Comparison

Discito vs Synapse

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

Head to head
About

Discito

This app helps you study smarter for exams by creating personalized daily plans and scheduling reviews using an advanced spaced repetition algorithm. It converts PDFs, notes, and lectures into flashcards on-device, syncing seamlessly across your Apple devices without an account.

Highlights
  • Day-by-day exam prep planning
  • FSRS-6 spaced repetition algorithm
  • On-device flashcard creation from PDFs/lectures
  • iCloud sync across iPhone and iPad
  • iOS integration (widgets, shortcuts, Siri)
  • Import .apkg and CSV files
  • Apple Intelligence for AI-powered card generation
Features
Read full description

Study smarter for your exams — and remember it long after. Discito plans your exam prep day by day and schedules every review with FSRS-6 — the latest open-source spaced-repetition algorithm — so you remember more while studying less. Turn PDFs, notes, and recorded lectures into flashcards on-device with Apple Intelligence, synced across your devices with no account needed. ZERO-SETUP ONBOARDING Open the app. Tap "Continue" → "Start reviewing". Study a tutorial deck immediately. Under 30 seconds. No web account, no desktop install, no .apkg hoop-jumping. SMART EXAM PLAN Add your exam date and Discito builds a day-by-day plan that covers every card before exam day — weakest cards first — without disturbing your long-term FSRS schedule. Track several exams at once, each with its own countdown and on-track status. When every card is covered, it tells you you're ready. SYNC THAT JUST WORKS Your cards follow you across iPhone and iPad through your iCloud. Edit on one device, review on another. No passwords. No mystery errors. Your data stays yours. REAL iOS INTEGRATION • Review reminders on your schedule, per deck • Home Screen widget with due count + one-tap review • Live Activity during review sessions — progress on Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • Control Center widget — start a review in one tap • Shortcuts + Siri: "Quiz me on Pharmacology" • Focus Mode integration — "Study" filter hides distractions MOBILE-FIRST CARD CREATION • Import .apkg files from existing collections (no desktop needed) • Share Sheet extension: select any text, send to Discito, get cards • CSV from Files app • Deck sharing via AirDrop + the iOS Share Sheet • Reliable image support — paste, drag, or pick inline APPLE INTELLIGENCE (iPhone 15 Pro or later) Paste lecture text or a PDF. Discito generates Q&A flashcards on-device, privately. No servers, no fees, no data sent anywhere. AI features require Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro or later, or an M-series iPad, on iOS 26). Everything else works on any iPhone running iOS 18.6+. FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS AND LANGUAGE LEARNERS Built for the people already keeping long study streaks across thousands of cards. Cloze deletion, basic Q&A, reverse cards, stats dashboard with streak / retention % / projected completion date, and dark mode with a matching dark app icon. FSRS-6 — THE LATEST OPEN-SOURCE SCHEDULER Discito implements FSRS-6 to spec, tested bit-exact against the reference fixtures. The same algorithm spaced-repetition researchers use today, native on iPhone. DISCITO LITE — FREE (NOT A TRIAL) • 200 cards free (unlimited with Pro) • iCloud sync across iPhone + iPad • Full FSRS-6 algorithm (not a crippled version) • Q&A + cloze + basic-reverse templates (image occlusion authoring is Pro) • .apkg import always free; export + re-sync are Pro (free trial included) • CSV import and export — always free • Markdown + LaTeX rendering • Audio playback • Classic flip-card review • Live Activity + Dynamic Island • Streak counter + full stats dashboard • 6 bundled starter decks (Tutorial + 5 content decks) • Try every Pro feature free — including 5 deck re-syncs • No ads, ever DISCITO PRO — ONE-TIME PURCHASE Pro is a single one-time unlock — no subscription required. Pro unlocks: Smart Exam Plan (a day-by-day plan to cover every card by exam day, tracked per exam), image occlusion authoring, FSRS-6 personalized optimizer, on-device AI card generation from PDFs (iOS 26 Apple Intelligence), AI image generation, lecture audio capture → cards, smart AI quiz distractors, per-deck widget settings, notification micro-reviews, type-the-answer + MCQ + True-False quiz modes, .apkg export, non-destructive deck re-sync (update imported decks without losing progress), weekly report + shareable image, bulk Manage Suspended. With gratitude to the FSRS research community — the Open Spaced Repetition project (github.com/open-spaced-repetition). Start studying in 30 seconds. Download Discito today.

About

Synapse

Features
Read 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 with up to 5 card reviews a day and unlimited cards — every feature included. Upgrade to Synapse Premium for unlimited daily reviews: • 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

Discito4 screens
Synapse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Discito at daily against Synapse's every 3 weeks. 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Discito sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Synapse sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $79.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Discito ships an update daily, Synapse every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Discito versus Synapse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiscitoSynapse
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCHRISTOPHER JAMES HINCKLEYRoi Rozenthal

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Discito

One-time1
  • Discito Pro$14.99
2 purchases

Synapse

Subscriptions1
  • Synapse Premium7 Days trial$79.991 Year
One-time1
  • Synapse Premium — Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is Discito free?
Discito is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Synapse free?
Synapse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Discito or Synapse have ads?
Neither Discito nor Synapse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Discito or Synapse?
Discito ships an update daily, and Synapse every 3 weeks. Most recently, Discito was updated on October 10, 2026 and Synapse on October 5, 2026.

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