Knowt vs Quizlet
Knowt's free Basic tier imports your Quizlet sets in one click. Quizlet has the bigger public library and the more polished app. Below are the prices, the free-tier limits, and the case for each one.
By Amanda DoAmaral · Updated Sep 1, 2026
Knowt vs Quizlet for AP® Students
For plain flashcards, this matchup is closer than the internet makes it sound. Knowt has a free Basic tier, imports your Quizlet sets in one click at no charge, and puts its study modes in that free tier. Quizlet has the larger public set library and the more polished phone app, and its free tier still handles basic card flipping fine.
Most students decide this on one question: are you paying for Quizlet Plus or not? If the answer is no, Knowt gives you more without a subscription. If you already pay, or you live in Quizlet's public set library, staying put is a reasonable call. For flashcards alone there isn't a clean winner, so what follows is the prices and the limits.
What Each One Costs
| Knowt | Quizlet | |
|---|---|---|
| Core flashcards | Free on Basic | Free |
| Study modes | Included on Basic | Plus lifts the limits on Learn rounds and practice tests |
| Ads on the free tier | Fewer | Ads between study sessions |
| Paid tier | Ultra: $12.49/month billed $149.99/year, or $24.99 month to month | Plus: $2.99/month billed $35.99/year |
| Higher paid tier | Not applicable | Plus Unlimited: $3.75/month billed $44.99/year |
| Free trial | Not listed on the plans page | 7 days, annual plans only |
We checked these on knowt.com/plans and quizlet.com/upgrade on September 1, 2026, and both companies change prices, so look before you subscribe.
What Knowt Does Well
Knowt's Basic tier is the whole pitch. It includes creating notes and flashcards, the free study modes, custom hints, and multiple-choice options, plus the ability to browse other students' notes and flashcards.
The importer is the reason switching is painless. Paste a Quizlet set link and Knowt rebuilds the set on its side, and Knowt's own site says bringing over your existing Quizlets is completely free. A semester of decks moves in a few minutes, instead of being retyped.
- Study modes on the free Basic tier
- One-click import of Quizlet sets and folders, at no cost
- Flashcards generated from your own notes, PDFs, or a video
- An AP hub with notes, flashcards, practice tests, an FRQ room, and a score calculator, though its mock exams and auto-graded assessments sit on the paid Ultra tier
The AI features are where money enters. Unlimited AI summaries, unlimited chats with its Kai assistant, and AP mock exams sit on the Ultra tier at $12.49 a month billed annually. The core studying stays on Basic.
Knowt's public set library is smaller than Quizlet's, and the mobile app is less polished. If you go looking for a set someone else built for your exact textbook chapter, you will find fewer hits.
What Quizlet Does Well
Quizlet has been the default for over a decade, and that shows up in two places: the library and the app.
The library is the biggest one we found. For a common course, someone has already built the set, and often your teacher's exact term list is in there. Knowt's community is growing, but it started later.
The mobile app is smoother. Offline studying, widgets, and the general feel of flipping cards on a phone are more developed on Quizlet than on most of its competitors.
- The largest public set library of any flashcard app we compared
- A well-built iOS and Android app
- Quizlet Live and Match for class review
- An AI tutor and explanation features on Quizlet Plus
The free tier is the sticking point. Quizlet's upgrade page sells Plus on lifting the caps, listing three practice tests, 20 rounds of Learn questions, and three textbook solutions a month at the Plus level, which tells you the free tier sits below that. There are also ads between study sessions. Plain flashcards and Match stay free, so if the card flipper is all you ever opened, nothing about your routine has changed.
Feature by Feature
| Knowt | Quizlet | |
|---|---|---|
| Make your own sets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Public set library | Growing | Largest we compared |
| Study modes without paying | ✅ Included on Basic | Capped, then Plus |
| Practice test mode without paying | ✅ Included on Basic | Capped, then Plus |
| Import from the other app | One click from Quizlet, free | Import by pasting text |
| AI card generation | Limited on Basic, unlimited on Ultra | On Quizlet Plus |
| Class game mode | Knowt Play | Quizlet Live |
| Mobile app quality | Good | Better |
| AP-specific material | ✅ AP hub | ❌ |
Moving Your Sets Between Them
Going from Quizlet to Knowt takes about a minute per set. Copy the Quizlet set URL, open Knowt's import tool, paste it, and the terms come across. Folders import too, so you don't have to do it deck by deck.
