Retain
by Retain

What Retain is
Retain is a flashcard app for Android, iOS, and the web. It combines AI models with learning science to help learners set a goal and receive a personalized study plan. Users can upload PDFs, PNGs, and JPEGs; Retain says its AI can turn PDF material into relevant flashcards. Its onboarding page also names images, YouTube videos, GoodNotes notes, and Notion notes as learning sources. Cards can use cloze, image occlusion, or custom Anki formats, and the app offers mixed card formats and study modes with adaptive review. Users can share decks and individual flashcards through a link. Retain has a free plan listed as free, as well as Retain Ultra with AI-powered study features and Retain Pro as a paid in-app subscription. The company also offers B2B license packages for companies, schools, universities, and other educational institutions, with pricing available by contacting Retain. Retain Labs GmbH is based in Mörlenbach, Germany. Its privacy policy says usage data, including flashcards and learning progress, may be analyzed in aggregated and anonymized form to improve AI models and algorithms. The terms caution that AI-generated cards can contain errors and do not guarantee their correctness or completeness.
Who it suits
Retain suits learners who want to turn study materials into flashcards, set a learning goal, and use a personalized study plan across web or mobile. It also offers license packages for companies and educational institutions.
What it does well
- Available on Android, iOS, and the web.
- Creates personalized learning plans based on a learner's goal.
- Supports cloze, image occlusion, and custom Anki card types.
- Adaptive review and mixed study modes are available.
- Decks and flashcards can be shared through a link.
What to know first
- AI-generated flashcards may contain errors or inaccuracies.
- Subscriptions have a fair-use upload cap that can temporarily restrict uploads.
- Usage data may be analyzed in aggregated and anonymized form to improve AI.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free download and use | Free |
| Retain Ultra | AI-powered study features | On request |
| Retain Pro | Paid in-app subscription | On request |
As retain.cards lists them, read 20 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit https://www.retain.cards/ or use the Android or iOS app.
- Create an account and set a learning goal.
- Add supported learning materials, such as PDFs, images, YouTube videos, GoodNotes notes, or Notion notes.
- Use the generated learning plan and flashcards, or create cards in a listed format.
- Choose the free plan or review Retain Ultra and Retain Pro in the app.
Verdict
Choose Retain if you want a flashcard app with personalized planning, multiple card types, and web and mobile access. Keep in mind that AI-generated cards can be inaccurate, and subscription uploads may be temporarily restricted when the fair-use cap is reached.
Questions
Is Retain free?
Yes. Its Free plan is listed as free. Retain Ultra includes AI-powered study features, and Retain Pro is a paid in-app subscription.
Which platforms does Retain support?
Retain is available on Android, iOS, and the web.
What materials and card types does it support?
The site lists PDF, PNG, and JPEG uploads, while onboarding also names images, YouTube videos, GoodNotes notes, and Notion notes. Listed card types include cloze, image occlusion, and custom Anki.
Can I share flashcards?
Yes. Users can share decks and individual flashcards with a link.
Does Retain offer organization licenses?
Yes. B2B license packages are available for companies and educational institutions; pricing is available by contacting Retain.
How does Retain use learning data?
Its privacy policy says usage data, including flashcards and learning progress, may be analyzed in aggregated and anonymized form to improve AI models and algorithms.
Facts from Retain's own pages
- Adaptive review
- Yes · retain.cards, 20 Sept 2026
- AI limitation
- The terms say AI-generated flashcards may contain errors or inaccuracies and Retain does not guarantee their correctness or completeness. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Business offering
- Retain offers B2B license packages for companies, schools, universities, and other educational institutions, with pricing available by contacting the company. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Card formats
- mixed · retain.cards, 20 Sept 2026
- Company
- The legal notice identifies the maker as Retain Labs GmbH and gives its address as Goethestraße 4, 69509 Mörlenbach, Germany. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Flashcard types
- The site lists cloze, image occlusion, and custom Anki flashcard types. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · retain.cards, 20 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Mörlenbach, Germany · retain.cards, 28 Sept 2026
- Learning materials
- Retain's onboarding page says it supports PDFs, images, YouTube videos, GoodNotes notes, and Notion notes as sources. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Mobile apps
- Yes · retain.cards, 20 Sept 2026
- Payment processing
- The privacy policy says Stripe processes payments and Retain does not store credit card or payment information on its servers. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- PDF flashcards
- Users can upload PDFs and Retain says its AI generates relevant flashcards from the material. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Platforms
- The site links to iOS and Android apps and describes Retain as available on mobile and desktop. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The privacy policy says usage data, including created flashcards and learning progress, may be analyzed in aggregated and anonymized form and used to improve AI models and algorithms. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Product
- Retain describes itself as a science-based flashcard app that uses AI models and learning science to create personalized learning plans. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Security
- The privacy policy says Retain uses industry-standard security measures but cannot guarantee absolute security. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Sharing
- Users can share decks and flashcards with a link, according to the product site. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Source formats
- mixed · retain.cards, 20 Sept 2026
- Study modes
- mixed · retain.cards, 20 Sept 2026
- Study planning
- Retain says learners can set a goal and receive a personalized learning plan. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Supported uploads
- The site lists PDF, PNG, and JPEG as currently supported file formats. · retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
- Upload limit
- The terms say subscriptions allow unlimited document uploads subject to a fair-use cap, and uploads may be temporarily restricted when that internal cap is reached. · app.retain.cards, 8 Oct 2026
Where Retain stands on Freedom251
- Flashcard apps#16 of 27
- AI Flashcard Generators#18 of 27