Short answer: Edithly connects to Anki in both directions, for free. Upload a PDF or type a topic and get back a real .apkg file, ready to import into Anki. Or go the other way — upload an existing Anki deck and get back a browser-based flashcard link, no Anki installation required to view it.
Two Directions, Not One
Most "works with Anki" claims mean one thing: export your flashcards to a .apkg file when you're done. Edithly does that, but it also works the other way — upload a deck you already have and get it back as something you can study or share from a browser. Two dedicated tools, one for each direction, plus a third for the one thing neither direction covers on its own: skipping the document entirely.
Direction 1: Document or Topic → Real Anki Deck
PDF to Anki and Prompt to Anki both write a full flashcard deck and email you a genuine .apkg file — the same format Anki's desktop app, AnkiDroid, and AnkiMobile all import natively.
- Have a document? PDF to Anki reads a PDF or Word file and writes the deck from it.
- Don't have a document yet? Prompt to Anki just needs a topic — even a single word like "Photosynthesis" — and writes the deck from that instead.
Both are free, and both send back a real .apkg file attached to the confirmation email as a .zip.
How to do it:
- Go to PDF to Anki if you have a document, or Prompt to Anki if you'd rather just type a topic.
- Upload the file, or type the topic — the prompt tool also accepts an optional file if you have partial notes.
- Enter your email and generate.
- Unzip the attachment and use File → Import in Anki desktop, AnkiDroid, or AnkiMobile.
From there, Anki's scheduler takes over — Edithly did the work of writing the cards, Anki does what it's best at: spacing out your reviews.
Direction 2: Existing Anki Deck → Shareable Flashcard Link
Anki to Flashcards runs the opposite direction: upload a .apkg deck you already have — one you built yourself, or downloaded from Anki's shared-decks marketplace — and get back a flashcard visual you can study or share from any browser, no Anki installation required to view it.
This is the same card content, not a different format — the point isn't converting to MCQs or a study guide, it's making a deck reachable by anyone without asking them to install Anki first.
How to do it:
- Go to Anki to Flashcards.
- Upload your .apkg file (up to 25 MB).
- Enter your email and generate.
- Get a shareable link — open it in any browser, or send it to someone without Anki.
Why Bother Going Both Directions?
Because the two tools are good at genuinely different things, and neither direction locks you in:
- Building from a document or topic you have: use PDF to Anki or Prompt to Anki, then import the .apkg into Anki if you want its scheduler.
- Already have a deck: import it with Anki to Flashcards to make it reachable from a browser, no installation required for whoever you're sharing it with.
Your content moves freely between both — nothing is locked into one tool.
A Few Things Worth Knowing
- All three directions are free — none of them are gated behind a paid tier.
- Anki's own scheduling data — review history, intervals — lives inside Anki and isn't something Edithly reads or writes to. The connection is about content, not review history.
- Importing an .apkg gives you back a flashcard visual specifically, not a choice of output format. If you want the same source material as an MCQ quiz or study guide, generate those directly from the original document with PDF to MCQ or PDF to Study Guide instead.
Try It
Start with PDF to Anki or Prompt to Anki to get a real .apkg file, or bring an existing deck in with Anki to Flashcards — all three are free to try.
