Knowt or Gizmo? Pick Knowt if you want the study modes free (its Learn mode has no round limit), a website as good as the app, and AP, SAT or ACT material in the same place. Pick Gizmo if you want to pull in decks and files from everywhere (Quizlet, Anki, YouTube, PowerPoint) and like review that plays like a game, and you can live with its Hearts limit or pay for Unlimited.
A disclosure first: we make Synt, a third option described near the end, so this is not a neutral review. We only state what we checked, and we say where each app is better. Prices and features come from the official US App Store listings, Knowt's pricing page and Gizmo's help center, checked on 8 November 2026.
The short answer
Knowt (US App Store, 4.7 stars from about 11,300 ratings) describes itself as an all-in-one study app used by 7 million students. Its AI turns notes, PDFs and lecture videos into flashcards and practice tests; you can grab sets from Quizlet; and it has Learn, Practice Test, Match and spaced repetition modes, AI note-taking, an Exams tab with free AP study guides, and millions of shared flashcard sets and class notes. Everything syncs between app and website.
Gizmo (US App Store, 4.8 stars from about 17,000 ratings) is an AI flashcard app built around "AI Import" from Quizlet, Anki, YouTube, PDFs, notes and PowerPoint, plus scanning handwritten notes. You study with quizzes, spaced repetition and active recall, with leaderboards and study games, an AI tutor and over a million free public flashcards.
Comparison table
| Knowt | Gizmo | |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | Flashcards, notes and exam prep | Importing material into flashcards, played like a game |
| Make cards from your material | Notes, PDFs, lecture videos; sets from Quizlet | Quizlet, Anki, YouTube, PDF, notes, PowerPoint; scanned handwritten notes |
| Study modes | Learn (free, unlimited rounds), Practice Test, Match, spaced repetition | Quizzes with multiple-choice and written questions, spaced repetition |
| Free limit | Free plan with unlimited file creation; the AI summarizers and voice tutor are Ultra | Hearts: 15, a wrong answer costs one, then a 10-minute wait |
| Exam content | Free AP study guides in the app; full AP, SAT and ACT prep is Ultra | Not listed |
| Shared content | 5 million resources (sets, notes, guides) | 1M+ free public flashcards |
| Game elements | Not a focus | Leaderboards, study games, Hearts |
| Paid plan (US) | Knowt Ultra: $95.99 a year (shown as $7.99 a month) or $24.99 a month on the web | Gizmo Unlimited: in-app options from $6.99 to $154.99 |
Sources: the Knowt and Gizmo US App Store listings, Knowt's pricing page and Gizmo's help article on Hearts. Gizmo has no public pricing page and the App Store doesn't say which period each Gizmo Unlimited price covers. Knowt's App Store list shows other Ultra prices ($9.99 to $149.99), so the in-app price can differ from the web.
What each one costs
Knowt has a free Basic plan: unlimited file creation, live collaboration and storage, and access to 5 million resources. Ultra costs $95.99 a year billed up front (the page shows it as $7.99 a month) or $24.99 month to month, and adds no ads, the AI summarizer for PDFs, videos, images and PowerPoint, the lecture recording summarizer, an AI podcast generator, an AI voice tutor on all files and full access to AP, SAT and ACT prep.
Gizmo is free to download with free public flashcards. Its free version runs on Hearts: you start with 15, every wrong answer in Memorise mode costs one, and when they run out you wait 10 minutes. Gizmo Unlimited removes that; the US App Store lists it between $6.99 and $154.99, plus coin packs from $1.99.
Where Knowt is better
Free study modes. Knowt's listing calls out "Free Learn mode" with unlimited rounds, and the free plan has no cap on the sets you create. On Gizmo, a bad quiz session can run you out of Hearts.
Notes and the web. Knowt does notes as well as flashcards, and the website is a full version of the app. If you study on a laptop, that matters.
AP, SAT and ACT. The Exams tab has free AP study guides, flashcards and practice tests, with full prep in Ultra. Gizmo's listing doesn't mention exam-specific content.
Where Gizmo is better
Imports. Gizmo names more sources: Quizlet, Anki, YouTube, PDF, notes, PowerPoint and photos of handwritten notes. Knowt names notes, PDFs, videos and Quizlet.
Motivation. Leaderboards, study games and Hearts turn review into a game. If streaks keep you studying, Gizmo is built for that.
Focus. Fewer tabs, no notes editor, no exam catalogue: just cards and quizzes.
A third option: Synt
This is ours. Synt starts from your notes too (pasted text, a link or photos of your pages), but instead of a deck it generates a summary, a 20-question quiz, flashcards and a concept map from that material, then plans short sessions up to your exam date: it brings back the questions you got wrong (reworded) and puts a mock exam the day before.
On the web, the free plan covers pasted text, links and photos, including the study plan. PDF upload and YouTube are Pro, at €4.99 a week, €9.99 a month or €29.99 a year on synt.app's pricing page, with a 3-day trial; App Store prices are set per country.
Where Synt is weaker: no shared sets or notes, no imports from Quizlet or Anki, no AP catalogue, no leaderboards. Try the notes to quiz tool without an account, or see how the study planner lays out the days.
How to choose
You want free, unlimited review and study on a laptop: Knowt.
You're preparing for AP, SAT or ACT: Knowt, with Ultra for the full prep.
Your cards live in Quizlet, Anki, PowerPoint and YouTube: Gizmo.
Leaderboards keep you going: Gizmo.
You have your own notes and a test date: Synt plans the days for you.
Also compared: Gizmo vs Quizlet, Knowt vs Quizlet and Knowunity vs Gizmo.
Knowt vs Gizmo: FAQ
Is Knowt better than Gizmo?
For free study modes, notes, web use and AP prep, Knowt does more. For importing material from many apps and game-like review, Gizmo is stronger. Both turn your notes into flashcards with AI, so the choice is about how you like to review.
Is Knowt free?
Yes, Knowt has a free Basic plan with unlimited file creation and free Learn mode. Knowt Ultra ($95.99 a year or $24.99 a month on the web, checked 8 November 2026) adds the AI summarizers, the voice tutor, podcasts and full AP, SAT and ACT prep.
What are Hearts in Gizmo?
Hearts are Gizmo's lives. You start with 15, lose one for every wrong answer in Memorise mode, and wait 10 minutes when they run out. Gizmo Unlimited removes the limit.
Can both import from Quizlet?
Yes. Knowt's listing says you can grab sets from popular sites like Quizlet, and Gizmo's listing names Quizlet and Anki as import sources.
