Schwanki vs Pleco for Language Flashcards

Choose Pleco if you need a Chinese dictionary that can turn entries into cards. Choose Schwanki if you want to collect vocabulary from class materials and review it alongside your existing Anki cards.

By YJ Kim · Sources checked

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Schwanki and Pleco at a glance
WorkflowSchwankiPleco
Study materialClass PDFs, PowerPoint, screenshots, connected Google Docs or Sheets, and existing Anki packages.Save Chinese dictionary entries as flashcards and organize them into categories.
ReviewReview cards due under FSRS in the phone swipe feed. Previously loaded due cards can be reviewed offline.Review your Chinese vocabulary in Pleco’s flashcard system.
PortabilityImport .apkg or .colpkg with supported media and scheduling when they are present in the package.The text route can bring across words and definitions. Keep a Pleco backup for app-specific data and review state.

Pricing and limits

Schwanki

  • Anki imports, scheduling, and unlimited decks and reviews are free. Image and audio together cost one credit per card. Schwanki pricing ·
  • One-time credit packs start at “20 credits” for “$1” USD. Schwanki pricing ·
  • Free allowances: “10 documents a day” for class-note reading and “50 a day” for example sentences. Each extra use costs one credit. Schwanki pricing ·
  • Class PDFs up to “10 MB” and PowerPoint files up to “100 MB”. Loaded due cards are available offline; importing and AI generation require a connection. Schwanki’s documented inputs and review workflow ·

Pleco

  • The Pleco Software store lists the Flashcard System add-on at “$9.99”. Check the price and included features for your device. Pleco Software store: Flashcard System ·
  • Pleco documents separate text and XML export formats. Check the format before expecting Pleco-specific fields or statistics in another app. Pleco flashcard file formats ·

How to move from Pleco to Schwanki

  1. In Pleco, open Flashcards → Export, select the categories you own, and choose a text export. Check the available word, pronunciation and definition columns. Pleco iOS manual: Flashcards and export
  2. Open Anki Desktop, import the delimited file, and map the columns to the front and back fields. Anki Manual: Text files
  3. Export that deck from Anki as an .apkg package. The import creates fresh Anki cards, so it does not recreate your old review schedule. Anki Manual: Exporting
  4. Upload the package in Schwanki and preview the cards before confirming the import. Schwanki’s Anki export and import guide
  5. Open the imported deck and check a sample of the fields, audio, and due dates against your original before moving the rest.

Sources