Notion Anki: How To Sync Notes And Flashcards Without The Headache (And A Faster Alternative)

So, What Even Is “Notion Anki”?

Alright, let’s talk about notion anki because it confuses a lot of people. Notion Anki basically means using Notion to take notes and then turning those notes into Anki-style flashcards with spaced repetition. The idea is: Notion is great for organizing info, Anki is great for memorizing it, so people try to glue them together. It can work, but it usually involves exports, plugins, templates, and a lot of manual cleanup. That’s exactly why a lot of people end up switching to a simpler flashcard app like Flashrecall (iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085) that already does the spaced repetition part without all the friction.

Let’s break down how the whole Notion + Anki thing works, why it’s so messy, and how you can get the same (or better) results with less effort.

Notion vs Anki: What Each One Is Actually Good At

Notion: Amazing For Notes, Meh For Memorization

Notion is great for:

• Organizing big chunks of information
• Making pretty pages, databases, and dashboards
• Linking related topics together
• Writing long-form notes, plans, and docs

But for actual memory:

• No built-in spaced repetition
• No easy “question → answer” active recall flow
• Reviewing info is more like rereading, not being tested

So if you just use Notion, you’ll understand things while reading… and then forget them a week later.

Anki: Amazing For Memorization, Annoying To Use

Anki is great for:

• Spaced repetition
• Active recall with flashcards
• Long-term retention (especially for medicine, languages, exams)

But:

• The interface is clunky and outdated
• Making cards can be slow
• Syncing across devices can be annoying
• Customization is powerful but overwhelming

That’s why people search for “notion anki”: they want Notion’s nice notes + Anki’s memory system.

The Problem With The “Notion Anki” Workflow

Trying to combine Notion and Anki usually looks like this:

1. You write detailed notes in Notion

2. You manually decide what should become flashcards

3. You:

• Copy-paste into Anki or
• Export CSV from Notion and import into Anki or
• Use some third-party script / integration

4. You format everything so it doesn’t look broken

5. You then review in Anki separately from your notes

That’s a lot of steps.

The biggest issues:

• Too many tools – notes in one place, memory in another
• Too much friction – you know you should make cards, but the process is annoying
• No quick capture – reading a PDF or watching a video? You still have to manually build cards later
• Maintenance hell – change something in Notion? Your Anki cards don’t update automatically

This is why a lot of people give up on the Notion + Anki combo after a few weeks.

A Simpler Approach: Use Notes + A Modern Flashcard App

Instead of forcing Notion to “be” Anki, a lot of learners now:

• Keep notes where they like (Notion, Apple Notes, Google Docs, whatever)
• Use a fast, modern flashcard app that:
• Makes cards quickly from anything
• Handles spaced repetition automatically
• Is actually nice to use daily

That’s where Flashrecall comes in.

👉 Flashrecall on iPhone & iPad:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

You can still use Notion for your main notes if you love it, but instead of wrestling with Anki imports, you just pull the key bits into Flashrecall in seconds.

How Flashrecall Fits Into The “Notion Anki” Idea (But Easier)

Think of Flashrecall as “Anki, but actually modern and simple.” It gives you the same core benefits people want from Anki, without the pain.

1. Built-In Spaced Repetition (No Setup, No Plugins)

Flashrecall has spaced repetition built in:

• It automatically schedules your reviews
• It sends study reminders so you don’t forget to open the app
• You just mark cards as easy/medium/hard and it handles the timing

No decks settings to obsess over, no manual intervals. You just study.

2. Active Recall By Default

Every flashcard session in Flashrecall is built around active recall:

• You see a question or prompt
• You try to remember the answer before flipping
• Then you rate how well you remembered

This is exactly what people use Anki for — Flashrecall just makes it smoother and less intimidating.

3. Turn Anything Into Flashcards (Way Faster Than Notion → Anki)

Here’s where Flashrecall really beats the whole notion anki setup.

You can make cards instantly from:

• Images – snap a photo of textbook pages, notes, slides
• Text – paste from Notion, web, PDFs
• Audio – great for language learning or lectures
• PDFs – pull key info straight into cards
• YouTube links – turn videos into flashcards
• Typed prompts – write them manually if you like

Instead of exporting from Notion, cleaning a CSV, and importing into Anki, you just:

1. Copy the important lines from your Notion page

2. Paste into Flashrecall

3. Turn them into Q&A cards in seconds

Way less friction = you actually keep doing it.

Example: Using Notion + Flashrecall Instead Of Notion + Anki

Let’s say you’re studying for an exam (medicine, law, CS, whatever).

