from 21K ratings.

### Do AnkiMobile Flashcards or Brainscape have ads?

Neither AnkiMobile Flashcards nor Brainscape shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AnkiMobile Flashcards or Brainscape?

AnkiMobile Flashcards ships an update every 6 weeks, and Brainscape every 3 weeks. Most recently, AnkiMobile Flashcards was updated on September 23, 2026 and Brainscape on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*