Quizlet Vs Anki: Which Is The Best For Learners?

Flashcard apps indeed proved their essence in students’ learning. As you continuously search for the best flashcard app for you, you are wondering the difference between Quizlet and Anki.

In these modern times where everyone widely uses technology, it is not surprising that many students and even educators switched from traditional cardboard-made flashcards to flashcard apps to help them retain information while they are learning. Most of us definitely have our flashcard story when we were young. But, thanks to technology, we were able to level it up and make it more useful.

So, in this blog post, we will walk you through the different factors that you should consider about Quizlet vs Anki. But first, let’s discover some benefits of flashcard apps.

 

Why Use Flashcard Apps?

The word flashcard came from two words flash, synonymous with fast + card, which is usually thick or thin pasteboard generally used for writing and jotting down notes. Preparing flashcards can be a little time-consuming, seeing people cut and write manually. It also depends on how many cards do you want to do. But, thanks to technology, we can modernize these flashcards and turn them into amazing learning tools that automatically add new learnings to the users.

Despite its benefit to the learners, it also has limitations like pricing, internet connectivity problems, and compatibility. So, considering the limitations of flashcard apps, why do people keep on using flashcards?

Improves Memory And Cognitive Processing

Memorization and remembering is the lowest level on Bloom’s Taxonomy. But, memorization and remembering are essential parts of long-term learning because we associate the new information with our background knowledge and schema. The whole process of memorizing and repetition will soon increase your capacity and capability to retain data for a longer period of time.

Ease Of Access

Now that the world is going digital, learners and educators are continuously finding a way to develop their 21st-century learning skills. These language learning apps are usually pretty intuitive and designed for easy access to learn without having to be hard. Plus, you can easily download it on your phone and bring it with you anywhere and anytime. Isn’t it amazing?

For language learners, you don’t have to bring dictionaries or books with you. You can easily learn different alphabets, vocabs, sentences, and even dialogues. What an amazing invention, right?

 

Getting To Know Anki

If you are struggling with remembering things, this can be the perfect app for you. It was first launched in 2006 for language learners, but today, Anki App has become a program and learning tool that helps learners learn several topics and increase their learning in just a short period of time.

This app covers many features like synchronization and flexibility. Anki developers also claim that this app is media-rich, optimized, and fully extensible. With this feature, you can do lots of things like learning a new language, studying medicine and law, exploring the geography, or even practice playing guitar chords.

If you are a medical student in a medical school, you are undoubtedly familiar with Anki. It was first launched in 2006 for language learners, but today, almost 50% of medical students already use this app. It can also help people with problems in memory because of Alzheimer’s Disease. Through the help of the Anki App, these people don’t have to worry about fulfilling tasks in their everyday life.

When we talk about language learning, Anki offers a total of 48 languages for the desktop version. But the mobile version only has 14 languages. With a built-in spaced repetition, Anki will help you reach your full capacity in retaining information that can be transported to your long-term memory in just a short period of time.

 

Getting To Know Quizlet

Quizlet, on the other hand, had also was initially launched as a language learning flashcard in 2005. It eventually grew into different topics. Quizlet uses different study modes like Flashcards, Spell, Tests, Write and Learn. It also has two game modes which are called Match and Gravity, which will make your learning fun.

For language learners, Quizlet helps you learn new languages by using flashcards to effectively learn vocabulary and new words, example sentences, and the also meaning foreign characters you wish to learn. If you want to expand your horizons, Quizlet has a lot more to offer. It also covers Arts and Humanities, Science, Math, Social Science and more.

Quizlet developers claim that it is backed with Science which makes it more reliable to use.

Now that you know a bit about the two flashcard apps, Anki and Quizlet, now are the perfect time to go deeper into their difference.

 

Quizlet Vs Anki: What Flashcard App To Use?

Quizlet vs Anki

Have you heard the quote from Brian Herbert that says, “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.”? This quote is one of the many reasons why you are reading this blog. You are making finding a way to deepen your knowledge and skills in this modern time. One of those ways is finding the best tool that can help you grow.

As learners, we continue to search for the best flashcard app that suits our needs as a leaner and, of course, our budget. So, here are some factors that you can consider when we talk about Anki vs Quizlet.

Interface

One thing that attracts the learners at their first glance in an app is the appearance and interface. Learners want it to be user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing to their eyes. Sometimes, the colors themselves affect the learners’ mood for learning. An app that is easy to navigate is a real deal for learners. So, the first factor we will consider about the topic Quizlet vs Anki is the interface.

