# Plain Flashcards vs Flashcards by HS

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Flashcards by HS at none against Plain Flashcards's 4. Flashcards by HS also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 73%) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Plain Flashcards's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Plain Flashcards sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Flashcards by HS asks for nothing beyond the download.

Flashcards by HS holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Plain Flashcards has 312 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Plain Flashcards's written reviews are positive against 93% of Flashcards by HS's.

Plain Flashcards ships an update weekly, Flashcards by HS every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Plain Flashcards | Flashcards by HS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (312 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-flashcards-ai-and-study/id971833934/reviews) | **[4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashcards-by-hs/id1182307237/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **312** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 73.4% of reviews | **93.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 38 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Going Merry LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1820776999) | [KAZUTERU YOKOI](https://appshunter.io/developer/605271729) |

## What reviewers say

### Plain Flashcards

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/plain-flashcards-ai-and-study/id971833934)

Create flashcards from text, PDFs, or images using AI. Supports spaced repetition, translation, and pronunciation for over 20 languages. Syncs across devices and offers customizable study sessions.

**Highlights:** AI flashcard generation from text, PDF, or image, Spaced repetition system (SRS), Translation and pronunciation for 20+ languages, iCloud sync across devices, Customizable study sessions and reminders, Import and export card data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plain Flashcards Plus - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Plain Flashcards Plus - Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| Say Thanks | $1.99 | one-time |
| Support the Mission | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 💰 Completely free, no ads or subscriptions
- 🖼️ Ability to add photos to cards
- 🌐 Built-in translation function
- 🚀 Efficient for studying and saving time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔀 Cards automatically shuffle and cannot be turned off
- 🗂️ Cannot move or rename sets of cards easily
- 🔄 Editing order is inconsistent
- 🖱️ Swiping to move cards can be finicky
- 🔍 No search function within decks

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot turn off shuffle feature
- Cards automatically shuffle and cannot be turned off
- Cannot rename or move sets of cards and have them stay in order
- Editing order is inconsistent
- Swiping to move cards is finicky

**Requested features**

- Option to turn off shuffle
- Ability to move multiple cards at once
- Search function within decks
- Folders for organizing decks
- Ability to merge decks


### Flashcards by HS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flashcards-by-hs/id1182307237)

Create custom flashcards with images and sounds to aid learning. Supports multiple languages and offers flexible card and list formats. Organize your study sessions with adjustable question order and answer flipping.

**Highlights:** Image and sound integration, Speech synthesizer, Customizable card formats, Adjustable question order, Flip question and answer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Plain Flashcards free?

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

### Is Flashcards by HS free?

Flashcards by HS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Plain Flashcards or Flashcards by HS?

Flashcards by HS is rated higher. Plain Flashcards averages 4.4 out of 5 from 312 ratings, while Flashcards by HS averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Plain Flashcards or Flashcards by HS have ads?

Flashcards by HS shows ads; Plain Flashcards does not.

### Which is updated more often, Plain Flashcards or Flashcards by HS?

Plain Flashcards ships an update weekly, and Flashcards by HS every 4 months. Most recently, Plain Flashcards was updated on October 24, 2026 and Flashcards by HS on October 24, 2026.

---

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