A tried-and-true study aid, flashcards are still effective in the age of apps and social media. You don’t need a marker and a stack of index cards to create these handy study aids because digital flashcards are available in all shapes and sizes.
Most of the options listed in this guide allow you to design and use flashcards on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you prefer the old-fashioned way, some also provide the ability to print.
The flashcard providers on this list support all major web browsers, as well as iOS and Android.
Brainscape
With a sleek interface and millions of subscribers, Brainscape is one of our favorite options on this list. Their color-coded flashcards span a huge array of subjects, and you can easily track your progress through Brainscape’s sensible class structure. While the free version has a lot to offer, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid membership for unlimited flashcards, bookmarking, and the ability to add images and audio to your cards.
Learns along with you, focusing on problem areas in future sessions.
The daily card limit for non-paying users is not enough for deep subject dives.
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Cram
Offering an immense flashcard library with almost 200 million to choose from, Cram allows you to search by keywords or from hundreds of predefined subjects, including computer science, language, education, and medicine. It also offers the ability to create your own flashcard sets or to import existing cards from Google Drive.
The member base of three million users means the huge repository of existing flashcards is constantly growing.
The controls aren’t always intuitive and can cause your work to be erased if you aren’t careful.
Anki
With a focus on efficiency, Anki leverages cognitive science and artificial intelligence to trick your brain into remembering just about anything. The app uses an evidence-based learning technique called Spaced Repetition to maximize the amount of learning that is possible within a given study session. Anki tracks and delivers the flashcards that the AI has determined you need to work on, providing you with your own study buddy.
Uses artificial intelligence and Spaced Repetition to maximize learning potential.
The limited scope (memorization) combined with a rigid schedule may limit its usefulness for some users.
StudyBlue
In addition to subject-specific guides and class notes, StudyBlue provides access to over 400 million flashcards crowdsourced from over 15 million students spread out across the globe. Decks are recommended based on your profile data and user-configured filters, making it easy to jump right in.
Refine searches all the way down to your particular school and class.
It isn’t useful if you aren’t currently in school.
Quizlet
Quizlet’s study sets contain several learning tools, including basic flashcards that have text and audio readings of each. As a student, choose from a large library of topics or create your own set from scratch. Teachers can construct classroom plans with custom study cards and collaborate with other educators to compile an ideal deck.
The audio pronunciations are spot-on in over a dozen dialects.
A monthly subscription is required for some advanced features, although you can get by without it.
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