sumi vs Synapse
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
sumi
This app offers a calm and focused approach to revision using spaced repetition. It allows users to import or create study decks and provides intelligent scheduling for optimal memory retention without distracting gamified elements.
- Spaced repetition with FSRS algorithm
- Import Anki (.apkg), CSV, TXT, JSON decks
- Offline study support
- Detailed progress insights
- Calm, distraction-free interface
- No account or server required
Read full descriptionHide full description
You believe in spaced repetition. You bounced off the complicated apps. sumi is for you. It keeps the science and drops the friction, so revision feels calm instead of overwhelming. HOW IT WORKS Make a deck or import one, then open sumi and review the cards it gives you that day. That is the whole routine. sumi uses FSRS, the modern spaced-repetition algorithm, to show each card right before you would forget it, so you remember more while studying less. CALM BY DESIGN An ink-on-paper interface with nothing competing for your attention. No streaks guilting you, no leagues, no badges. A gentle daily review you will actually want to come back to. BRING YOUR OWN DECKS Already have decks? Import them in seconds. sumi reads Anki .apkg files, plus CSV, TXT and JSON, so moving over takes minutes, not an afternoon. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT No account. No servers. Your cards, your progress and your history never leave your device. Nothing is tracked. Nothing is uploaded. Your data stays with you. BUY ONCE, YOURS FOREVER No subscription. Unlock sumi pro one time and keep it: unlimited decks and cards, unlimited imports, cram and reverse study modes, and detailed progress insights. Restore anytime. WHAT YOU GET - FSRS spaced repetition that schedules every review for the best long-term memory - Import from Anki (.apkg), CSV, TXT and JSON - Study offline, anywhere - Clean stats: retention, review history, cards mastered - Light and dark, easy on the eyes Calm, focused and entirely on your device. That is sumi.
Synapse
Read full descriptionHide full description
Study anything. Remember everything. Synapse is a fast, native flashcard app for learning anything — built around proven spaced repetition, so it shows you each card right before you'd forget it and you remember more in less time. Create your own decks or import the ones you already use, sketch with Apple Pencil, and get private AI coaching that knows exactly where you're struggling. WHY SYNAPSE • Modern spaced repetition — Synapse uses FSRS, a modern open-source memory model, to schedule each card just before you'd forget it. Grade every card Again, Hard, Good, or Easy and Synapse handles the rest. Prefer the classic SM-2 algorithm? Switch any time in Settings. • Bring your own decks — Import the .apkg flashcard decks you already own. Synapse rebuilds the subject and chapter hierarchy and renders images, LaTeX, and cloze deletions. • Apple Pencil scratchpad — Work physics and chemistry problems right beside the card. The scratchpad clears between cards, so your reasoning stays with the question it belongs to. • Insightful analytics — See your reviews over time, filter by range, and tap any subject to drill in. Spot the topics slipping before they cost you points. • Resource library — Keep your PDFs, notes, and reference docs in nested folders right next to your decks, and read them without leaving the app. • iCloud sync — Study on iPad at home and review on iPhone between classes. Your decks and progress sync automatically through your private iCloud — no account to create. STUDY ANYTHING Synapse started as an MCAT tool and still excels at it — but you can build decks for whatever you need to learn: med-school boards, anatomy, pharmacology, histology, nursing, the bar exam, the GRE, languages like Spanish, music theory, and more. If it fits on a flashcard, you can learn it here. A STUDY COACH THAT RUNS ON YOUR DEVICE Synapse uses Apple Intelligence to turn your own study data into real guidance — what to review next, which subjects are slipping, and how your progress looks. Ask it anything about your decks. • Grounded in your data — it only talks about your real subjects and progress; it won't invent topics or facts. • Private by design — the model runs on-device. Your study history never leaves your iPhone or iPad. No servers, no accounts. • Works offline — coaching is right there during a study session. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT No ads. No tracking. No account. Your decks, cards, and progress live on your device and sync through your own private iCloud — we never see them. FREE TO START Use Synapse free: study up to 5 cards a day, with no limit on how many cards you keep — every feature included. Upgrade to Synapse Premium for unlimited daily studying: • Monthly — $4.99/month, cancel anytime • Annual — $49.99/year (save 17%), cancel anytime • Lifetime — $89.99 one-time purchase Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. The lifetime unlock is a one-time purchase. Privacy Policy: https://synapse.roitechllc.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://synapse.roitechllc.com/terms Download Synapse and study smarter. — Synapse is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Anki or the Association of American Medical Colleges. MCAT is a registered trademark of the AAMC.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Synapse at every 4 weeks against sumi's every 3 months. sumi's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. sumi sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Synapse sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
sumi ships an update every 3 months, Synapse every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | sumi | Synapse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | EDEN LOXLEY TIGER ROYE | Roi Rozenthal |
In-app purchases
sumi
- sumi pro - lifetime$9.99
Synapse
- Synapse Premium$4.991 Month
- Synapse Premium7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Synapse Premium — Lifetime$89.99









