Migration Guide
Switch from Anki to FlashcardBuddy
Import your decks. Keep your progress.
Your SRS Progress is Preserved
When you import an Anki deck into FlashcardBuddy, your spaced repetition data comes with it. Card intervals, ease factors, due dates, review counts, and lapse history are all imported. A card you've been reviewing for months won't suddenly become "new" again. You pick up exactly where you left off. This matters because spaced repetition is built on decades of memory research: without it, roughly 70% of new information is lost within 24 hours (Ebbinghaus, 1885, Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology) . A meta-analysis of 254 studies confirmed that distributed practice significantly outperforms cramming (Cepeda et al., 2006, Psychological Bulletin) , and active retrieval practice improves retention by roughly 50% compared to re-reading (Karpicke & Roediger, 2008, Science) . Losing your scheduling data means losing all that carefully optimized spacing.
How to Migrate in 4 Steps
Export from Anki
Open Anki on your desktop and go to File > Export.
Select Anki Deck Package (.apkg) as the export format.
Choose the deck to export, or select "All Decks" for everything.
Make sure "Include scheduling information" and "Include media" are both checked.
Click Export and save the .apkg file.
Create a FlashcardBuddy Account
Sign up for free. No credit card required.
You can use email, Google, or Apple Sign-In.
The free tier includes 3 deck generations and access to all study features including spaced repetition.
Import Your .apkg File
Once logged in, go to the Anki import page.
Click "Choose File" and select your exported .apkg file.
FlashcardBuddy processes the file automatically, importing cards, scheduling data, review history, and media.
Large decks may take a minute to process.
Start Studying
Your imported decks appear in your dashboard immediately.
Cards that were due in Anki are due here. Cards scheduled for next week stay scheduled for next week.
Start a study session and continue right where you left off. No re-learning required.
What Gets Imported
Cards (front and back)
All text content, formatting, and card structure.
Scheduling data
Intervals, ease factors, due dates. Your SRS progress stays intact.
Review history
Review counts, lapse counts, and review timestamps.
Media files
Images and audio embedded in your cards.
Cloze deletions
Cloze cards are imported and work as expected.
Complex custom templates
Cards with custom HTML/CSS templates are simplified to clean formatting. Content is preserved; custom styling is not.
Anki add-on functionality
Add-on behaviors are Anki-specific and don't carry over. Card content created by add-ons is imported normally.
JavaScript-based cards
Cards that use JavaScript in their templates are not supported. These are rare and typically from advanced add-ons.
Anki vs FlashcardBuddy
| Anki | FlashcardBuddy | |
|---|---|---|
| SRS algorithm | Yes | Yes (same) |
| Setup time | Hours (config + add-ons) | Minutes |
| AI card generation | ||
| Cloud sync | Manual | Automatic |
| Learn mode | Free | |
| Practice tests | Free | |
| Customization | Extensive | Standard |
| Price | Free (iOS $24.99) | Free / $14.99 semester |
Anki
- SRS
- Yes
- Setup time
- Hours
- AI generation
- No
- Sync
- Manual
- Customization
- Extensive
- Price
- Free (iOS $24.99)
FlashcardBuddy
- SRS
- Same algorithm
- Setup time
- Minutes
- AI generation
- Free + Paid
- Sync
- Automatic
- Customization
- Standard
- Price
- Free / $14.99 sem
What You Gain
- A clean, modern interface that doesn't require a tutorial
- AI card generation from PDFs, notes, and text
- Max, an AI tutor that tests your understanding
- Automatic cloud sync across all your devices
- No add-on compatibility issues between versions
What Changes
- Custom HTML/CSS card templates become standard formatting
- Anki add-on features are not available
- Advanced SRS parameter tuning is simplified
- Web-based instead of desktop-native (requires internet)
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I import my Anki decks into FlashcardBuddy?
- Export your deck from Anki as a .apkg file (File > Export > Anki Deck Package), create a FlashcardBuddy account, then upload the .apkg file through the import page. Your cards, scheduling data, and media will be imported automatically.
- Is my Anki SRS progress preserved when I import?
- Yes. FlashcardBuddy preserves your card intervals, ease factors, due dates, review counts, and lapse counts. A card you've been reviewing for six months won't reset to new. It picks up right where you left off.
- What Anki data gets imported into FlashcardBuddy?
- Cards (front and back content), scheduling data (intervals, ease factors, due dates), review history (review counts, lapse counts), media files (images and audio), and cloze deletions are all imported. Complex custom HTML/CSS templates are simplified to clean formatting.
- Can I import multiple Anki decks at once?
- You can import one .apkg file at a time, but each file can contain multiple decks. If you export your entire Anki collection as a single .apkg file, all decks will be imported with their hierarchy preserved.
- What happens to Anki add-on functionality after import?
- Anki add-on features (like custom JavaScript cards or specialized review modes) are not carried over, since they depend on Anki's desktop plugin system. Card content is imported; add-on behaviors are not. Most standard card types import without issues.
Ready to Make the Switch?
Your Anki decks, your SRS progress, a better interface. Import takes minutes.
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