Quizlet has a minimalist design. It uses the colors blue, white, and some touches of yellow and green. It has a modern interface that helps the learners avoid distractions while learning. The landing page is not wordy, and you can see the features easily.

On the other hand, Anki has a much more straightforward interface. Compared to Quizlet, Anki is more old-fashioned when it comes to design. It doesn’t have bold colors for emphasis. You can mostly see whites and a touch of blue hues. Anki is super intuitive, which makes it easy to use. The landing page is also simple and not wordy.

Study Modes

Students learn in different ways. Your learning style and preferred study modes or learning modes are other things to consider when we talk about Quizlet vs Anki. The variation of study modes will help you feel comfortable while you are learning. So, let’s take a look at the difference between Anki and Quizlet for study modes.

Quizlet proves that it has a lot more to offer than card flipping activities. It has 5 study modes that will make your learning more fun and engaging:

  1. Of course, the Flashcard mode enables you to learn through self-made decks or pre-made decks.
  2. The Learn mode, which creates a study plan and guides you through the whole process of learning. The Write mode focuses and measures how well you know your material and keeps track of your missed lessons. Practicing your spelling skills is the main focus of the Spell mode.
  3. The Test mode evaluates your learning.

It can be a multiple-choice question, true or false, writing tests, or matching exercises.

Unlike Quizlet, Anki has only one study mode, which is the card flipping mode. By just clicking the button “show the answer,” you can immediately see if you got it right. If you prefer learning as simple as this, then the Anki app can indeed be helpful for you.

Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition system is a learning approach that is commonly used by flashcard apps. How does it work? Lessons are retaken at different or increasing time intervals. Backed with Science and other learning theories, repetition is one of the best ways to retain what you have learned. Increasing intervals can help strengthen your learning.

Quizlet used to have spaced repetition system, but at the 2020 update, it was removed. This is a crucial change for learners since spaced repetition strongly impacts users’ learning.

On the other hand, spaced repetition system is of Anki‘s best feature. Anki’s algorithm regulates the reappearance of the questions. While the time interval increases, there’s a higher chance of retention in long-term memory. You might also notice that it can get a bit repetitive but just look at it as more chances of learning.

Gamification

Games. Need I say more? Who doesn’t love games? There is actually a learning theory that gamification helps learners learn best when they are having fun. Using gamification in flashcard apps like Anki and Quizlet enables users to memorize and have fun at the same time. This is one of the most exciting and pretty neat features that the traditional flashcard doesn’t have. If you get a correct answer, your level also increases, just like playing a game. So, Quizlet vs Anki? Let’s discover if these two apps have this awesome feature.

For those whose long-standing favorite flashcard app is Quizlet, you know that it has two game modes. The first one is called “Match,” which obviously includes match mode or matching games. The other game is called “Gravity,” which is a study game where you use correct answers to avoid the asteroids from hitting the planet. Because it is a game, the complexity per level changes as it increases.

If you’re a serious type of learner and are used to the classic learning method, Anki is perfect for you. It has no gamification, unlike Quizlet. It is a typical flipping of the card and doesn’t have multiple ways to offer.

Can You Make Your Own Flashcards?

A highly customizable flashcard app is what learners and educators seek. This way, you’ll be able to design one flashcard according to your learning style and needs. Now, let’s talk about Quizlet vs Anki. Can you make and design your own deck of flashcards?

For Quizlet, there’s no doubt. You can definitely make your own flashcard deck for just a few seconds. You can easily put written questions or copy-paste them into your flashcard. You can also out your own images but, you have to register in their premium version. It is not available in their free version. Here’s a quick run-through of the creation steps:

  1. Go to the Quizlet site and click “Create.”
  2. Name your study set
  3. Put the word or phrase in the “Term” and put the meaning or definition in “Definition.” You can also use auto-define.
  4. Feel free to add images
  5. If you want to import an existing study set, just simply find “Import.”

For Anki, you can also make your own flashcard decks, but the thing is, it is somehow labor-intensive. If you are not very familiar with the interface, you might get a little confused, but remember, we all have different learning styles and tastes, so why not try it out first. Medical students won’t widely use it for no reason. Let me show give you the steps on how to create a flashcard in Anki.

