Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Neuraknow, FSRS, privacy, and how the app compares to alternatives.

What is Neuraknow?

Neuraknow is a free spaced-repetition app for iOS and Android. It helps you remember what you learn by scheduling reviews at expanding intervals, using the FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler) algorithm to predict when you are about to forget each card and surfacing it just before that point. All data stays on your device — no account, no cloud, no tracking.

Is Neuraknow free?

Yes, Neuraknow is completely free. There is no premium tier, no subscription, no ads, and no in-app purchases. The developer accepts optional tips through Buy Me a Coffee for users who want to support the project, but the app itself has no paid features.

Does Neuraknow use FSRS?

Yes. Neuraknow is built around FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler), the open-source algorithm developed by Jarrett Ye and the Open Spaced Repetition project. FSRS predicts the probability that you will remember a card on a given day and schedules the next review when that probability hits a target you set, typically around 90 percent. It outperforms older algorithms like SM-2 by modeling each card's difficulty, stability, and retrievability rather than using fixed multipliers.

Does Neuraknow require an account?

No. Neuraknow does not require an account, sign-up, or email address. You install the app and start using it immediately. There is no cloud sync because there is no cloud — all data lives on your device.

Is Neuraknow private?

Yes. Neuraknow stores all data locally in a SQLite database on your device. Nothing is sent to any server. There is no analytics, no telemetry, no crash reporting, and no tracking. The developer has no way of knowing who uses the app or how. See the full privacy policy for details.

What platforms does Neuraknow support?

Neuraknow is available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android. There is no web or desktop version at this time.

How is Neuraknow different from Anki?

Anki is the long-standing standard for spaced repetition and is more configurable, with note types, deck options, scheduler tuning, and a large add-on ecosystem. Neuraknow is designed for people who want the science of spaced repetition without the setup tax — no account creation, no deck configuration, no add-ons, no scheduler tuning. Both apps are free. Neuraknow uses FSRS by default; Anki added FSRS as an option in 2023.

What is spaced repetition?

Spaced repetition is a study technique where you review information at expanding intervals — a day later, then a few days, then a week, then longer — instead of cramming it all at once. Each review, done with active recall (trying to remember before checking), strengthens the memory trace and slows the next decay. It dramatically improves long-term retention compared to re-reading or highlighting. The blog post "How spaced repetition actually works" explains the science in depth.

Does Neuraknow sync between devices?

No. Because Neuraknow stores all data locally and has no server, there is no cross-device sync. If you install Neuraknow on a new device, you start with an empty database. This is a deliberate trade-off to guarantee privacy: no data ever leaves your device.

Who built Neuraknow?

Neuraknow is built by Abid Waqar, an independent developer. It is a personal project, not a company-backed product, built with Flutter, with all data stored locally on the user's device. There are no investors, no external funding, and no plans to monetize. See the about page for more.

What is the best free spaced repetition app?

The two leading free spaced-repetition apps are Anki and Neuraknow. Anki is more configurable and has been the standard for over 15 years; Neuraknow is newer, mobile-first, and uses FSRS by default with sensible defaults so you can start without configuring anything. RemNote and Mochi are also options, but they have free tiers with limits rather than being fully free. For users who want the simplest possible start on iPhone or Android, Neuraknow is the lowest-friction option.