Remember what you study.
Chickadee is a calm flashcard app for iPhone and the web. Modern spaced repetition, swipe grading, offline study and audio that plays on silent, with ready-made decks that have you studying in 30 seconds.
No account needed. Studying, creating, importing and exporting are free forever.
How it works
Short daily sessions. The app decides what you see, you decide whether you knew it.
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Swipe to grade
See the prompt, tap to reveal the answer, then swipe right if you knew it and left if you didn’t. Two choices, no agonizing over four buttons. Changed your mind? Undo.
← Didn’t knowKnew it →
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Reviews at the right moment
Spaced repetition shows a card again just before you’d forget it. Each time you remember, the gap grows: a day, a few days, weeks, months. Miss it and it comes back sooner. The scheduler is FSRS, the modern open-source algorithm serious learners use.
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03
Works offline
Add it to your Home Screen and study on a plane, on the subway or in a dead zone. Your decks and progress live on your device, and a session you leave picks up where you stopped.
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Audio, even on silent
Recorded audio in the language starter decks plays even when your iPhone’s silent switch is on. Your device’s voice reads everything else, and it follows the silent switch.
Made for the phone in your hand
Big type, thumb-friendly buttons, light and dark mode, and no ads on the study screen. Ever.
Math, typeset properly
Pictures on cards
A clear summary after every set
Today’s reviews at a glance
Start with a ready-made deck
All starter decks →Original decks written for Chickadee, free to study. Pick one and your first session starts right away.
- el hombre Spanish: 500 Core Words 500 cards · A1–A2 AudioDraft
- ¡Hola! Spanish: Travel Phrases 127 cards · A1–A2 AudioDraft
- あ Japanese: Hiragana and Katakana 221 cards · Beginner Draft
- Montevideo World Capitals 195 cards · All levels Draft
- Pierre US State Capitals 50 cards · All levels Draft
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World Flags
195 cards · All levels
ImagesDraft
- the English for Spanish Speakers: 500 Core Words 500 cards · A1–A2 Draft
- 7 × 8 Times Tables 2–12 132 cards · Grades 2–4 Draft
- the English for Portuguese Speakers: 500 Core Words 500 cards · A1–A2 Draft
- ½ = 50% Fractions, Decimals and Percents 83 cards · Grades 5–8 Draft
- aᵐ · aⁿ Algebra Rules 63 cards · Grades 8–12 Draft
- the English for Hindi Speakers: 500 Core Words 500 cards · A1–A2 Draft
- the English for Chinese Speakers: 500 Core Words 500 cards · A1–A2 Draft
- the English for Arabic Speakers: 500 Core Words 500 cards · A1–A2 Draft
- abate Academic Vocabulary: 500 Essential Words 500 cards · Upper intermediate–advanced PremiumDraft
- Fe Periodic Table: All 118 Elements 118 cards · Middle school and up Draft
- What is the form of government of the United States? US Citizenship Civics Test 128 cards · 2025 version Draft
- 1st US Presidents 47 cards · All levels Draft
- How old must you be to apply for a California instruction permit? California Driver's Permit Test 149 cards · 2026 rules Draft
- What is the minimum age for a Florida learner's license? Florida Driver's Permit Test 150 cards · 2026 rules Draft
How it compares
There are good flashcard apps already. Here are the plain facts, so you can choose.
| Chickadee | Anki | Quizlet | Knowt | Brainscape | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription | $4.99/month or $29.99/year (7-day free trial) | None | Plus $7.99/month or $35.99/year; Plus Unlimited $44.99/year | Ultra $14.99–24.99/month or $59.99–149.99/year | $19.99/month or $95.99/year |
| One-time purchase | $79.99 lifetime | AnkiMobile (iOS) $24.99; desktop and AnkiDroid are free | None | None | $199.99 lifetime |
| Free plan | Unlimited studying of your own and starter decks | Everything, on desktop and Android | Create and flip cards; Learn rounds and practice tests are limited | Unlimited sets and every study mode on your own sets | Your own cards; premium decks and AI are paid |
| Ads on the free plan | One banner on list screens, never while you study | None | Yes | Yes (Ultra removes them) | None |
Competitor facts are US App Store prices and plan details checked on October 7, 2026. They change often; check each app for current details. App Store pages: Anki, Quizlet, Knowt, Brainscape.
Free to study. Premium if you want more.
Compare plans →Studying, creating, importing and exporting are free forever. We will never move them behind the paywall.
Free
$0forever
- Unlimited studying, decks and cards
- Import, export and back up
- Core starter decks, with audio
- One small banner on list screens, never while you study
Premium
- Everything in Free, with no ads
- Cloud sync and automatic backup
- Extended starter decks with recorded audio
- Unlimited practice sets (more AI cards and full stats history are planned)
Premium isn’t on sale yet. These are the planned prices; everything in Free is available today.
Questions
More about plans on the pricing page.
Is Chickadee really free?
Yes. Studying, creating decks, importing and exporting are free with no deck or card limits, and they will stay free. The free plan shows one small banner on list screens, never on the study screen. Premium adds extras like cloud sync, extended starter decks and unlimited practice sets.
What is spaced repetition?
A way of scheduling reviews so you see each card again just before you would forget it. Cards you know well come back rarely; cards you miss come back soon. Decades of memory research show it beats cramming for remembering things long term. The app uses FSRS, a modern open-source scheduler.
Do I need an account?
No. Your decks and progress are stored on your device. Accounts will only be needed for Premium’s cloud sync between devices.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once the app is on your Home Screen, studying works without a connection. Adding a starter deck needs a connection once, to download it.
Can I use my own word lists?
Yes. Import a CSV file (for example a two-column word list), a deck package, or type cards in yourself. You can export and back up everything at any time.
What does “Draft” mean on a starter deck?
The deck was written for the app and passed automated checks, but a native speaker or subject expert hasn’t reviewed it yet. Decks are marked verified after that review.
Is there an iPhone app?
Chickadee is a web app built for iPhone first: open it in Safari and add it to your Home Screen, and it runs full screen and offline like a native app. App Store and Google Play versions are planned.