A free Quizlet alternative with no signup
Cardsmith does the part of Quizlet that actually builds memory, flashcards plus a spaced-repetition schedule, for free and without an account. Here’s an honest comparison, and how to bring your sets over.
| Cardsmith | Quizlet | Anki | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paywall | Free tier; Quizlet Plus for learn mode, ad-free etc. | Free on desktop, Android and web; iOS app is paid |
| Account needed | No | Yes | Only for syncing |
| Spaced repetition | Yes (SM-2, per card) | Partly (Learn mode, paid features) | Yes (SM-2 variant or FSRS) |
| AI card generation | Yes, from notes or PDF | Yes (Magic Notes, limited on free plan) | Via add-ons only |
| Cloze (fill-in-the-blank) | Yes | No native cloze | Yes |
| Import | Quizlet/Anki text, CSV, Q:/A: | Text import | Many formats, .apkg decks |
| Printing | Double-sided cut-out cards | Yes | Via add-ons |
| Sync across devices | No (export/backup file) | Yes | Yes (AnkiWeb) |
| Shared/class decks | No | Yes, large library | Shared decks library |
| Where your data lives | Only in your browser | Quizlet servers | Your device + AnkiWeb |
Based on each product’s public feature pages as of September 2026; plans change, so check before you rely on a feature.
Import from Quizlet in four steps
- Open your set on Quizlet and choose ⋯ › Export.
- Keep Tab between term and definition and New line between rows. Copy the text.
- On Cardsmith’s My decks page, create a deck and click Import a list.
- Paste and press Add cards. Then start a study session.
Import from Anki
In Anki choose File › Export › Notes in Plain Text, open the .txt file, copy everything and paste it into Import a list. Basic notes become question/answer cards; cloze notes keep their {{c1::…}} blanks. Review history doesn’t transfer, so cards start fresh. Going the other way works too: Cardsmith’s tab-separated export imports straight into Anki.
Who should switch, and who shouldn’t
Cardsmith fits if you study on your own, want spaced repetition without paying or signing up, and like the idea of pasting notes and getting a draft deck from the AI flashcard generator. It’s also a gentle Anki alternative: the same SM-2 idea, without add-ons, note types or a desktop install.
Stay with Quizlet if your teacher shares sets through it or you rely on games and class features. Stay with Anki if you have tens of thousands of cards, need sync across devices, or use its add-on ecosystem.
Whatever you use, the method matters more than the app: test yourself and space your reviews.
Questions people ask
Is there a free alternative to Quizlet?
Yes. Cardsmith is free with no account: make or import flashcards, study with spaced repetition, generate cards from notes with AI, print cards and track a streak. Anki (free on desktop and Android) and Knowt are other popular free options.
How do I move my Quizlet sets to Cardsmith?
Open your set on Quizlet, choose Export, keep “Tab” between term and definition and “New line” between rows, and copy the text. On Cardsmith, open a deck, click “Import a list”, paste, and add the cards.
How do I move an Anki deck to Cardsmith?
In Anki use File › Export, choose “Notes in Plain Text (.txt)”, and paste the contents into “Import a list”. Cloze notes keep their {{c1::…}} syntax and become fill-in-the-blank cards.
What does Cardsmith not do that Quizlet does?
There is no account sync between devices, no shared class sets and no matching games. Your decks stay in one browser; use Export/Backup to move them. If you need classroom features, Quizlet or Knowt suit you better.