Anki has been the default choice for serious learners since 2006. Its spaced repetition algorithm is battle-tested, its community has produced decks for every conceivable subject, and it is completely free on desktop. But Anki has real problems that its defenders often dismiss: a confusing interface, inconsistent mobile experience, and a study loop that treats every card as an isolated island.
Gridually approaches memory differently. Instead of an infinite queue of cards, it gives every fact a fixed position in a visual grid. You are not just recalling answers - you are building a spatial map of a subject. This article breaks down where each tool wins and where it falls short.
Anki's algorithm is the most mathematically rigorous free option available. The SM-2 variant it uses has decades of research behind it and genuinely optimizes review intervals for long-term retention. The community deck library is unmatched - AnkiWeb hosts over 10,000 shared decks covering medical licensing exams, language proficiency tests, and niche academic subjects. Anki also runs on every platform and syncs via AnkiWeb for free on desktop. If you need raw retention power and are willing to invest time in setup, Anki is hard to beat.
Gridually wins on cognitive structure. When facts occupy fixed grid positions, your brain builds a spatial index alongside the factual memory. This is not a gimmick - spatial encoding is a well-documented mnemonic technique, and Gridually automates it without requiring the learner to manually build memory palaces. The interface is also dramatically simpler: you open a grid, you play, you learn. There is no scheduler configuration, no deck hierarchy to design, no add-on ecosystem to navigate. For learners who find Anki's setup friction stops them from studying consistently, Gridually removes that barrier entirely.
Anki is the right choice if you need maximum algorithm control, access to community decks, and are studying for high-stakes exams with established Anki resources. Gridually is the right choice if you want structured spatial learning without configuration overhead, or if you study subjects where relational context matters as much as individual facts. Gridually's spatial encoding is based on memory research from the University of Chicago, University of Bonn, and Macquarie University.
Anki dominates medical school because of AnkiMed decks and deep community support. Gridually is stronger for learners who struggle to retain isolated facts and benefit from seeing how concepts cluster together spatially. Many users find Gridually more effective for anatomy and pathophysiology where spatial relationships matter.
Gridually has a growing library of curated grid packs. It does not yet match Anki's 10,000-plus community decks, but the packs that exist are quality-reviewed and formatted specifically for spatial learning.
Direct .apkg import is on the roadmap. Currently the fastest path is exporting your Anki deck as a CSV and using Gridually's bulk import tool.