Kalend is the better app overall, scoring 9.6 to 8.8. Kalend wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Anki on 1.
People who want tasks, a calendar, habits and a journal in one private, free app
Med students, language learners and anyone memorizing large volumes of facts
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Kalend | Anki |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Learning |
| Category rank | #1 of 10 | #3 of 8 |
| Developer | The Big Head | Damien Elmes and AnkiHub |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | — | ✓ |
| Linux | — | ✓ |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Kalend
- Four planners in one, with nothing locked behind a paywall
- Seven themes that make it feel like a real paper diary
- No account or ads; syncs privately through your own iCloud
- Apple devices only, with no Android, Windows or web app
- No shared lists or team features
Kalend puts your to-do list, calendar, habit tracker and journal in one calm app that feels like a paper diary, not a busy dashboard. Plan the day, group tasks into projects with progress bars, see appointments beside your Apple Calendar, build habits and write about your day by typing or talking. Seven themes give it real personality. No account, no ads, no subscription, and it syncs privately through your own iCloud.
Full Kalend review
Anki
- Smart scheduling means less review time for the same recall
- Free and open source on desktop, Android and the web
- Fully customizable cards, decks and study settings
- Dated interface with a steep learning curve
- The iPhone and iPad app, AnkiMobile, is a paid download
Anki is the most effective flashcard tool you can use, if you are willing to put in the work. Its spaced repetition scheduler, including the newer FSRS option, shows each card just before you would forget it. It is free and open source everywhere except iPhone, where AnkiMobile is a one-time purchase. The catch: the interface is dated and setup takes effort. Ideal for med students and serious language learners.
Full Anki review
