is $25 Anki worth it for iPhone?

[RickandMortyFan]

If not, what digital cross-platform flashcards do you prefer?

Thanks!

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[ZDMaestro]

I do not regret buying it in any way.

 

[Spector1]

Is there a cheaper 3rd party version of anki software that doesnt cost as much for ios?

ankidroid on android is free if I recall correctly

 

[aalamruad]

If not, what digital cross-platform flashcards do you prefer?

Thanks!

I've never heard of anyone who was less than thrilled with having spent the $25 for the app.

Edit: With the exception of Android users such as myself, who have to pay a grand total of $0 for the app; come to the light side 😉

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

I'm not one to spend a penny on phone apps, but I bought anki 3 years during undergrad and still use it today. Definitely worth it if you are a flashcard kind of guy.

 

[differentiating]

I'd look for something with a free app instead. I used anki on my android because it was free, but I would've done something else if it'd been anywhere near that expensive - I wouldn't consider it worth $25 when there are other flashcard apps out there that likely do more or less the same thing for cheaper. At the very least, I'd try a few cheaper options + the free computer version of anki to see if I really preferred anki that strongly to competitors before shelling out that much money for a mobile app.

 

[aalamruad]

I'd look for something with a free app instead. I used anki on my android because it was free, but I would've done something else if it'd been anywhere near that expensive - I wouldn't consider it worth $25 when there are other flashcard apps out there that likely do more or less the same thing for cheaper. At the very least, I'd try a few cheaper options + the free computer version of anki to see if I really preferred anki that strongly to competitors before shelling out that much money for a mobile app.

I just realized that android users like you and I probably shouldn't comment on the quality of the iphone app since it turns out the creators of that one are different than the creators of the android app. I'm sure they're similar, but we should probably defer to iphone users as to whether or not the iphone app is worth the money.

Either way, OP should at least get the free computer version of Anki!

 

[Yleio381]

Have you ever used Anki before? Not everyone loves it, so I think you should try it out on your computer for a month before you decide whether or not to buy it. If you love Anki then the money will be worth it. If you hate it and decide to never use it again then it'll be a waste

 

[RickandMortyFan]

I downloaded the computer version of Anki and have been playing around with it for a bit.

The only reason I checked it out is because I've seen a lot of SDN members swear by it. And my first impressions are... meh.

I mean, I'm a flashcard kind of guy. It's a great tool to memorize things quickly and effectively. So with a program as highly regarded as Anki, I expected something a little more.

The software looks kind of dated, not as intuitive to use, doesn't seem all that great. I can't even find an easy way to flip decks, which is crucial if learning a second language. Am I missing something?

 

[dvmhopeful2018]

Memorangapp.com. Plus, they have premium sets for USMLE steps (paid). Everything else is free. They're going to be releasing an update soon. I've been using it for the past 2 semesters and it's amazing.

 

[Glandzburg]

I downloaded the computer version of Anki and have been playing around with it for a bit.

The only reason I checked it out is because I've seen a lot of SDN members swear by it. And my first impressions are... meh.

I mean, I'm a flashcard kind of guy. It's a great tool to memorize things quickly and effectively. So with a program as highly regarded as Anki, I expected something a little more.

The software looks kind of dated, not as intuitive to use, doesn't seem all that great. I can't even find an easy way to flip decks, which is crucial if learning a second language. Am I missing something?

Anki doesn't pretend to be some flashy program with tons of bells and whistles, but it doesn't need those things. It promises a way to integrate traditional flashcards with spaced repetition strategies, and it delivers. There is a bit of a learning curve on the interface, but it's pretty slick once you get it down.

People see the $25 price and get sticker shock because it is a lot for an app. But if you consider the price of your textbooks or even Microsoft office products, it's not that much to pay for a tool that could end up being one of your primary study methods. Well worth it IMO.

 

[RickandMortyFan]

Anki doesn't pretend to be some flashy program with tons of bells and whistles, but it doesn't need those things. It promises a way to integrate traditional flashcards with spaced repetition strategies, and it delivers. There is a bit of a learning curve on the interface, but it's pretty slick once you get it down.

People see the $25 price and get sticker shock because it is a lot for an app. But if you consider the price of your textbooks or even Microsoft office products, it's not that much to pay for a tool that could end up being one of your primary study methods. Well worth it IMO.

At your school, is Anki the most popular flashcard app? Do you see others use a different one with success?

 

[Glandzburg]

At your school, is Anki the most popular flashcard app? Do you see others use a different one with success?

Most people haven't heard of it, but there are about 15 of us that use it (that I know of). Most popular program is just quizlet, which is not spaced repetition. Inefficient if you ask me.

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

Most people haven't heard of it, but there are about 15 of us that use it (that I know of). Most popular program is just quizlet, which is not spaced repetition. Inefficient if you ask me.

Anki is pretty big at my school. I know of several classmates using it and a lot of people share anki decks on our class facebook group. It's just useful to have if you want to get some studying done during downtime (ie commute on the bus, waiting in line, etc). Also, my school is big on the spaced repetition thing.

 

[RickandMortyFan]

So I spent about an hour familiarizing myself with the app.
Anki is pretty amazing. I'm sold.

