Budling vs Memrise — Free English Vocabulary with Pixel Pets
Memrise's spaced repetition, free — with gamification Memrise never had.
Memrise combines spaced repetition with real-world video clips and mnemonics — a powerful approach for building vocabulary in context. But most of Memrise's best features require a Pro subscription, and custom community courses were removed in 2023. Budling keeps the best parts free: unlimited custom flashcard sets, FSRS spaced repetition, and gamification via a pixel pet companion.
Try Budling free →Budling vs Memrise — Feature Comparison
Why learners choose Budling over Memrise
Custom sets are free and stay free
Memrise removed community-created courses and restricts custom learning to Pro subscribers. Budling lets you create unlimited custom flashcard sets for free — import via bulk paste or add cards one by one.
A companion worth coming back for
Memrise has streaks. Budling adds a pixel pet companion — six species, five evolution stages — that grows alongside your vocabulary. It gets grumpy when you skip days, creating real emotional investment in your streak.
Built-in CEFR vocabulary library
Budling includes 90+ expert-curated English vocabulary sets organised by CEFR level (A1–C1). Topics include Food, Travel, Business, Gaming, Irregular Verbs, and more — no subscription required.
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Get started free →Frequently asked questions
Is Budling a good Memrise alternative?
For English vocabulary: yes. Budling matches Memrise's spaced repetition and adds gamification and community sets — all free. Memrise's native video clips have no equivalent in Budling, so if pronunciation practice matters most, use both.
Why did Memrise remove community courses?
Memrise removed user-created community courses in 2023, focusing on its official content. This left many learners without their custom decks. Budling fully supports user-created and shared public sets.
Does Budling have audio / pronunciation?
Budling focuses on reading and recall flashcards. Built-in pronunciation isn't available yet — it's on our roadmap. Memrise and Forvo are good companions for audio-focused practice.
Can I study CEFR vocabulary on Budling?
Yes — Budling's official library organises sets from A1 beginner to C1 advanced. Browse by level, topic, or keyword. All sets are free and use FSRS spaced repetition.
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