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ReviewsIs Anki actually free?
How these scores work
Free on desktop, Android and the web, with unlimited cards and free syncing. The one exception is iOS, where the official app costs a one-off $24.99 — and that purchase funds the whole project.
Paid flashcard apps run $5–15/month. Anki is $0 forever on most platforms, or $24.99 once on iOS.
What you get free
- The full desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux
- AnkiDroid on Android, free and full-featured
- AnkiWeb sync across devices, free
- Every shared deck, and unlimited cards
In practice: the spaced-repetition tool serious learners use, free everywhere except one platform.
Drawbacks
- The interface is dated and the options are overwhelming at first
- No free official iOS app
- Shared decks vary wildly in quality
Also paywalled
- AnkiMobile for iPhone and iPad — a one-time purchase, not a subscription
What the free tier actually gives you
| Card required | No |
| Full course content | Yes |
| Graded work | Yes |
| Certificate | None offered |
| Access expires | Never |
| Ads | No |
Same questions, same order, for every listing in Learning — so you can compare them side by side. Deliberately no exact allowances: those change monthly, the shape of the limit doesn't.
Free facts
| Verdict | Free Forever |
| Card required | No |
| Auto-bills | — |
| Account | Only for syncing |
| Limits | Free on desktop and Android; the iPhone and iPad app is paid |
| The real cost | Nothing, unless you want it on an iPhone — that app is a one-off $24.99. |
The catch
The catch is one platform. Everything is free except the iPhone app, and there is no free official iOS client. It's a one-time payment rather than a subscription, and it is what pays for the free versions everyone else uses.
The smart play
- On Android, AnkiDroid is free and does everything — no reason to pay anything
- iPhone users can study free at ankiweb.net in the browser rather than buying the app
- Download shared decks before building your own; the medical and language decks are enormous
More info — tap to expand
An honest paid app
Last checked: August 2026 · Verdict: Free Forever — a real permanent free plan. signup and fair limits — but no clock and no card.
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