With Notion + Anki

• You write notes in Notion
• You highlight key points
• Later, you:
• Copy them into Anki field by field, or
• Export a CSV from Notion
• Pray the formatting doesn’t break
• Then you adjust cloze deletions, tags, deck options

You lose time on admin instead of learning.

With Notion + Flashrecall

• You write notes in Notion like normal
• After each study session:
• Copy the important questions/definitions
• Paste them into Flashrecall
• Quickly split into front/back or cloze-style cards
• Flashrecall schedules everything for you

And if you’re not even in Notion?

• Reading a PDF? Import into Flashrecall.
• Watching a YouTube lecture? Drop the link into Flashrecall.
• In class? Snap a photo of the board and auto-generate cards.

No complicated integration needed.

Why Many People Prefer Flashrecall Over Classic Anki

If you searched for notion anki, you probably like the idea of Anki but not necessarily the app itself. Here’s how Flashrecall compares:

1. Interface And Speed

• Looks and feels old
• Lots of menus, options, and friction

• Fast, modern, clean UI
• Designed for iPhone and iPad from the start
• Easy to make and review cards on the go

2. Card Creation

• Mostly manual
• Add-ons help, but setup is technical
• Importing from Notion can be clunky

• Instantly makes cards from images, PDFs, YouTube, text, audio
• You can still make cards manually if you want full control
• Great for languages, exams, school, university, medicine, business — basically anything

3. Learning Features

Both use spaced repetition and active recall, but Flashrecall adds:

• Auto reminders so you don’t fall off your schedule
• Offline mode so you can study anywhere
• Chat with your flashcards – if you’re unsure about a concept, you can literally chat with the content to understand it better before moving on

4. Setup And Cost

• Desktop is free, mobile app can be paid
• Setup is confusing for many new users

• Free to start
• Just download on iPhone or iPad and start making cards
• No complicated configuration required

👉 Try it here:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Do You Still Need Notion If You Use Flashrecall?

Totally up to you.

Good setup options:

Option 1: Notes In Notion, Memory In Flashrecall

• Use Notion for:
• Big-picture notes
• Project planning
• Reference material
• Use Flashrecall for:
• Anything you need to remember long-term
• Vocabulary, formulas, definitions, exam facts, frameworks

This is perfect if you already live in Notion but want something better than the notion anki export dance.

Option 2: Go All-In On Flashcards For Studying

Some people ditch Notion completely for studying and:

• Keep minimal notes
• Turn almost everything into flashcards
• Use Flashrecall as their main learning hub

This works especially well for:

• Language learning
• Medical exams
• Standardized tests (MCAT, LSAT, etc.)
• Anything heavy on facts and concepts

Quick Tips If You Still Want To Use Notion + Anki

If you’re determined to use the classic notion anki combo, here are a few tips:

• Use a consistent format in Notion (like “Question: … / Answer: …”) so you can export cleanly
• Look up “Notion to Anki” templates or scripts — some people share their setups
• Batch-create cards once a week instead of every day to reduce context switching

But honestly, if that already sounds like too much work, that’s your sign to try something simpler like Flashrecall.

Final Thoughts: Notion Anki Is Smart In Theory, But…

The idea behind notion anki is solid: notes + spaced repetition = better memory. The problem is the overhead of keeping two complex tools in sync.

You don’t actually need a perfect integration — you just need:

• A place to store ideas (Notion if you like it)
• A frictionless way to turn key info into flashcards
• A system that automatically reminds you to review

That’s exactly what Flashrecall gives you, without the tech gymnastics.

If you want the benefits of Anki-style learning but with:

• Faster card creation
• Built-in spaced repetition & reminders
• A modern, easy-to-use app that works offline on iPhone and iPad

Grab Flashrecall here and try it for free:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085

Use Notion for what it’s great at. Let Flashrecall handle the remembering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anki good for studying?

Anki is powerful but requires manual card creation and has a steep learning curve. Flashrecall offers AI-powered card generation from your notes, images, PDFs, and videos, making it faster and easier to create effective flashcards.

What's the fastest way to create flashcards?

Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.

How do I start spaced repetition?

You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.

Related Articles

• Notion To Anki: The Complete Guide (And A Faster Shortcut Most Students Don’t Know) – Stop wasting time on clunky exports when there’s a way easier way to turn your Notion notes into powerful flashcards.
• Anki Flashcard App Alternatives: 7 Powerful Reasons To Switch To Flashrecall Today – Stop Wrestling With Clunky Decks And Start Studying Faster In Minutes
• Anki Flashcards Web: 7 Powerful Reasons to Switch to a Faster, Smarter Study App Today – Stop fighting clunky web tools and upgrade your flashcard game in minutes.