Recall · Guide
An Anki alternative for iPhone that opens your .apkg decks
AnkiMobile is the official Anki app for iPhone and costs $24.99 up front. If you want to try your existing decks on iPhone first, Recall imports Anki .apkg files on the phone, keeps the images and audio, and schedules reviews with FSRS, the same modern algorithm newer Anki versions offer. No account, no ads, nothing uploaded.
| Recall | AnkiMobile | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 3 decks and 300 cards. Pro: $9.99/yr or $19.99 once (US). | $24.99 one-time (US). |
| Opens .apkg files | Yes, on the phone, with embedded images and audio. | Yes. |
| Scheduler | FSRS, with the next interval shown on each grade button. | SM-2 by default, FSRS optional in recent versions. |
| Account / sync | No account. Decks stay on your phone. | Optional AnkiWeb sync across devices. |
| Review history | Not imported: cards start fresh in FSRS. | Kept when you sync. |
| Add-ons, custom note types | No add-ons. Advanced note types import as front and back. | Full Anki note types and templates. |
How to move an Anki deck to Recall
- In Anki on your computer, choose File → Export, pick “Anki Deck Package (*.apkg)” and the deck you want.
- Tick “Include media” so pictures and sound come along, and tick “Support older Anki versions”. Recall reads the classic collection format, and newer Anki versions only add it when this box is ticked.
- Send the .apkg file to your iPhone: AirDrop, email it to yourself, or save it to iCloud Drive or Files.
- Install Recall, tap Import, choose “Import Anki .apkg” and pick the file. Your cards appear in a few seconds.
- Tap Study. Grade each card Again, Hard, Good or Easy; Recall shows the interval each button will set before you tap.
What comes across, and what does not
- Comes across: every note's front and back, cloze cards, and images and audio stored in the deck.
- Starts fresh: review history and due dates. FSRS learns your memory again from your first reviews.
- Flattened: sub-decks become one deck named after the deck you exported. Export sub-decks one at a time to keep them apart.
- Simplified: note types with more than two fields keep the first field as the question and the second as the answer.
Who should stay with Anki
If you rely on add-ons, custom card templates, or syncing the same collection between a computer and a phone every day, AnkiMobile and AnkiWeb do that and Recall does not. Recall is for people who want their decks on an iPhone without an account, and a calmer study screen.
Coming from Quizlet instead?
Export a Quizlet set as text (term and definition separated by a tab), copy it, and use Import → “Paste Quizlet export” in Recall. CSV files with a front and back column work too.
What it costs
Importing and studying are free for up to 3 decks and 300 cards, with the full FSRS scheduler. Recall Pro is $2.99 a month, $9.99 a year or $19.99 once in the US (₹299, ₹999 or ₹1,999 in India). Store prices can change, so check the App Store listing before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Recall open .apkg files?
- Yes. Tap Import, choose “Import Anki .apkg” and pick the file from Files, iCloud Drive or an email attachment. Everything is read on your phone.
- My import shows one card saying to update Anki. What happened?
- The deck was exported in Anki's newest format. Export it again with “Support older Anki versions” ticked and import that file.
- Are images and audio kept?
- Yes, if you ticked “Include media” when exporting. Pictures show on the card and audio plays with a tap.
- Does Recall sync with AnkiWeb?
- No. Recall has no account and keeps decks on your phone. Import again if you change a deck in Anki.
- Is Recall on Android?
- Not yet. It is iPhone only for now.
Try Recall, offline flashcards that open your Anki decks.