PRIMEX vs Anki
Anki is the de facto free flashcard tool used by Australian and NZ specialist trainees, paired with community decks such as Anki Anaesthesia, CICMWrecks and the AnKing deck. This page compares it honestly against PRIMEX on cards, written and viva practice, and structured curriculum coverage.
TL;DR — who should pick which
Pick Anki if your study is dominated by raw recall and you already have a maintained personal deck that maps to your exam. Pick PRIMEX if you want spaced-repetition flashcards alongside AI-graded SAQ writing practice, a voice viva simulator, OSCE stations and a curriculum tracker that ticks off the official learning objectives as you cover them. Most candidates near the exam use both: PRIMEX for written and oral reasoning practice, Anki for personal cards.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | PRIMEX | Anki + decks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spaced-repetition flashcards | Yes | Yes | Both use SM-2-family scheduling; PRIMEX supports 13 card types |
| Curriculum-mapped MCQ bank | Yes | No | Anki is a flashcard tool, not an MCQ bank; some decks include cloze-style stems |
| AI-graded SAQs (Pass/Borderline/Fail) | Yes | No | PRIMEX grades written answers with tier feedback and a model answer at examiner standard |
| Voice viva simulator | Yes | No | PRIMEX runs the real viva format with spoken responses and AI debrief |
| OSCE Trainer (AI patient + examiner) | Yes | No | PRIMEX simulates clinical stations end-to-end |
| Curriculum tracker (official LOs) | Yes | No | PRIMEX maps every official learning objective; Anki tags are user-managed |
| Sourced study notes | Yes | Varies by deck | PRIMEX notes are referenced to Australian guidelines (TG, AMH) and primary literature |
| Cross-college coverage in one tool | 21 specialty exams | Per-deck only | Anki community decks are exam-specific; assemble per college yourself |
| Works offline | Yes (PWA) | Yes (native) | Both work offline once installed |
| Mobile | PWA + iOS wrapper | AnkiDroid + AnkiMobile | AnkiMobile (iOS) is a paid app; AnkiDroid (Android) is free |
| Australian / NZ guidelines alignment | Yes | Depends on deck | PRIMEX references TG, AMH, ANZCOR, NHMRC; Anki decks vary by author |
| Free trial | 7-day | Free / one-time | Anki desktop is free; AnkiMobile is a one-time iOS purchase |
Pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | Per-month equivalent | What's included |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRIMEX Starter | $9.99/mo | $9.99/mo | Core MCQ bank and flashcards |
| PRIMEX Monthly | $24.99/mo | $24.99/mo | Full access: AI SAQs, viva, OSCE, notes, tracker |
| PRIMEX Quarterly | $59.99/3 mo | $19.99/mo | Full access, billed quarterly |
| PRIMEX Yearly | $179.99/yr | ~$15/mo | Full access, best per-month value |
| Anki desktop | Free | — | Free download for macOS, Windows, Linux |
| AnkiDroid (Android) | Free | — | Open source |
| AnkiMobile (iOS) | One-time purchase | — | Single purchase on the App Store |
| Community decks | Mostly free | — | Anki Anaesthesia, CICMWrecks, AnKing and others; quality varies |
Where each one wins
PRIMEX strengths
- AI-graded SAQ writing with Pass/Borderline/Fail feedback and a model answer at examiner standard
- Voice viva simulator with the real exchange structure for each college
- OSCE Trainer with an AI patient and AI examiner
- Curriculum tracker mapped to the official college learning objectives
- One subscription covers all 21 specialist exams plus Medical Student plan
- Sourced notes referenced to Australian guidelines (TG, AMH, NHMRC) and primary literature
Anki strengths
- Free on desktop and Android; one-off purchase on iOS
- Fully customisable, scriptable cards and templates
- Large library of community decks across colleges
- Best-in-class for pure long-tail rote recall
- Offline-first and operates without any signup
- Card edits land instantly; you own your deck file
Using both together
You don't have to choose. A common pattern is to use PRIMEX as the structured backbone (curriculum tracker, AI SAQs, viva and OSCE) and keep your personal Anki deck for the long-tail facts that are easier to remember as cards. The two tools serve different jobs: Anki for memorising, PRIMEX for practising the things examiners actually score.
- Use the PRIMEX curriculum tracker to see which official learning objectives you have not yet covered for your exam.
- For each LO, read the linked PRIMEX note and complete the SAQ on that topic; the AI grader will surface what you missed.
- Drop the facts you keep getting wrong into your personal Anki deck so they are scheduled for review.
- In the last two weeks before the written, run the PRIMEX mock-paper mode and a daily voice viva session.
Frequently asked questions
Is Anki better than PRIMEX for medical exam prep?
Anki is excellent for memorisation through spaced repetition and is free on desktop. PRIMEX bundles spaced-repetition flashcards with the things Anki cannot do alone, namely AI-graded SAQ writing, voice viva practice, OSCE stations with an AI patient and examiner, and a curriculum tracker mapped to each Australian college's official learning objectives. Most candidates use both during the lead-up to a written exam.
Do PRIMEX flashcards use spaced repetition like Anki?
Yes. PRIMEX flashcards use an SM-2 scheduler (the same algorithm family as Anki) and support thirteen card types including basic, cloze, table, list, equation, value, mechanism, classification, differential, distinguish, mnemonic, guideline and vignette. There is also a built-in MCQ drill mode.
Can I import Anki decks into PRIMEX?
Not at this time. PRIMEX uses curriculum-aligned card content authored to a consistent structure rather than imported user decks. If you have a personal Anki deck you rely on, you can continue to use it alongside PRIMEX.
Which Australian colleges does PRIMEX cover?
PRIMEX covers all 21 Australian and NZ specialist exams in one subscription, plus a Medical Student plan. See the cross-exam comparison for the full list and recommended preparation length for each.
Is PRIMEX worth the cost if Anki is free?
Anki is free on desktop and AnkiMobile is a one-time iOS purchase. PRIMEX is a subscription that adds AI grading, voice viva, OSCE simulation and curriculum tracking on top of spaced-repetition cards. The decision usually comes down to whether the structured AI feedback and one-subscription cross-college coverage offset the monthly cost compared with assembling free community decks plus separate SAQ and viva practice yourself.
Try PRIMEX free for 7 days
Full access to AI-graded SAQs, voice viva, OSCE trainer, MCQ banks, sourced notes and a curriculum tracker for all 21 exams. No card required.
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