Anki vs TAO
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Anki
Powerful spaced-repetition flashcard program
VS
TAO
Open-source computer-based assessment platform
| Feature | Anki | TAO |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Rust | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 29,597 | ★ 138 |
| First released | 2006 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Quizlet | ExamSoft, Questionmark |
Why pick each one
Choose Anki if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 29.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Rust
Choose TAO if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Anki or TAO better?
Anki is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider TAO if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Anki and TAO free and open-source?
Yes. Anki is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and TAO under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anki and TAO with Docker?
Anki: check the project docs for container support. TAO: yes.