Tool profile
Brainscape: cost, fit and limits
Brainscape is a subscription flashcard service that schedules reviews by spaced repetition, offers a catalog of Certified flashcards, and uses AI to make flashcards, with a free tier and a paid plan, sold to individuals and to groups under a custom license.
What to know first
Brainscape sells a free Basic plan, a Pro plan shown at $7.99 a month on yearly billing, and a quote-only Enterprise group license. AI card creation appears on both individual plans, in the hundreds on Basic and without a cap on Pro. A pre-loaded library of 2,500 cards is open on Basic, and Pro opens the full Certified catalog. No month-to-month Pro price was found.
Brainscape at a glance
| Maker | Not stated on the vendor pages, Not stated on the vendor pages |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free; Pro $7.99 per month billed yearly |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Flashcard Apps in 2026, rank 3 of 11 |
| Website | brainscape.com |
Who Brainscape is best for
Learners who want AI cards on a free plan
Basic includes AI creation of flashcards in the hundreds, which is enough to test the idea on one course before paying, and the cap on Basic is the only limit on AI use that the page states.
People studying standard subjects
The Certified catalog covers many subjects, so a learner can study existing cards instead of writing every card, with 2,500 of them open on the free plan.
Schools and training groups
The group license offers bulk discounts, a branded private landing page and a signed Digital Privacy Agreement on request, which suits an administrator.
Brainscape plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (Individual) | Free | Type unlimited flashcards, use AI to make hundreds of flashcards, study 2,500 pre-loaded flashcards, share with peers, spaced repetition. |
| Pro (Individual) | $7.99 per month, billed yearly | AI to make unlimited flashcards, unlimited Certified flashcards, images and sounds, reverse flashcards and private content. |
| Enterprise (Group) | Custom quote | Bulk discounts, a custom group license, a branded private landing page and a signed Digital Privacy Agreement on request. |
Checked November 2026.
What Brainscape does
- AI flashcard creation
- Both individual plans can make flashcards with AI, with Basic limited to hundreds of cards and Pro unlimited. The pricing page does not say which model writes the cards, and card quality was not tested.
- Spaced repetition and tracking
- Reviews are scheduled by spaced repetition with progress tracking and study reminders for each deck, so the app tells you which cards are due and how much of a deck you have mastered.
- Certified flashcards
- A catalog of pre-made cards across many subjects, with 2,500 available on Basic and unlimited on Pro. Checking who wrote a deck before trusting it is wise, because the pricing page does not describe review.
- Import and sharing
- You can import existing flashcards, share decks with peers and manage who can edit them, so a study group can maintain one shared deck rather than keeping separate copies.
- Images and sounds
- Pro lets you add images and sounds to cards, which language and anatomy learners tend to want. Reverse cards, private content and unlimited Certified cards are in the same Pro bundle, so the upgrade covers several features at once.
How Brainscape handles your data
The privacy policy says Brainscape's AI providers have disabled use of its users' data for training their large language models, and names AI providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Active accounts are kept while in use, and inactive accounts may be deleted after a review that normally takes at least a year; users can delete their accounts. Data sits in a data center, with AWS named and no region stated. The vendor says it complies with GDPR and COPPA, and names no certificate.
Where Brainscape falls short in practice
- Basic caps are low. AI card creation on Basic stops at a few hundred cards, and media on cards needs Pro, so a long course outgrows the free plan.
- Pro price is yearly. The $7.99 figure is the yearly rate, and no month-to-month price was found, so a short-term user cannot work out the true cost of a single semester from the page.
- Closed, hosted service. Cards live on Brainscape's servers, and no API or export format was found on the pages opened, so leaving the service needs a check on what you can take with you before you commit a large deck.
Works with
Alternatives to Brainscape
Brainscape: common questions
How much does Brainscape Pro cost?
As of November 2026, Pro for individuals is shown as $7.99 a month on yearly billing. Basic is free forever. Group licenses are quote only, with bulk discounts and a Request an Estimate button. We did not find a month-to-month price for Pro on the pricing page.
Can Brainscape make flashcards with AI?
Yes. The pricing page lists AI flashcard creation on both individual plans. Basic lets you make hundreds of AI flashcards, and Pro removes the cap. The page does not say which AI models do the work, but the privacy policy names providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
Does Brainscape train AI on my cards?
The privacy policy says the company's AI providers have disabled use of Brainscape user data for training their large language models. That is a statement about its providers, not an outside audit. The policy names no security certificate, so read it directly if your institution needs formal assurances.
What are Certified flashcards on Brainscape?
Certified flashcards are Brainscape's catalog of pre-made decks across many subjects. Basic gives access to 2,500 pre-loaded cards, while Pro removes that cap for Certified content. The pricing page does not say who writes or reviews each deck, so check a deck's sources before relying on it for an exam.
Is Brainscape good for teachers or schools?
The Enterprise group plan offers bulk discounts, a custom group license, a branded private landing page and a signed Digital Privacy Agreement on request. Pricing is negotiated, so you need an estimate. Teachers who want classroom games rather than spaced repetition may prefer other apps in this ranking.