AnKing Step Deck (Anki)
by AnKing
The 30,000-card community deck that runs Step 1 prep
✓Pros
- ✓30,000+ crowd-vetted, continuously updated cards
- ✓Free deck, mapped to First Aid, Pathoma, and Sketchy
- ✓Powerful tagging to study by topic or resource
- ✓The de facto standard for spaced-repetition on Step 1
✗Cons
- ✗Huge — requires early, consistent daily reviews
- ✗Steep Anki learning curve for beginners
- ✗AnkiHub auto-updates sit behind an optional paid tier
Highlights
- ✓The full AnKing Step 1/2/3 card library (.apkg / AnkiHub)
- ✓Tags linking cards to First Aid, Pathoma, Sketchy, B&B
- ✓Community setup guides and add-on recommendations
Price
✓Free
What Students Are Saying
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Expert Rating
If UWorld is the practice engine of Step 1 prep, the AnKing Step Deck is the memory engine. It's the crowd-maintained Anki deck that most high-scoring students use to retain the mountain of facts Step 1 demands — and the deck is free.
This review covers what the AnKing deck includes, how it maps to the rest of your resources, and how to use it without drowning.
Summary Table
| Feature | AnKing Step Deck (Anki) |
|---|---|
| Price | Free (AnkiHub optional) |
| Cards | 30,000+ |
| Method | Spaced repetition (Anki) |
| Mapped To | First Aid, Pathoma, Sketchy, B&B |
| Updates | Weekly via AnkiHub (optional paid) |
| Best Use | Long-term fact retention |
AnKing Step Deck (Anki) Overview
The 30,000-card community deck that runs Step 1 prep
The AnKing Step Deck consolidates years of community Anki decks into one organized, tagged, continuously improved library covering Step 1, 2, and 3. Cards are cross-tagged to the major resources, so you can unlock and review cards that match the Pathoma chapter or Sketchy video you just watched.
The base deck is free to download. AnkiHub, which delivers weekly card updates and collaborative fixes, is an optional paid membership — but the deck works fully without it.
What you get:
- The full AnKing Step 1/2/3 card library (.apkg / AnkiHub)
- Tags linking cards to First Aid, Pathoma, Sketchy, B&B
- Community setup guides and add-on recommendations
AnKing Step Deck (Anki) Review For 2026
Why It Dominates
Spaced repetition is the most efficient way to retain thousands of discrete facts, and the AnKing deck is the crowd-vetted, best-organized implementation of it for the boards. The tagging system is the killer feature — you study exactly what you just learned.
Because it's mapped to First Aid, Pathoma, and Sketchy, it slots cleanly into the standard UFAPS workflow rather than competing with it.
The Real Cost: Discipline
The deck is enormous. Started late, the daily review load becomes crushing. The winning move is to begin early (ideally during preclinical coursework) and never miss a day, unsuspending cards as you cover topics.
New Anki users should budget time to learn the app and set up recommended add-ons before relying on it.
Cost
The AnKing Step Deck is free to download and use. Anki itself is free on desktop and Android (AnkiMobile on iOS is a paid app). AnkiHub membership (~$5–8/month) is optional and adds automatic weekly updates and collaboration features.
Who AnKing Step Deck (Anki) Is Best For
- Students who start Step 1 memorization early
- Anyone using the UFAPS (UWorld/First Aid/Anki/Pathoma/Sketchy) stack
- People who retain facts best via spaced repetition
When You Might Look Elsewhere
- You're starting dedicated late and can't absorb 30k cards
- You strongly dislike flashcards or Anki's interface
Final Verdict
The AnKing deck is as close to essential as a free resource gets for Step 1. It's the retention layer under everything else.
Start early, stay consistent, and let the tags tie it to your Qbank and videos.
Download the AnKing Step Deck, learn Anki early, and do your reviews every single day.
AnKing Step Deck (Anki) FAQs
Is the AnKing Step Deck free?
Yes, the deck is free to download and use. Only AnkiHub's automatic-update membership is a paid extra, and it's optional.
When should I start the AnKing deck?
As early as possible — ideally alongside your preclinical classes. Starting during dedicated makes the 30,000+ card load very hard to manage.
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Our Verdict
The backbone of modern Step 1 memorization. The deck itself is free, and paired with UWorld it's how a huge share of students lock in high-yield facts. The only real cost is discipline — you have to start early and never skip days.