Thanks everyone!

 

[aalamruad]

At your school, is Anki the most popular flashcard app? Do you see others use a different one with success?

Not a lot of undergrads seem to use it, but med students seem to be in love with it

 

[aalamruad]

Wait is the Android app worse than the iOS one? What are their differences?

No idea if it's better or worse, I just know that it's made by different people. I think the android one is more based on the computer version than the ios one, but then again, I've never tried the ios one.

 

[Lawpy]

If not, what digital cross-platform flashcards do you prefer?

Thanks!

Yes it's worth the money. Also i recommend using @mehc012 Anki guide for an excellent overview and tutorial

 

[Glandzburg]

No idea if it's better or worse, I just know that it's made by different people. I think the android one is more based on the computer version than the ios one, but then again, I've never tried the ios one.

They are both made by the same person that made the desktop/website versions. He says he needs a way to make money, and charging for the iOS version is his way of doing that. He didn't explain why that version, but it is what it is. Well worth $25 for sure.

 

[mehc012]

I'd look for something with a free app instead. I used anki on my android because it was free, but I would've done something else if it'd been anywhere near that expensive - I wouldn't consider it worth $25 when there are other flashcard apps out there that likely do more or less the same thing for cheaper. At the very least, I'd try a few cheaper options + the free computer version of anki to see if I really preferred anki that strongly to competitors before shelling out that much money for a mobile app.

If you're not using the free computer component, don't start with the app.

Download the computer version - it's the most powerful one, and the one you should be using to make/import most, if not all, of your cards, and for organization. Otherwise, you're wasting tons of time...it's simply faster and better to do that part on the computer. This has the added side benefit of letting you take the time to figure out if you like Anki before spending any money on it, even though you've already got the most valuable component. Pretty good deal. If you want to review mobile-ly at this stage, just go to Ankiweb.net...it's not as pretty or robust as the app, but it will let you review and sync.

Anki isn't for everyone (though I'd say more that flashcards aren't for everyone...if you do use flashcards, there aren't other comparable apps, really). But if, after trying it out, you want to use it? Pay the $25. Don't think of it as buying an iOS app...think of it as paying for a full-fledged computer program with online server space, and a free, fully synched companion app on your phone. Because that's what you're getting, and it's definitely worth $25.

 

[mehc012]

Wait is the Android app worse than the iOS one? What are their differences?

Actually a slight bit better, imo. You can customize which buttons are available during review and I think some also for other screens...just more settings overall to make it suit you. Too bad I like Android more, lol!

I think it's a bit finickier on the gesture controls though, iirc. To be fair, I haven't used it in quite some time so I may be wrong (or it may have improved on that front since then).

 

[differentiating]

Anki isn't for everyone (though I'd say more that flashcards aren't for everyone...if you do use flashcards, there aren't other comparable apps, really). But if, after trying it out, you want to use it? Pay the $25. Don't think of it as buying an iOS app...think of it as paying for a full-fledged computer program with online server space, and a free, fully synched companion app on your phone. Because that's what you're getting, and it's definitely worth $25.

Yeah, I think it just depends how you use flashcards. If you like the spaced repetition thing, it's great, but if you don't have the time for that and just want to run through some flashcards right before a test, it's not very convenient. That's why I was suggesting trying out a few options to see what style works best before committing the money.

That being said, I think the OP liked anki and made the decision already, so I guess this is a little irrelevant.

 

[mehc012]

Yeah, I think it just depends how you use flashcards. If you like the spaced repetition thing, it's great, but if you don't have the time for that and just want to run through some flashcards right before a test, it's not very convenient. That's why I was suggesting trying out a few options to see what style works best before committing the money.

That being said, I think the OP liked anki and made the decision already, so I guess this is a little irrelevant.

It's perfectly convenient for running through things before a test. However, it's a waste period if that's all you're doing with the flashcards once you've invested energy in making them (regardless of which format you do so in).

SRS isn't intended to help you cram for your tests (though Anki is); it's intended to make sure that cramming for those tests isn't a wasted effort when you forget all of the information a few short months down the line. If you already study with flashcards it's no extra effort really to throw in SRS reviews in the background, and a tremendous benefit.

Again, flashcards are not for everyone...but if you learn by flashcards, Anki is pretty much your best option as far as customizability, storage, synching, and cross-platform capabilities, and then on top of it there's the SRS...which again, it'd be silly not to bother with when you've already done the work.

 

[Glandzburg]

It truly is incredible all the random tidbits of information I still remember from several months ago thanks to Anki. And this is on top of the continued avalanche of new information I am learning.

One of my favorite things about Anki is once you have your settings tune properly, it literally builds a study plan for you. If I had thousands of flashcards made on a site like Quizlet that doesn't use spaced repetition, I would be overwhelmed about where the heck to even start. But not with Anki; just fire it up, and it provides me with a reasonable number of cards to study for that day. No wasting time identifying what you even need to study in the first place.

 

[RickandMortyFan]

Since I'm not in med school yet, I've downloaded some premade decks to Anki in order to learn a different language. It's awesome, don't regret the purchase at all.

