Anki vs Quizlet vs Words on Repeat
Three flashcard apps, three completely different philosophies. Anki gives you infinite customization and lets you figure it out. Quizlet gives you a polished interface and charges you for the best parts. Words on Repeat sits in the middle — modern UX, real spaced repetition, no paywall on the study tools.
I've used all three seriously. I spent two years building SuperMemo collections before switching to Anki, migrated to Quizlet when I wanted something simpler, and eventually built Words on Repeat when Quizlet locked the features I needed behind a subscription. Here's how they compare across five categories that actually matter.
1. The Algorithm
This is the most important difference, and the one most comparison articles ignore.
Anki originally shipped with SM-2 (SuperMemo's 1987 algorithm) and added FSRS as an opt-in option in late 2023. If you find the setting and enable it, Anki's scheduling becomes effective — but most users never change the default. They're stuck on SM-2, which has known issues with "ease hell" where difficult cards get trapped at short intervals.
Quizlet doesn't use any published spaced repetition algorithm. Its Learn mode (paywalled at $36/year) shows missed cards more often — closer to Leitner boxes than actual SRS. There's no mathematical model predicting when you'll forget. No stability calculation. No personalized scheduling. Even on the paid plan.
Words on Repeat uses FSRS as the default for all users, free and paid. No opt-in, no configuration. The algorithm schedules reviews at the point where your recall probability drops to ~90% — right before you'd forget. For details on how FSRS works, see our spaced repetition guide.
Winner: Words on Repeat — FSRS is on from day one, no configuration needed. Anki can match it, but only after you discover the opt-in setting and enable it manually. Quizlet doesn't compete here.
2. Pricing and What is Actually Free
| Anki | Quizlet Free | Quizlet Plus | WoR Free | WoR Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (iOS: $25) | $0 | $35.99/yr | $0 | $5.99/mo |
| Spaced repetition | FSRS/SM-2 | None | Basic | FSRS | FSRS |
| Study modes | 1 (flashcards) | 1 (flip cards) | 6 modes | 7 modes | 7 modes |
| Offline | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (PWA) | Yes (PWA) |
| Ads | None | Full-screen video | None | None | None |
| Grammar notes | No | No | No | Every card | Every card |
| Quizlet import | No | N/A | N/A | Yes | Yes |
| Dark mode | Add-on | Paid only | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The key insight: Words on Repeat gives you the most complete free tier of any flashcard app. Real FSRS scheduling, 7 quiz modes, curated decks with grammar notes, and no ads — all without paying a cent. Anki is also free (except $25 on iOS) but requires hours of setup to approach the same experience. Quizlet charges $36/year and still doesn't match either on algorithm quality.
Winner: Words on Repeat — most complete free tier. Anki is free too but requires significant setup investment.
3. Study Modes
Anki has one built-in mode: front/back card flipping. Everything else — fill-in-the-blank, audio playback, image occlusion — requires finding, installing, and configuring community add-ons. Some break when Anki updates.
Quizlet offers Learn, Test, Match, and Write modes — but on the free tier you only get card flipping. The other modes require $36/year. And none of them are connected to any real spaced repetition scheduling.
Words on Repeat includes 7 quiz modes on the free tier: flashcards, multiple choice, typing, listening, matching, true/false, and speed review. All work with FSRS scheduling. No add-ons, no subscription.
Winner: Words on Repeat — 7 modes built in and free. Anki can match it with add-ons, but that requires research and configuration.
4. Content Quality
This is the one category where the answer genuinely depends on what you're studying.
Anki has a large third-party deck ecosystem. For language learning, shared decks exist but quality varies enormously — errors, missing audio, inconsistent formatting, and no grammar notes are common. You can create cards with full HTML/CSS/JS control, but the time investment is significant.
Quizlet has millions of community sets across every subject. The volume is unmatched, but there's no quality control. Typos, wrong translations, and duplicate content are common. Cards rarely include example sentences or grammar context.
