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Education · head to head

Anki vs PictureThis

Anki logo

Anki

Education

Free open source spaced repetition flashcard app, free everywhere except iOS where it is a paid one-time purchase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PictureThis logo

PictureThis

Education

Commercial plant identification app with a short free trial that converts to an annual subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Anki has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Anki the interface is functional rather than polished, and new users often find the initial setup, deck creation and add-on ecosystem confusing compared with a guided app like Memrise.; PictureThis the free trial converts to a paid annual subscription automatically, and a documented pattern of user complaints describes unexpected charges when the trial was not cancelled in time.
  • They diverge on capability: Anki covers Spaced repetition scheduling, PictureThis covers Plant identification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anki and PictureThis actually diverge.

Attributes where Anki and PictureThis differ
AttributeAnkiPictureThis
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee except a paid iOS appPer year, sold via a short free trial that auto-renews
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, WebiOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Anki

  • Spaced repetition scheduling
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Shared deck library
  • Custom card types
  • Add-ons
  • Open file format

Only in PictureThis

  • Plant identification
  • Disease diagnosis
  • Care reminders
  • Plant care library
  • Toxicity warnings
  • My Garden tracking

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Anki

  • A medical student using a large shared deck to memorise anatomy or pharmacology facts on a fixed exam timelinenot PictureThis
  • A language learner building custom vocabulary decks with audio and images tailored to their own study materialnot PictureThis
  • A self-directed learner who wants full control over the scheduling algorithm and does not want a subscriptionnot PictureThis
  • An iPhone-only user deciding whether the one-time AnkiMobile price is worth it versus using the free web interface insteadnot PictureThis

PictureThis

  • A gardener who wants ongoing care reminders and disease diagnosis, not just a one-off identificationnot Anki
  • Someone willing to pay for a more polished interface than the free nonprofit alternativesnot Anki
  • A plant owner who wants toxicity warnings for pets and childrennot Anki
  • A buyer who reads the trial terms carefully and sets a reminder to cancel before it convertsnot Anki

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Anki

  • The interface is functional rather than polished, and new users often find the initial setup, deck creation and add-on ecosystem confusing compared with a guided app like Memrise.
  • iOS users pay a one-time fee of around $24.99 to $29.99 for AnkiMobile while every other platform is free, which is an unusual asymmetry that surprises new users comparing app store prices before they understand it funds development.
  • Anki has no content of its own; a new user gets an empty deck and either has to build cards manually or trust the quality of a community-shared deck of unknown accuracy.
  • The default scheduling algorithm requires understanding concepts like ease factor and interval to tune effectively, and default settings are not optimal for every subject or workload.
  • Shared decks, especially large medical school decks, can carry factual errors or become outdated, and there is no editorial review process verifying their accuracy.

PictureThis

  • The free trial converts to a paid annual subscription automatically, and a documented pattern of user complaints describes unexpected charges when the trial was not cancelled in time.
  • Cancellation has to be done through App Store or Play Store account settings, not by deleting the app, which catches users off guard.
  • It solves the same core identification problem that Seek, PlantNet and Merlin solve for free, so the paid tier is competing against genuinely free options for the same task.
  • Care guidance for uncommon or exotic species is criticised as generic rather than specific.
  • Being a commercial product from a company that publishes near-identical identification apps for other categories, its plant-specific depth is not obviously deeper than a dedicated botanical tool.

Pricing, plan by plan

Anki

Free
  • AnkiFree
    • Desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux are free and open source
    • AnkiDroid on Android is free and open source, built by a separate volunteer team
    • AnkiMobile on iOS is a one-time purchase, commonly $24.99 to $29.99, funding development

PictureThis

On request
  • PictureThis Annual$39.99/year
    • Unlimited plant identifications
    • Disease diagnosis
    • Care reminders and guides

Which should you pick?

Choose Anki if

  • You need spaced repetition scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want cross-platform sync.
Anki review

Choose PictureThis if

  • You need plant identification.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want disease diagnosis.
PictureThis review

Questions people ask

Is Anki or PictureThis better?
Neither clearly leads. Anki starts at Free and PictureThis at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anki or PictureThis?
Anki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Anki and On request for PictureThis.
Does Anki or PictureThis run on more platforms?
Anki runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Web. PictureThis runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Anki for free?
Yes. Anki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PictureThis starts at On request.
What is Anki best used for?
Anki is most often used for a medical student using a large shared deck to memorise anatomy or pharmacology facts on a fixed exam timeline, a language learner building custom vocabulary decks with audio and images tailored to their own study material, a self-directed learner who wants full control over the scheduling algorithm and does not want a subscription, an iphone-only user deciding whether the one-time ankimobile price is worth it versus using the free web interface instead. Of those, a medical student using a large shared deck to memorise anatomy or pharmacology facts on a fixed exam timeline and a language learner building custom vocabulary decks with audio and images tailored to their own study material are not what PictureThis is typically brought in for.
What can Anki do that PictureThis cannot?
Anki covers Spaced repetition scheduling, Cross-platform sync, Shared deck library, Custom card types. PictureThis covers Plant identification, Disease diagnosis, Care reminders, Plant care library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Anki: Why is the iOS app not free when everything else is?

AnkiMobile is a paid one-time purchase, commonly around $24.99 to $29.99, that the developer states directly funds ongoing development of the free desktop apps, AnkiWeb sync and infrastructure used by every platform.

PictureThis: Is there a free version?

A limited free tier exists with restricted identifications and ads; full use requires the paid subscription.

Anki: Is Anki really free on Android?

Yes. AnkiDroid, the Android app, is free and open source, built and maintained by a separate volunteer development team from the desktop project.

PictureThis: How long is the free trial and does it auto-renew?

The trial is typically about seven days and auto-renews into the annual subscription unless cancelled beforehand through your App Store or Play Store settings.

Anki: Do I need to pay for sync?

No. AnkiWeb, used to sync decks and review history across devices, is free.

PictureThis: Is PictureThis the same as PlantNet or Seek?

No. PlantNet and Seek are free nonprofit identification tools; PictureThis is a commercial subscription product with more built-in care features.

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