An Anki alternative on iPhone, for vocabulary
Anki is the reference for spaced repetition, and for many uses it still is. KoKo starts from the same idea and removes everything you have to prepare: the lists are ready, and so is the review schedule. KoKo is our app; this page says where Anki does better.
What Anki does very well
Anki is free, open-source flashcard software. You make your own cards, or download decks shared by others, on any subject: languages, medicine, law, code. Almost everything can be adjusted, from review intervals to card layout, and add-ons extend it further on a computer. Anki is free on computers, on Android (AnkiDroid) and in the browser; the iPhone app is a one-time purchase.
What KoKo does differently
KoKo does one thing: language vocabulary. +6,000 words are already there, translated into 19 languages and sorted into 38 topics and three levels. There is nothing to download or to tune: each word is learned in a few steps, then comes back six times, at intervals that grow from one day to four months. And you type the word, instead of flipping a card and grading yourself.
KoKo and Anki at a glance
| Criterion | Anki | KoKo |
|---|---|---|
| Devices | Computer, Android, browser, iPhone | iPhone |
| Content | Your own cards, or decks shared by others | Ready-made lists: +6,000 words, 38 topics |
| What you learn | Any subject | The vocabulary of 19 languages |
| Reviews | Spaced repetition, fully adjustable | Spaced repetition, six reviews set in advance |
| Without paying | Everything, except the iPhone app (one-time purchase) | One topic out of 38; the rest by subscription |
| Ads | None | None |
| Account | A free account to sync | No account |
| Offline | Yes | Yes |
Stay with Anki if…
- you are learning something other than the vocabulary of a language;
- you want to make all your cards and tune your reviews;
- you also review on Android or on a computer;
- you want a free tool, away from iPhone.
Try KoKo if…
- you want to start right away, without hunting for or building a deck;
- you are learning a language on iPhone;
- you would rather type the word than judge whether you knew it;
- you want a bounded day: never more than 32 reviews.
