KLAPPA VS ANKI
The Anki alternative that keeps your Anki decks.
Klappa is free and opens the .apkg decks you already have, schedule included, on FSRS-6, the same algorithm current Anki uses. Turn a deck into a Klappa deck and you can also study it as multiple choice, typed answers and graded tests, with opt-in AI explanations that show their sources.
THE SHORT ANSWER
What changes if you switch, and why you don't start over.
Anki is excellent at showing you a card at the right moment. Klappa schedules with FSRS-6 too, the same algorithm Anki has shipped since version 25.07, so the timing you trust stays the same.
You do not rebuild anything to try it. Import an .apkg through the Anki Portal and Klappa keeps its note types, deck hierarchy, media and due dates, so in the normal case a card that was due tomorrow in Anki is due tomorrow in Klappa. If you go back, the Anki Portal exports the deck as .apkg again.
Want more than flashcard review? Import the same .apkg into a Klappa deck instead. That path starts the schedule fresh, and in return the deck studies four ways: Flashcards for recall, Learn for multiple choice, Write for typed answers and Test for a graded pass.
Klappa is free, including Klappa Cortex and Klappa Live. There is no paid tier.
SIDE BY SIDE
Klappa, Anki and AnkiMobile, compared.
Every Klappa cell below is checked against Klappa's own code, and every Anki cell against Anki's published pages.
| Klappa | Anki (desktop) | AnkiMobile | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, including Cortex and Live | Free and open source | $24.99 one-time purchase (US App Store) |
| Where it runs today | Any web browser, and a Mac app. The iPhone and iPad app is submitted to Apple and not yet on the App Store. | Windows, macOS and Linux | iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision |
| Scheduler | FSRS-6. In Study and Learn, Klappa's own FMSR-1 adjusts review intervals for cards with enough history. | SM-2 or FSRS (FSRS since 23.10, FSRS-6 since 25.07) | The same SM-2 and FSRS as the desktop app |
| Anki decks | The Anki Portal imports .apkg with note types, deck hierarchy, media and due dates, and exports .apkg with the schedule, review history optional. | Native format | Native format |
| Study modes | Klappa decks: Flashcards, Learn (multiple choice), Write, Test. Anki Portal decks: flashcard review. | Flashcard review, including type-in answers through a card template | Flashcard review |
| Offline study | Mac app, after a deck is opened once online. The website needs a connection. | Yes | Yes, media is stored on the device |
| AI explanations | Klappa Cortex, opt-in, in Learn, answering from a curated medical library with its sources marked | Not built in | Not built in |
| Sync | One Klappa account across the web and the Mac app. Offline reviews sync when you reconnect. | Free AnkiWeb sync | Free AnkiWeb sync |
| Classroom quizzes | Klappa Live: questions on a projector, answers from every phone | Not built in | Not built in |
WHAT STAYS THE SAME
Your Anki decks come with you.
- Note types, folders and media
- The Anki Portal reads the note types, the full Parent::Child deck hierarchy and the images in your .apkg, including collections from recent Anki versions that moved note types and decks into their own tables.
- Your schedule, not a fresh start
- In the Anki Portal, due dates are read the way Anki's own importer reads them, so overdue cards stay overdue and a card parked months out stays months out. New cards keep their order.
- A way back
- An Anki Portal deck exports to .apkg with its schedule. Tick the box and the review history goes with it.
- Big collections
- The website takes Anki files up to about 1.9 GB, and a very large collection inside a smaller file can still be too big for a browser tab. The Mac app has no size cap, only your disk.
WHAT KLAPPA ADDS
Klappa decks, studied four ways, with an AI that shows its work.
- Four ways to study one deck
- Build a Klappa deck or import an .apkg into one, then study it as Flashcards for recall, Learn for multiple choice, Write to type the answer, and Test for a graded pass. No template editing or add-on hunting.
- FMSR-1 on top of FSRS-6
- In Study and Learn, Klappa's own FMSR-1 model adjusts how many days a review card waits, using that card's own review history. With too little history it leaves the FSRS-6 schedule unchanged.
- Klappa Cortex for medical study
- Turn it on and, in Learn, Cortex explains a card choice by choice, answering from a curated medical library and marking the passages it used. It never reads your decks.
- Klappa Live for a class
- Put a question on the projector, take answers from every phone in the room, and get live results and an end-of-session report.
ON IPHONE
Looking for Anki on iPhone for free?
The official iPhone app, AnkiMobile, is a one-time $24.99 purchase in the US.
Klappa is free. Its web app runs in Safari on iPhone today and can be added to your home screen, and the native iPhone and iPad app is submitted to Apple and not yet on the App Store.
Questions, answered.
Is Klappa really free?
Yes. Klappa is free, including Klappa Cortex and Klappa Live, and there is no paid tier.
Can I use my existing Anki decks in Klappa?
Yes. Import an .apkg through the Anki Portal and Klappa keeps its note types, deck hierarchy, images and due dates, and you can export it back to .apkg, with its review history if you choose. Or import it into a Klappa deck to study it with multiple choice, typed answers and tests, starting the schedule fresh.
Does Anki support FSRS too?
Yes. Anki has offered FSRS alongside SM-2 since version 23.10 and has shipped FSRS-6 since 25.07, and AnkiMobile uses the same algorithms. Klappa also schedules with FSRS-6, and in Study and Learn adds FMSR-1, its own model that adjusts review intervals from each card's history.
Is there a free Anki app for iPhone?
AnkiMobile costs $24.99 in the US. Klappa is free: its web app runs in Safari on iPhone now, and its native iPhone app is submitted to Apple and not yet on the App Store.
Is Klappa a good flashcard app for medical school?
It was built by a dental student, Fahim Mohi, for his own exam decks. In Learn, Cortex explains cards from a curated medical library and shows its sources, and Learn and Test turn a Klappa deck into multiple choice practice.
Is Klappa affiliated with Anki?
No. Anki is a trademark of Ankitects Pty Ltd. Klappa is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anki.