Anki AnKing Step Deck vs SimConverse
AnkiHub sells to the individual student building a Step 1 deck, while SimConverse's privacy policy describes its services as being for educators in the healthcare industry. Its buyer is a nursing or optometry program running simulations for a cohort. The two answer different buying questions. An M2 pays AnkiHub $6 per month for Core, which carries the AnKing Step Deck, or $10 for Premium with the chatbot and Smart Search. Boards & Beyond and First Aid Forward content inside Premium needs separate subscriptions to those products. AnkiHub's pricing page lists $66 per year and a $450 lifetime price labeled early access.
A simulation lead gets AI virtual patients, rubrics written in plain language and marked by the platform, and cohorts created through SSO or LTI 1.3 with Moodle, Canvas or Blackboard. The vendor lists SOC 2 Type II. A small self-rated study by Aston University authors, 16 final-year optometry students, found no significant difference between SimConverse and a human actor, with ChatGPT rated poorer. A 2026 Computers, Informatics, Nursing study by Villanova authors of first-year BSN students reported a higher but nonsignificant therapeutic communication skill score in the SimConverse group.
Medical education · Reviewed November 2, 2026
Anki AnKing Step Deck
by AnkiHub
Free Anki flashcard app plus the community-made AnKing USMLE deck. AnkiHub is the paid sync service, with an AI chatbot on Premium.
SimConverse
by Dymaxion Technologies Pty Ltd
AI simulated patients for communication training in health professions education.
When to pick each one
Anki AnKing Step Deck
- Anki desktop, AnkiWeb and AnkiDroid cost $0
- AnkiHub Core $6 per month, Premium $10
- Premium adds chatbot and Smart Search
SimConverse
- AI simulated patients with rubric marking
- SSO and LTI 1.3 for Moodle and Canvas
- Cohorts created through SSO or LTI
Score
Each row shows points earned of points available under the published rubric.
Anki AnKing Step Deck
53of 100
SimConverse
32of 100
| Dimension | Anki AnKing Step Deck | SimConverse | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peer-reviewed papers | 0 / 7 | 4.9 / 7 | -4.9 |
| RCT / meta-analysis / systematic review | 0 / 1.8 | 0 / 1.8 | 0 |
| Funding & adoption signal | 12 / 12 | 3 / 12 | +9 |
| Pricing transparency | 6.5 / 6.5 | 3.3 / 6.5 | +3.3 |
| Years in market | 0 / 7.8 | 0 / 7.8 | 0 |
Scroll horizontally to see every column.
Pricing
Anki AnKing Step Deck
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anki (desktop, AnkiWeb, AnkiDroid) | n/a | n/a | Free and open source (Ankitects). AnkiMobile on iOS is a paid app. Its price is not confirmed. |
| AnkiHub Core | $6 | n/a | Shared decks including the AnKing Step Deck, updates and suggestions. An older block on the same page still shows $5. |
| AnkiHub Premium | $10 | n/a | Adds Smart Search, the AnkiHub chatbot and Boards & Beyond / First Aid Forward content (those need separate subscriptions). |
| AnkiHub Lifetime | n/a | n/a | Labeled "early access rate". The same page also shows $66 per year and an older $240 lifetime block. |
SimConverse
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | n/a | n/a | No public price. |
Evidence
Anki AnKing Step Deck
No FDA decision, peer-reviewed study or community post in our record.
SimConverse
Peer-reviewed
4 PubMed records name SimConverse.
- Artificial intelligence-driven patient history and symptoms combined with slit-lamp eye simulation for enhancing the clinical training of students. (opens in new tab)
- The Effect of Generative Artificial Intelligence Simulation on First-Year Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Therapeutic Communication Skill. (opens in new tab)
- Advances in evaluating and delivering nontechnical skills training: The use of simulation, robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality. (opens in new tab)
Compliance and integrations
Documented from each vendor’s own pages.
| Spec | Anki AnKing Step Deck | SimConverse |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ||
| HIPAA | ||
| SOC 2 Type II | ||
| EHR integrations | Not specified | Not specified |
| Founded | n/a | n/a |
| HQ | n/a | AU |
Scroll horizontally to see both columns.
Common questions
Open the full medical education comparison
USMLE prep (UWorld, AMBOSS, Anki), specialty learning (SketchyMedical, Pathoma, Boards & Beyond), CME (Healio AI, AMA Ed Hub). The most affiliate-rich category in healthcare AI.