Anki

Anki is a powerful, open-source flashcard program that utilizes spaced repetition (SRS) to make remembering things easy and efficient. Originally released in 2006 by Damien Elmes, Anki has evolved from a simple memorization tool into the industry standard for high-stakes learning, widely adopted by medical students, polyglots, and programmers. Unlike standard flashcard apps that rely on simple rote usage, Anki employs sophisticated algorithms—traditionally SuperMemo 2 (SM-2) and now the advanced FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler)—to predict exactly when you are about to forget information and schedule a review for that precise moment. In 2026, Anki remains distinct because of its uncompromising flexibility and 'content-agnostic' nature; it handles text, images, audio, video, and scientific markup (LaTeX) with equal ease. For Mac users, the application runs natively on Apple Silicon, offering a snappy, battery-efficient experience that integrates deeply with macOS through a vast ecosystem of Python-based add-ons. While it has a steeper learning curve than competitors like Quizlet, its ability to handle hundreds of thousands of cards without performance degradation makes it the definitive choice for long-term knowledge retention and mastery.