I used Cram.com to pass my nursing boards in 2011, and I still have the same account today.
When I built SmartRecall, I wasn't trying to replace Cram — I was trying to fix the problem that Cram solves badly: turning messy notes into cards you'll actually remember. But after forcing myself to use both tools side-by-side for three weeks (Cram for a Spanish vocab deck, SmartRecall for AWS certification prep), the differences are more nuanced than "old vs new."
TL;DR: Use Cram if you need to cram for an exam tomorrow using someone else's deck. Use SmartRecall if you're building long-term knowledge from your own material and want AI to do the heavy lifting.
How I evaluated them
I tested six dimensions that matter for real studying:
- Deck creation speed — how fast can you go from raw material to reviewable cards?
- Review intelligence — does the algorithm actually optimize retention, or just shuffle cards?
- Shared deck quality — can you trust community decks, and how easy are they to find?
- Mobile experience — does it work when you're on a bus?
- Pricing — what do you actually pay for what you get?
- Lock-in risk — can you leave with your data?
I didn't test collaboration features because neither tool does them well. I also skipped "gamification" because stars and streaks don't correlate with retention in any study I've seen.
1. Deck creation: Cram is faster if you type fast
Cram: You get a blank two-column form. Type front, type back, hit Enter, repeat. No formatting beyond bold/italic. No images unless you paste a URL. No bulk import unless you upgrade to Cram Pro ($35.88/year). I made 40 Spanish cards in 18 minutes.
SmartRecall: You paste notes, a PDF, or a transcript, and the AI generates cards in ~15 seconds. I dumped 8 pages of AWS IAM documentation and got 52 cards. Took me another 12 minutes to review and edit them (the AI over-indexed on acronyms). Total time: 13 minutes for 52 cards.
Winner: SmartRecall for volume, Cram for simplicity. If you already have a clean list of terms and definitions, Cram's form is faster. If you're starting from lecture notes or a textbook chapter, SmartRecall's AI saves you 60-70% of the work.
SmartRecall weakness I'll admit: The AI sometimes generates cards that are technically correct but pedagogically useless. Example: "What does IAM stand for?" instead of "When should you use IAM roles vs IAM users?" You have to review every generated card. Cram forces you to think through each card yourself, which has learning benefits.
2. Review intelligence: Cram has no real algorithm
Cram has two modes:
- Cram Mode: Shows you every card once in random order. That's it. No scheduling, no repetition. It's a digital version of flipping through a stack.
- Memorize Mode: Supposedly uses spaced repetition, but I couldn't find documentation on the algorithm. In practice, it felt like "show cards you got wrong more often." No customization, no stats on retention rate.
SmartRecall uses FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler), the same algorithm Anki switched to in 2023. It predicts your forgetting curve per card and schedules reviews right before you'd forget. You can see your retention rate (mine was 87% after two weeks) and adjust difficulty.
Winner: SmartRecall, not even close. Cram's "Memorize Mode" is spaced repetition in name only. If you're serious about retention, you need an actual algorithm.
You can see the key differences laid out in which spaced repetition algorithm actually wins.
3. Shared decks: Cram's library is huge but outdated
Cram has 180 million flashcards across 42 million decks. I searched "Spanish A1 vocabulary" and got 1,847 results. The top deck had 500 cards and was last updated in 2014. No ratings, no reviews, no way to preview quality before you start studying.
I tried three decks:
- One had typos in 15% of cards ("el gata" instead of "el gato")
- One mixed European and Latin American Spanish inconsistently
- One was actually great (made by a teacher in 2009, still accurate)
SmartRecall has ~2,400 shared decks as of May 2026. I searched "Spanish A1" and got 11 results. The top deck had 180 cards, was made last month, and included audio pronunciations. You can see the creator's retention rate (91%) and fork the deck to customize it.
