Softwr

Education · head to head

Anki vs Star Walk 2

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
Star Walk 2 logo

Star Walk 2

Education

Freemium stargazing app with a low-cost ad-free upgrade, aimed at casual sky watchers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Star Walk 2 its object catalogue is far smaller than SkySafari Pro, so it has little to offer once someone wants to go beyond naked-eye stargazing.
  • They diverge on capability: Anki covers Spaced repetition scheduling, Star Walk 2 covers Augmented reality sky view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anki and Star Walk 2 actually diverge.

Attributes where Anki and Star Walk 2 differ
AttributeAnkiStar Walk 2
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence fee except a paid iOS appFreemium, low-cost ad-free subscription upgrade
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, WebiOS, Android, macOS, Windows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Star Walk 2

  • Augmented reality sky view
  • Time travel mode
  • Satellite tracking
  • Night mode
  • Meteor shower and event alerts
  • Ad-free Plus tier

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 Star Walk 2
  • A language learner building custom vocabulary decks with audio and images tailored to their own study materialnot Star Walk 2
  • A self-directed learner who wants full control over the scheduling algorithm and does not want a subscriptionnot Star Walk 2
  • An iPhone-only user deciding whether the one-time AnkiMobile price is worth it versus using the free web interface insteadnot Star Walk 2

Star Walk 2

  • A parent wanting a cheap, simple app to show a child the night skynot Anki
  • A traveller who wants to identify stars and planets without a big subscription commitmentnot Anki
  • A casual stargazer who does not need telescope control or a deep-sky cataloguenot Anki
  • Someone wanting satellite pass tracking including the ISS on a budgetnot 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.

Star Walk 2

  • Its object catalogue is far smaller than SkySafari Pro, so it has little to offer once someone wants to go beyond naked-eye stargazing.
  • It has no telescope control, unlike SkySafari Plus and Pro, so it cannot drive a motorised mount.
  • The free tier carries ads, which some users find intrusive during a stargazing session.
  • It shares a visual style with many similar AR sky map apps, so its differentiation beyond price is limited.
  • Content depth for deep-sky objects and satellite catalogues lags noticeably behind Sky Guide Pro and SkySafari Pro.

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

Star Walk 2

Free
  • Star Walk 2Free
    • Core sky map and AR view
    • Ad-supported
  • Star Walk 2 Plus$5.99/year
    • Ads removed
    • Additional sky content

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 Star Walk 2 if

  • You need augmented reality sky view.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want time travel mode.
Star Walk 2 review

Questions people ask

Is Anki or Star Walk 2 better?
Neither clearly leads. Anki starts at Free and Star Walk 2 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anki or Star Walk 2?
Anki starts at Free and Star Walk 2 at Free.
Does Anki or Star Walk 2 run on more platforms?
Anki runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Web. Star Walk 2 runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Anki for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Star Walk 2 is typically brought in for.
What can Anki do that Star Walk 2 cannot?
Anki covers Spaced repetition scheduling, Cross-platform sync, Shared deck library, Custom card types. Star Walk 2 covers Augmented reality sky view, Time travel mode, Satellite tracking, Night mode.

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.

Star Walk 2: Is Star Walk 2 free?

A free ad-supported version exists; Star Walk 2 Plus removes ads and adds content for a low annual or monthly fee.

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.

Star Walk 2: Does it support telescope control?

No. For telescope control, SkySafari Plus or Pro is the better choice.

Anki: Do I need to pay for sync?

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

Star Walk 2: How does it compare to SkySafari on price?

It is substantially cheaper, but with a much smaller star and deep-sky object catalogue.

Share

Related pages

More on Anki

More on Star Walk 2

Keep looking

Other head to heads