Mochi (often called Mochi Cards, after its domain) has a loyal following among people who like plain text. Cards are written in Markdown, the app runs on nearly every platform, and you can use it offline without creating an account. MintDeck comes from a different direction: an iPhone and iPad app built around FSRS, Anki import, and audio study.
Both are good tools. They suit different people, and this post tries to make clear which one fits you.
The Quick Summary
Choose MintDeck if: You study mostly on an iPhone or iPad, want FSRS on by default with four-button grading, want free sync across your Apple devices, and like the idea of hands-free audio review.
Choose Mochi if: You write in Markdown, study on Windows, Linux, Android, or the web as well as Apple devices, and want a minimal, text-first tool you can run without an account.
The Core Difference: Plain Text vs Phone-First
Mochi treats cards as Markdown documents. A separator turns one note into a multi-sided card, and templates with fields cover structured cards like vocabulary. You can import a folder of Markdown files (one card per file) or split a single file into cards. If your notes already live in Markdown, Mochi feels natural.
MintDeck uses a visual editor on your phone. You type a front and back, add your own images or audio, write formulas in LaTeX, and tag or file cards into folders. It also has image occlusion for diagrams and reverse cards for two-way recall. The workflow is built around the phone rather than around text files.
Spaced Repetition
| MintDeck | Mochi | |
|---|---|---|
| Default algorithm | FSRS | Mochi's own multiplier-based scheduler |
| FSRS | ✅ On by default | ✅ Optional (Settings → Review Settings) |
| Grading | Again / Hard / Good / Easy | Remembered / Forgot |
Mochi's documentation says it uses its own algorithm by default: remembering a card multiplies its interval upward, forgetting shrinks it. FSRS is available as a switch in settings, and switching keeps each card's review history. Grading stays binary either way, which Mochi's docs note loses the extra signal that Hard and Easy would give FSRS.
MintDeck runs FSRS from the first review, with four rating buttons. That gives the algorithm more information per review. Binary grading has its own appeal: it's faster and leaves less room for second-guessing. If you want the details, see how FSRS works.
Price
| MintDeck | Mochi | |
|---|---|---|
| Core study | Free | Free, no account needed |
| Sync between devices | ✅ Free (iCloud) | Pro only |
| Paid plan | One-time credit pack: $4.99 for 400 AI credits | Pro: $5/month billed annually |
| AI | 10 free credits, then pay per use | Metered monthly allowances (small on free, larger on Pro) |
This is the clearest dividing line. Mochi's free plan works offline with no account; syncing between devices needs Pro, along with deck publishing, dynamic fields, and bigger AI allowances. If you stop paying, sync and the other Pro features end at the end of the billing period.
MintDeck syncs your decks and progress through iCloud for free. The only thing you ever pay for is cloud AI, bought as credits with no subscription, and purchased credits don't expire. See what's free and what costs credits for the full price list.
AI and Audio
Mochi offers AI through what it calls dynamic fields and AI services: translation, text-to-speech, dictionary lookups, transcription, and AI completions. Each has a monthly allowance. On the free plan the allowances are small (Mochi's pricing page lists 200 characters of text-to-speech, for example); Pro raises them substantially. For language learners, auto-translation and speech fields built into templates are useful.
MintDeck uses AI to build and enrich decks: generate a deck from a topic (about 1 credit per card), turn a PDF or image into cards (10–30 credits per job), generate images, or add notes and mnemonics. On devices with Apple Intelligence, mnemonics and notes run on-device for free. Every charge is shown on a confirmation sheet first.
For audio, MintDeck has a hands-free Audio Study mode that reads the front, pauses for you to recall, then reads the back. It runs on free on-device voices, so it doesn't draw on any allowance.
Import and Export
| MintDeck | Mochi | |
|---|---|---|
Anki .apkg | ✅ Cards, media, tags, review history | ✅ With review history; CSS/JS removed, HTML converted to Markdown |
| CSV | ✅ | ✅ (with attachments) |
| Quizlet sets | ✅ Via CSV (guide) | Via CSV |
Both apps bring in Anki decks with review history. Mochi's docs recommend cleaning up an Anki deck before export, since it removes CSS and JavaScript and converts templates. Plain two-sided decks come through well; heavily styled ones may need tidying. MintDeck's Anki import guide walks through its version.
Mochi can also import a folder of Markdown files directly, while MintDeck's importers are built for CSV and Anki files. If your study notes already live in Markdown files, that's a real advantage for Mochi.
Platforms
| MintDeck | Mochi | |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone / iPad | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mac | Via iCloud | ✅ Native |
| Windows / Linux | ❌ | ✅ |
| Android | ❌ | ✅ |
| Web | ❌ | ✅ |
Mochi wins on reach. It runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and in a browser. One caveat from Mochi's own docs: without Pro, the web version keeps data in browser storage, which browsers can occasionally clear. MintDeck is Apple-only, and the iPhone app is its main focus.
Who Should Use MintDeck
- iPhone and iPad learners who want free sync across Apple devices
- Students who want FSRS working from day one with four-button grading
- People bringing Anki or Quizlet decks to their phone
- Commuters and anyone who wants hands-free audio review
Who Should Use Mochi
- Markdown users who want cards in the same format as their notes
- People who study on Windows, Linux, Android, or the web
- Learners who prefer simple Remembered / Forgot grading
- Language learners who'll use translation and speech fields on Pro
The Honest Verdict
Mochi is a thoughtful, plain-text tool. If you live in Markdown, study across non-Apple devices, or like a minimal app you can use offline without an account, it's an excellent choice, and $5 a month billed annually for Pro is a fair price for sync and its AI services.
If your studying happens on an iPhone or iPad, MintDeck gives you more without a subscription: FSRS by default with full four-button grading, free iCloud sync, Anki import on the phone, image occlusion, and audio study on free voices. You only pay if you want AI to write cards for you.
Try MintDeck free — import a deck and study today →
Compare more: MintDeck vs Anki · MintDeck vs Noji · MintDeck vs RemNote · MintDeck vs Brainscape · MintDeck vs Quizlet
Related: Best spaced repetition apps 2026 · Best Anki alternative for iPhone · The science of learning
Frequently asked questions
- Does Mochi use FSRS?
- Optionally. Mochi's documentation says it schedules reviews with its own algorithm by default, and you can switch to FSRS in Review Settings. Reviews in Mochi are graded as Remembered or Forgot. MintDeck uses FSRS by default with four rating buttons (Again, Hard, Good, Easy) and nothing to configure.
- Is Mochi free?
- Mochi's core app is free to use offline with no account. Syncing between devices requires Mochi Pro, listed at $5 per month billed annually, which also adds deck publishing, dynamic fields, and larger AI allowances. MintDeck's study loop and iCloud sync are both free; only optional AI generation costs credits.
- Can I import Anki decks into Mochi and MintDeck?
- Yes. Mochi imports Anki .apkg files with review history, but it strips CSS and JavaScript and converts HTML to Markdown, so styled cards may look different. MintDeck imports .apkg files with cards, media, tags, deck structure, and review history.
- Which is better for writing cards in Markdown?
- Mochi. Its cards are written in Markdown, with templates, fields, and Markdown file import, which suits people who keep notes in plain text. MintDeck is built around an on-phone card editor, with LaTeX for formulas and importers for CSV and Anki files.
Written by
Sergiu Puscas · Creator of MintDeck
Sergiu builds MintDeck and writes every guide and comparison on this blog — drawing on building an FSRS-based flashcard app and hands-on testing of the study apps covered here.
More about Sergiu