Winner: Cram for breadth, SmartRecall for quality. If you need a deck for an obscure topic (I found "Iowa Real Estate License Exam 2012"), Cram probably has it. If you want decks that reflect current best practices and aren't full of errors, SmartRecall's smaller library is more trustworthy.
4. Mobile: Both work, neither is great
Cram has iOS and Android apps that feel like they were designed in 2013 (because they were). The UI is functional but clunky. Offline mode requires Cram Pro. The app crashed twice during my testing on iOS 18.
SmartRecall is a progressive web app — you add it to your home screen from the browser. It works offline after your first sync. The interface is responsive but not native, so animations feel slightly off. No push notifications yet (we're working on it).
Winner: Tie. Both are "good enough" for reviewing on the go. Neither is as polished as Duolingo or Quizlet.
5. Pricing: Cram is free, SmartRecall is $8/mo
Cram:
- Free tier: Unlimited decks, basic review modes, ads
- Cram Pro: $35.88/year ($2.99/mo) — removes ads, adds bulk import, offline mobile access
SmartRecall:
- Free tier: 3 AI-generated decks, unlimited manual cards, FSRS algorithm
- Pro: $8/mo or $80/year — unlimited AI generation, audio, shared deck analytics
Winner: Depends on your budget. Cram is unbeatable if you're broke or only need to study for one exam. SmartRecall's AI is worth $8/mo if you're a chronic learner (I generate 4-6 decks per month).
SmartRecall weakness I'll admit: Our free tier is too restrictive. Three AI decks isn't enough to evaluate whether the tool works for you. We're considering bumping it to 10.
6. Lock-in: SmartRecall exports cleaner
Cram lets you export decks as CSV or print to PDF. The CSV export works but doesn't include metadata like "times reviewed" or "last seen date." If you've used Memorize Mode, that scheduling data is gone.
SmartRecall exports to CSV, JSON, or Anki's .apkg format. The export includes all metadata: review history, retention stats, FSRS parameters. You can import your SmartRecall decks into Anki or any other tool that supports FSRS.
Winner: SmartRecall. We built export-first because I've been burned by tools that hold your data hostage.
When to use Cram
Use Cram if:
- You're studying for a test tomorrow and need to cram (it's literally in the name)
- You found a specific shared deck that's perfect for your needs
- You're on a tight budget and don't need AI features
- You prefer typing cards manually and don't mind the 2010s UI
Cram is a workhorse. It's not innovative, but it's been around for 20+ years and it works. The free tier is genuinely free, not a trial. If you're a high school student studying for the SAT, Cram probably has exactly the deck you need.
When to use SmartRecall
Use SmartRecall if:
- You're building long-term knowledge (language learning, professional certifications, medical school)
- You have notes, PDFs, or transcripts you want to turn into cards quickly
- You care about retention rate and want an algorithm that actually works
- You're willing to pay $8/mo for AI that saves you 10+ hours per month
SmartRecall is for people who treat learning as a continuous practice, not a one-time event. If you're still reviewing decks six months from now, the FSRS algorithm will have saved you dozens of hours compared to random review.
My actual workflow (embarrassingly hybrid)
I still use Cram for one thing: quick vocabulary drills when I'm learning a new language. The simplicity is perfect for "type 50 words, review them once, move on."
I use SmartRecall for everything else: AWS certs, medical continuing ed, book notes, conference takeaways. Anything where I need to remember it in six months, not six days.
Final verdict
Cram is a free, reliable tool that does one thing well: lets you make flashcards and review them. It hasn't changed much in 15 years, which is both its strength (stability) and its weakness (stagnation).
SmartRecall is a modern tool built for people who want AI to handle the busywork and an algorithm that actually optimizes retention. It costs money, but if you're serious about learning, it pays for itself in time saved.
If you're still on the fence, try this: Use Cram's free tier for one week. Then use SmartRecall's free tier for one week. Whichever one you open more often is the right choice.
And if you pick Cram, I won't be offended — I still have my 2011 nursing deck on there.