  1. Go to the Anki site and press the “Create” button you’ll see at the center.
  2. Name your deck.
  3. Click “Add”
  4. Determine the words or phrases you want to put in the front and back of a flashcard.
  5. Feel free to use the tags to select or create categories.
  6. You can also import cards, but you still have to convert them in .apkg format, which is really not easy for beginners. There’s a lot of uncertainties, and it’s quite tricky.

Are There Pre-made Flashcards Available?

Having intensive ready-made flashcards is a pretty neat feature that a flashcard app should invest in. The diversity of what a flashcard app can offer is also one of the things that attract users. Creating new decks is awesome, but having various other topics and learning material to offer is a different level. Now, are you wondering about Quizlet vs Anki when it comes to ready-made flashcards? Please read it here.

From the academic subjects down to arts and humanities, Quizlet has a lot of pre-made flashcards available and free to use. Although there will be quite restrictions when you are only using the free version, it can still help you learn your lesson. You can just simply go to the search bar and type a keyword about the study set you are looking for.

Compatibility

One of the first things that you should consider is the availability and compatibility of the flashcard app. Learners have different gadgets to use. If you like to travel and you always have your phone with you, it’s ideal to have the mobile app version. But if you choose to have a bigger screen and use a desktop or laptop, you should consider using the web version. It can be both if you want to. For Quizlet vs Anki, we will discover the compatibility and availability of these apps.

Quizlet can be accessed through different devices. Check it out below:

For browsers, you can use the browsers below. Just make sure to use the latest version of your browser to avoid problems. Sadly, Quizlet for internet explorer is not available.

  1. Mozilla Firefox
  2. Google Chrome
  3. Apple Safari
  4. Microsoft Edge

For mobile apps, Quizlet has Android and iOS versions. These are updated regularly, so kindly check your software if it is compatible with the recommended one.

On the other hand, Anki has five different versions:

  1. AnkiDesktop – It is the computer version of Anki. It can be easily downloaded for free.
  2. AnkiWeb – It is the web version of Anki. You need to search for it on the net, and it’s similar to AnkiDesktop.
  3. AnkiDroid – For android users, it is free to download in the Playstore.
  4. AnkiMobile – For iPhone users, the iOS version is also available. The thing is, you have to pay $25 for lifetime use.

Pricing

As language learners, we should also consider the price of these apps. Most flashcard apps come with free versions and premium versions. With the topic Quizlet vs Anki, let’s discover how these apps differ from one another?

For Anki, the web and Android versions are free, but for the iOS version, you have to pay $25 one time.

Quizlet has three subscriptions to use. The free version is fairly restrictive. The Quiz Go costs $2.99/ month, enabling you to have offline access and ad-free studying. Lastly, the Quizlet Plus which allows you to have access to all the features for just 3.99/month ($47.88/year)

 

Quizlet Vs Anki: Summary

Let’s take a quick summary on the difference between Quizlet vs Anki

FeaturesQuizletAnki
Interfacemodernold-fashion
Study Modes51
Spaced RepetitionNoYes
GamificationYesNo
Can You Make Your Own Flashcards?YesYes
Are There Pre-made Flashcards Available?YesYes
CompatibilityWeb Version
iOS
Android
Desktop Version
Web Version
iOS
Android
PricingFREE
Quizlet Go $2.99/month
Quizlet Plus $3.99/month
FREE
iOS $25 (one time)
Quizlet vs Anki (Summary)

 

Which Flashcard App Suits Me?

Each flashcard app has its own qualities that make it stand out from the others. The dilemma on what best app to use lies in your purpose, learning style, and of course, budget. Language learning can be challenging, but with the right tool and motivation, nothing is impossible. So If you are still torn between Quizlet vs Anki, ask yourself these questions:

Do I want an app that has a modern design?

If you’re that type of learner that wants it to be simple yet aesthetically pleasing, go with Quizlet. It has a more modern design than Anki.

Do I want varied learning modes?

If you love to explore different learning modes, then Quizlet will be your perfect study buddy.

What’s my purpose?

If your primary purpose is just to learn a language seriously, Anki is still one of the best apps to go because it supports processing your learning to long-term memory through spaced repetition.

Do I have a budget?

If you are willing to pay to access different features, there’s nothing wrong with subscribing to Quizlet Plus. But, if you don’t have an extra budget for this, Anki is your pal.

Like Spiderman said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” It is still your drive and willingness to learn that will help you pick the best up for you. You can also try different language learning apps like Ling App to widen your choices. There’s no harm in trying and discovering.

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