Anki
The Digital Flashcard App That Language Learners Swear By
Image by: Gustavo Fring
By Hanyu Tales (1st April 2025)
Anki is a digital flashcard app that is used by a huge number of language learners seeking to boost their vocabulary. It uses spaced repetition, which is described in a revision article by Birmingham City university as:
“a scientifically proven method that involves reviewing information at closer intervals, boosting your memory, and making it less likely you’ll forget everything. Studies show it can significantly improve learning and reduce the time spent studying”
Anki has gained what some may describe as a cult following, so in this article we will look at the research on its efficacy as a vocabulary-learning tool, to see if its popularity is justified. Outperforms Paper Flashcards
As a digital flashcard app, the first group that Anki has to win over is the traditional, paper-based flashcard group. This paper covers some of the advantages of loading up Anki over whipping out your deck of hand-made cards, such as unlimited storage and the ability to quickly add multimedia content (e.g. GIFs). The research generally seems to suggest that such advantages result in better learning, such as this paper, which found that digital flashcards outperformed traditional flashcards for lower-level learners. In addition, an Iranian study on EFL learners showed:
“There was a significant improvement in L2 vocabulary learning with digital and non-digital flashcards, but the Anki app was more effective.”
It is important to note, however, that this study did not suggest paper-based flashcards were ineffective. In fact, a study on EFL students at two Japanese universities found no significant difference between digital and paper flashcards. Therefore, while a quick online search will show that the research does seem to favour digital flashcards, if you enjoy making non-digital flashcards then we are certainly not telling you to stop doing so. Outperforming Traditional Methods
Okay, so digital flashcards outperform non-digital flashcards, but how does Anki stack up against other traditional learning methods? One study found that:
“The vocabulary mastery level of students in class VIII B, as the experimental class given treatment using Anki, significantly improved after regularly using Anki to memorize vocabulary. In contrast, the control class, which used conventional memorization methods, did not show a significant improvement as seen in the experimental class.”
This was not an isolated event either, as another study revealed: “These findings suggest that digital flashcards are more effective than traditional methods for learning and long-term retention of technical vocabulary in higher education settings, likely due to the enhanced engagement and interactive features offered by mobile-assisted learning platforms.”
An important thing to note about these findings is that flashcards do not just encourage short-term retention, but also support words sticking in students’ long-term memory. Furthermore, if Anki is able to cement “technical vocabulary”, then intuition would suggest it should have no issues cementing general language which will likely have more context and be seen outside of Anki more frequently. Long-term Retention
Sticking with the topic of long-term retention, this is one of the main purposes of using a spaced-repetition system. Students want to be assured that the time they spend flicking through flashcards will actually help them retain new vocabulary; fortunately, research suggests that it will. Quantitative data on EFL students showed that using Anki significantly improved both vocabulary acquisition and retention. This study also showed the same positive effects on retention. On the other hand, this paper argues that not only does Anki help with long-term retention, but that: 
“The Anki group displayed a deeper understanding of vocabulary concepts beyond simply memorizing definitions.”
This is an important detail, as Anki critics sometimes claim that the software has limits when it comes to truly understanding a new word. Image by: Anna Shvets (cropped)
Convenience Encourages Consistency
One of the likely reasons for Anki’s positive impact on language students is the convenience it offers. You will hear time and time again in language-learning circles that consistency matters more than using the optimal approach—Anki makes it extremely easy to be consistent when it comes to reviewing vocabulary. One reason for this is the customisation it offers, which was highlighted in a paper on using Anki to acquire Mandarin vocabulary. Another huge plus, highlighted in this thesis, is that Anki can be used on various platforms, online and offline. This reduces the barriers between students and app usage, which is crucial because a study on 24 EFL students in Ecuador found that:
“Positive correlations between app usage patterns and vocabulary gains underscored the importance of active and consistent engagement.”
In addition, the convenience that Anki offers and encouragement to be consistent leads to positive momentum which carries through to other areas of study, the importance of which is explained here: “Instilling in students good study habits, self learning strategies, and the confidence and autonomy necessary for them to take control over their own language learning process”
It’s Not All Fun and Games
Despite the endless list of positives that Anki boasts, it would be prudent to note that no single learning resource is for everyone. One study found that some students were reluctant to use Anki, claiming it offered them little enjoyment. Meanwhile, qualitative insights from a student questionnaire about Anki mentioned technical issues and the need for more engaging content. Anything that has a firm spot in the language-learning toolbox is bound to receive criticism, and a quick Google search will bring up plenty of articles with reasons why Anki is not a good option for language learners. However, the majority of language learners and researchers are in favour of Anki, so it would be foolish to not at least give it a go.
Best Practices
In terms of how to best leverage Anki, opinions are split in terms of how many cards per day you should do, whether you should use pre-built decks or not, what should be on the front and back of the card, as well as more obscure sub-topics. Therefore, to avoid causing a fight, we will focus on some universal guidelines that will more than likely improve your experience with Anki.
- Daily Limit: Keep your daily limit low to begin with—perhaps 5 new cards per day—consistency is key and you can always increase it later. Lengthy review sessions will make you dread using Anki and negatively affect your focus.
- Pronunciation Information: If possible, try to include audio clips or pronunciation information (e.g. pinyin for Chinese learners) on the card.
- Hanping Chinese Dictionary Pro: For Chinese learners, we highly recommend this app. You can search for any word and then, in one tap, export the word to Anki with native-speaker audio and a detailed translation.
- Be Yourself: This paper reminds us that users’ individual needs are what matters when it comes to creating effective flashcards. Do not let anyone tell you your approach is wrong if you feel it is what will help you be consistent because, once again, consistency trumps all.