Going the other direction is manual. Export your terms as plain text with a separator, then paste them into Quizlet's import box. It works, it just isn't one click.
Check one thing in either direction: images and audio don't always survive an import. If your set leans on diagrams, spot-check it before you rely on it the night before a test.
Choose Knowt If
You're not paying for a flashcard app, and the caps on Quizlet's Learn mode are the thing pushing you away. That's the main case, and it's a strong one.
Knowt also fits if you want cards generated from your own notes or a lecture PDF, or if you want AP material sitting next to your decks instead of in another tab.
Choose Quizlet If
You lean on the public library. When you go looking for a set for your specific class and someone has already built it, that saves more time than the subscription costs.
Quizlet also fits if you study mostly on your phone and care about how the app feels, if your teacher runs Quizlet Live, or if you already pay for Plus and the caps never affected you.
The Verdict
Knowt gives non-paying users more. Quizlet gives everyone a bigger library and a better app. Neither one is a bad tool, and neither one is going to be the reason your grade moves.
If you're deciding today, try Knowt first, since importing costs nothing and takes minutes. If the smaller set library or the app bothers you, your Quizlet account is still there.
Where Fiveable Fits (One Note From Us)
Fiveable isn't a flashcard app, so it isn't in this comparison.
Whichever one you pick, you've handled memorization, not the exam. The AP-specific work is unit practice, graded free response, and full-length exams, which is what Fiveable does, and it works fine alongside either app.
There is one practical link between them. Our key terms pages are term-by-term lists for each AP course, and they make good source material for a deck in either app.
Frequently Asked Questions About Knowt vs Quizlet
Is Knowt better than Quizlet?
If you aren't paying, Knowt gives you more. Its study modes and practice tests are included on the free Basic tier, and Quizlet charges for Plus to remove the caps free users hit. Quizlet still wins on library size and app polish. For plain flashcards the two are close enough that either one works.
Is Knowt actually free?
The core studying is. Knowt's Basic tier costs nothing and covers making notes and flashcards, the free study modes, custom hints, and browsing other students' sets, and importing from Quizlet is free too. The heavier AI features, unlimited summaries, unlimited chats with Kai, and AP mock exams sit on Ultra at $12.49 a month billed $149.99 a year, or $24.99 month to month, as of September 2026.
Can I import my Quizlet sets into Knowt?
Yes, and it takes about a minute. Copy the Quizlet set link, paste it into Knowt's import tool, and the terms come across at no charge. Folders import too. Check any set that relies on images, since attached media doesn't always transfer cleanly.
Why did Quizlet start charging?
Quizlet moved its most-used study modes behind a subscription. Its upgrade page sells Plus on lifting the limits, listing three practice tests, 20 rounds of Learn questions, and three textbook solutions a month at the Plus level, and free users also see ads between study sessions. Plain flashcards and Match are still free.
How much does Quizlet Plus cost in 2026?
Quizlet lists Plus at $2.99 a month billed $35.99 a year, and a newer Plus Unlimited tier at $3.75 a month billed $44.99 a year. Annual plans come with a 7-day free trial, and monthly plans don't. Pricing changes, so check Quizlet's own page before you subscribe. We checked it on September 1, 2026.
Does Knowt have AP study material?
Yes. Knowt runs an AP hub with notes, flashcards, practice tests, an FRQ room, and a score calculator, so that material sits alongside your decks. Knowt started as a flashcard app, and that's still the core of it.
Which is better for AP classes?
For memorizing AP vocabulary, decide on cost and on how big a library you need. Knowt's free tier covers the studying and imports what you already built. Quizlet more often has a set someone made for your exact course. Flashcards on either app won't score your free-response writing or give you timed stimulus-based multiple choice, which is where most AP exam points sit, and Knowt's FRQ room and mock exams are on its paid Ultra tier.
Can I move my sets from Knowt back to Quizlet?
Yes, but it's manual. Export your terms as plain text with a separator between the term and the definition, then paste them into Quizlet's import box. There's no one-click path in that direction.
Do I have to pick just one?
No. Importing into Knowt doesn't delete anything on Quizlet, so many students keep an account on both and use whichever one has the set they need. Try Knowt first, since its Basic tier costs nothing, and keep Quizlet for its library.