 

[differentiating]

It's perfectly convenient for running through things before a test. However, it's a waste period if that's all you're doing with the flashcards once you've invested energy in making them (regardless of which format you do so in).

SRS isn't intended to help you cram for your tests (though Anki is); it's intended to make sure that cramming for those tests isn't a wasted effort when you forget all of the information a few short months down the line. If you already study with flashcards it's no extra effort really to throw in SRS reviews in the background, and a tremendous benefit.

Again, flashcards are not for everyone...but if you learn by flashcards, Anki is pretty much your best option as far as customizability, storage, synching, and cross-platform capabilities, and then on top of it there's the SRS...which again, it'd be silly not to bother with when you've already done the work.

I learn by flashcards in addition to a few other methods, and I'm just saying that for cramming (which is what I usually use flashcards for), I find anki's time limitations incredibly frustrating and am looking into a more convenient system for doing so. Granted, if there's a way to alter the time options from 1 min/10 min/1 day to something a little more useful, then maybe that'd be one thing, but as it is I personally see it as being worth the switch. I'd rather see the information all 1x, weed out the cards I know, and then focus on the ones I don't instead of having to push off the same 20 cards every few minutes.

 

[terra330]

I'm not one to spend a penny on phone apps, but I bought anki 3 years during undergrad and still use it today. Definitely worth it if you are a flashcard kind of guy.

If I've never used flash cards in my life, is it worth trying to learn this?

 

[TaroBubbleTea]

If I've never used flash cards in my life, is it worth trying to learn this?

I wouldn't drop the $25 if you are unsure if flashcards work for you. Maybe you should try incorporating flashcards into your current study routine first and see how it works out. I recommend trying a different free program or paper flashcards.

What is good about anki is that it is pretty simple, has a good spaced repetition algorithm, and pretty widespread (so you can easily share and receive decks from other people).

 

[mehc012]

I learn by flashcards in addition to a few other methods, and I'm just saying that for cramming (which is what I usually use flashcards for), I find anki's time limitations incredibly frustrating and am looking into a more convenient system for doing so. Granted, if there's a way to alter the time options from 1 min/10 min/1 day to something a little more useful, then maybe that'd be one thing, but as it is I personally see it as being worth the switch. I'd rather see the information all 1x, weed out the cards I know, and then focus on the ones I don't instead of having to push off the same 20 cards every few minutes.

Check out my Anki thread; you are missing an entire portion of Anki's functionality. Cramming is built in via Custom Study decks; they even track Cramming statistics separately from normal review statistics because they expect people to use Anki for more than just SRS.

Don't screw with your SRS settings to cram. If anything, make your Learning steps longer if you plan to cram a lot (because you'll be studying outside the schedule, so no point in wasting your SRS time on that stage of things).

 

[mehc012]

I wouldn't drop the $25 if you are unsure if flashcards work for you. Maybe you should try incorporating flashcards into your current study routine first and see how it works out. I recommend trying a different free program or paper flashcards.

What is good about anki is that it is pretty simple, has a good spaced repetition algorithm, and pretty widespread (so you can easily share and receive decks from other people).

Even better, try the free desktop version of Anki (which you should be using as a pair to the mobile version anyway) and the online platform for your mobile review until you decide if you like it. I 100% concur that you should try things out before spending money, but it's best to try out the real deal instead of investing time in a different format (paper, Quizlet, etc) as your trial run. It's free for a reason.

 

[differentiating]

Check out my Anki thread; you are missing an entire portion of Anki's functionality. Cramming is built in via Custom Study decks; they even track Cramming statistics separately from normal review statistics because they expect people to use Anki for more than just SRS.

Don't screw with your SRS settings to cram. If anything, make your Learning steps longer if you plan to cram a lot (because you'll be studying outside the schedule, so no point in wasting your SRS time on that stage of things).

I've used Custom Study before; it doesn't really change anything aside from ensuring you can repeat the process multiple times, but I run into the same exact problem with not being able to save the cards I'm struggling with for later so I can make sure I at least see everything first. I don't use SRS at all, anyway, since I just don't see it as worth the time - I never have cards done early enough to make it worth it, and once we have a test I'm more concerned with what I have to learn next.

This is kind of off-topic by now, but in the end my point was just to say that Anki isn't necessarily always the best option, depending on how you like to use flashcards. I'm trying out another one of the dual computer-app systems now and so far it suits me better, but it's just a personal preference thing.

 

[mehc012]

I've used Custom Study before; it doesn't really change anything aside from ensuring you can repeat the process multiple times, but I run into the same exact problem with not being able to save the cards I'm struggling with for later so I can make sure I at least see everything first. I don't use SRS at all, anyway, since I just don't see it as worth the time - I never have cards done early enough to make it worth it, and once we have a test I'm more concerned with what I have to learn next.

This is kind of off-topic by now, but in the end my point was just to say that Anki isn't necessarily always the best option, depending on how you like to use flashcards. I'm trying out another one of the dual computer-app systems now and so far it suits me better, but it's just a personal preference thing.

It's your work going down the drain. And there are ways to do what you're talking about, too.