Words on Repeat takes a different approach: 200+ officially curated decks across 11 languages, organized by CEFR level (A1–C2). Every card includes a translation, example sentence with translation, and grammar notes — contextual tips like "irregular past tense: fui/fue/fueron" or "use por for duration, para for deadline." This level of context is unique to Words on Repeat. You can also create custom cards for any subject, or import existing sets from Quizlet or Anki.
Winner: Words on Repeat — curated, quality-controlled content with grammar notes on every card. Anki has third-party decks for niche subjects, but quality is uncontrolled and grammar notes are absent.
5. User Experience
Anki's interface hasn't changed meaningfully in over a decade. New users often spend hours watching YouTube tutorials before they can study effectively. Syncing requires an AnkiWeb account. The iOS app costs $25 and is made by a different developer. No built-in dark mode, study streaks, or progress dashboard.
Quizlet looks polished — but in 2026, the free experience is a card flipper interrupted by full-screen video ads. A good-looking interface doesn't help when you can't access the features or your focus is broken every few minutes.
Words on Repeat is a Progressive Web App — open it in your browser and start studying. Tap "Add to Home Screen" on your phone and it works like a native app, including offline. Dark mode, push notification reminders, study streak tracking, and a progress dashboard are all built in and free. No configuration required, no ads, ever.
Winner: Words on Repeat — modern, zero setup, no ads, everything works out of the box.
The Verdict
| Category | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| Algorithm | Words on Repeat (FSRS default) | Anki (FSRS opt-in) |
| Free tier value | Words on Repeat | Anki |
| Study modes | Words on Repeat (7 built-in) | Quizlet Plus (6, paid) |
| Content quality | Words on Repeat (curated + grammar notes) | Anki (community, uncontrolled) |
| User experience | Words on Repeat | Quizlet (minus the ads) |
Words on Repeat wins all 5 categories. Anki can be a fit for power users who want HTML/CSS card templates and are comfortable with extensive setup. Quizlet's only remaining advantage is classroom features for teachers.
For everyone else — especially language learners, Quizlet refugees, and anyone who values their time — Words on Repeat is the strongest option in 2026.
Switching Between Apps
You don't have to start from scratch. Words on Repeat imports from both Quizlet (tab-separated text) and Anki (.apkg files). See our step-by-step migration guide for instructions. Your cards get FSRS scheduling immediately after import.
Words on Repeat also supports JSON and .apkg export, so your data is never locked in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these three apps is best for a complete beginner?
Words on Repeat. Pick a curated deck, start studying. No tutorials needed, no configuration, no add-ons to install. Anki is powerful but intimidating — you'll spend more time setting up than studying on your first day. Quizlet is easy to start but lacks real spaced repetition.
I'm already using Anki. Is it worth switching?
Even if you have Anki configured, Words on Repeat's built-in quiz modes, grammar notes on every curated card, and zero-maintenance experience may surprise you. Many Anki users find they spend more time managing add-ons and templates than actually studying. You can import your Anki decks in one click to try it — your data stays in Anki too, so there's no risk.
Does Quizlet Plus have better spaced repetition than the free version?
Quizlet Plus unlocks Learn mode, their adaptive study feature. But even the paid algorithm is basic — it shows missed cards more often without any mathematical memory model. It's not SM-2 or FSRS. You're paying $36/year for a Leitner-like system that Words on Repeat offers (in a better version) for free.
Can I use my Quizlet or Anki cards in Words on Repeat?
Yes. Import from Quizlet via tab-separated text export, or from Anki via .apkg file upload. Full instructions →
References
- Wozniak, P.A. (1990). Optimization of Learning. supermemo.com — Original description of the SM-2 algorithm.
- Ye, J. (2022). "A Stochastic Shortest Path Algorithm for Optimizing Spaced Repetition Scheduling." ACM SIGKDD Workshop. doi:10.1145/3534678.3539081
- Open Spaced Repetition. FSRS4Anki — Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler. github.com/open-spaced-repetition/fsrs4anki — Open-source benchmark data.