Memrise vs Anki: which is better for vocabulary?

The quick answer

Each solves a different problem. Memrise gives you pre-made lessons with real native speaker video and varied exercise types. Anki gives you a powerful, empty review engine which you fill yourself. If you want to get started with no fuss, then Memrise. If you want total control over your reviews, Anki. Many serious learners use both.

Memrise

What it is: a language app that teaches vocabulary through short videos of native speakers, mnemonic tricks called "mems", and mixed activities like multiple choice and typing.

Advantages:

• Zero setup. Pick a course and start. That matters more than people admit.

• Real voices and faces. You learn what words sound like in the wild, not in a studio.

• The mems connect words to images and jokes. For hard words, that hook helps.

• Varied practice keeps it fun. Reviews feel like games, not chores. Disadvantages:

• The free tier is limited. The strongest features need the paid plan.

• You study Memrise's words, not yours. A course list rarely matches your life.

• Multiple choice rewards recognition. Recognizing a word is easier than producing it.

• Less control. You cannot fine-tune the review schedule the way Anki lets you.

Anki

What it is: a free, open-source flashcard program with a spaced repetition engine. Either create cards yourself or download one of the user-contributed decks. Anki shows you each card just before you are likely to forget it.

Advantages:

• Completely free on desktop and Android, with no ads and no subscription.

• The algorithm is the reference standard for spaced repetition. Nothing else free retains words as reliably.

• Total control. Card design, intervals, media, example sentences. Everything is adjustable.

• Your words. Cards built from your reading, your lessons, your life stick better than prefab lists. Disadvantages:

• The interface looks old and the learning curve is real. Expect an evening of setup.

• The iPhone and iPad app is a paid download.

• Shared decks vary in quality. Bad decks teach bad words badly.

• It is easy to spend an hour perfecting card templates instead of studying.

At a glance

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
	Memrise	Anki
What you get	Ready courses with video	Empty engine, you supply words
Price	Free tier, paid plan for full features	Free (desktop, Android), paid iOS app
Review style	Mixed activities and games	Flashcards with self-rated difficulty
Control	Low	Very high
Best for	Fast start, listening exposure	Long-term retention, custom material
Weak spot	Recognition over recall	Setup time and dated design

One fact worth knowing

In 2006, researchers Roediger and Karpicke published a study that changed how scientists think about studying. Students who tested themselves remembered far more a week later than students who simply re-read the material. The finding is called the testing effect, and it is the engine inside both apps. Every card you try to recall in Anki, every Memrise exercise that asks you to produce the word, beats passive review. If your reviews feel easy, they are probably not working.

A routine for the words that refuse to stick

1. Collect, do not cram. During the day, note five words you actually wanted to say and could not. Your words beat any list.
2. Learn them Memrise-style. Find each word in a real sentence. Say it out loud three times. Picture something absurd with it.
3. Review in Anki. Ten minutes, due cards only. Rate yourself honestly. "Hard" is not failure, it is data.
4. Speak them the same day. Before bed, record yourself using each of the five words in a sentence about your day. Production is the test that matters.

FAQs

Is Anki really free?

On desktop, web, and Android, yes. Completely. The iPhone and iPad app costs money as a one-time purchase, which funds the developer. There is no subscription.

Is Memrise free?

Partly. You can learn with lessons and videos without paying. The full feature set, including some advanced review tools, needs a subscription.

Which is better for a complete beginner?

Memrise. It takes away all decisions from you. All you have to do is turn it on and learn. Anki will reward you later, when you have your own material and thoughts on study habits.

Can I use both?

Yes, and many learners do. Memrise for the first pass and listening exposure. Anki for the long tail of words you meet in books, shows, and conversations.

What do other learners say?

On the comparison site Slant, the community ranked Memrise above AnkiDroid for most people as a language learning app. And I quote the most-cited reason, from that page: Memrise uses "mems" to increase your vocabulary, connecting a word to its meaning through images and mnemonics. The same voters praised Anki for control and its no-cost model. Both camps agree on one thing: the tool matters less than the daily habit.

The part no flashcard app does

Cards build recognition and recall. Conversation builds fluency. When you can recall your words reliably, take them to real people. SpeakDuo offers short practice sessions with humans. It is a young service with a small community, so it will not replace your daily reviews. It will give you the one thing cards cannot: someone who answers back.

Freshness: checked and updated on 2026-10-26.