App Comparison
Memrise was co-founded by Ed Cooke — a Grand Master of Memory and international memory champion. It launched with mnemonic encoding at its core. Then it removed those memory features entirely.
Loci is what Memrise used to be, rebuilt from the ground up: every word gets a handcrafted mnemonic scene placed inside a memory palace, backed by adaptive spaced repetition. Here is the full comparison.
The Verdict Upfront
Memrise is useful for immersion and listening — its native speaker video clips are genuinely valuable for pronunciation. But it abandoned its memory techniques years ago, leaving vocabulary retention entirely to raw repetition.
Loci is what Memrise once promised: every word encoded through the method of loci, spatially anchored in a memory palace, and reviewed on an adaptive schedule. The result is 80%+ vocabulary retention after 30 days versus Memrise's repetition-only approach.
What Each App Actually Is
Founded in 2010 by memory champion Ed Cooke and neuroscientist Greg Detre, Memrise originally built its product around mnemonic encoding — user-generated “mems” that attached vivid images and stories to foreign words. The approach was genuinely innovative and beloved by early users.
Over time, Memrise pivoted. The mems feature was quietly removed in favour of native speaker video immersion. Today it is primarily a video-first language platform: you see and hear words spoken naturally by real people, then repeat them through flashcard-style exercises.
It covers 20+ languages at varying depth, runs on iOS and Android, and offers a free tier (with ads) plus a Pro subscription for full access.
Loci is a vocabulary learning app built entirely around the method of loci — the ancient memory technique championed by memory champions worldwide. Where Memrise abandoned mnemonic encoding, Loci makes it the entire foundation.
Every word in Loci's 2,000+ word Portuguese curriculum comes with a professionally crafted mnemonic scene placed at a specific location inside a memory palace. Your hippocampus remembers places effortlessly; Loci exploits that to anchor vocabulary that genuinely stays.
Adaptive spaced repetition with self-rating (Again / Hard / Good / Easy), 8 exercise types progressing from recognition to production, full offline access, and no ads or paywalls. Android now; iOS in development.
Side by Side
Every dimension that matters for vocabulary acquisition — evaluated honestly.
| Category | Memrise | Loci |
|---|---|---|
| Learning MethodKey | Video immersion + flashcard repetition | Memory palaces — vivid scenes at spatial locations |
| Retention TechniqueKey | None (mems were removed) | Method of loci + professionally crafted mnemonics |
| Content Type | Native speaker video clips, word lists | Curated 2,000-word curriculum with mnemonic scenes |
| Offline Support | Limited (Pro only) | Full offline access |
| Price | Free with ads / Pro ~$8.49/mo | Free — no ads, no paywalls |
| Languages | 20+ languages | Portuguese (more in development) |
| Unique FeatureKey | Native speaker video library | Memory palace spatial anchoring for every word |
Retention figures based on Dresler et al. (2017) and the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve for repetition-based learning vs. method of loci encoding.
How They Teach
The difference between these two apps is not cosmetic — it is a fundamental disagreement about how vocabulary gets into long-term memory.
Memrise's current approach centres on native speaker video clips. You see a word, watch a real person say it in a natural sentence, then encounter it across multiple exercise formats — multiple choice, typing, matching — until it theoretically “sticks.”
This is the immersion hypothesis: expose yourself to a word enough times in enough contexts and it will eventually move into long-term memory. For spoken comprehension and pronunciation, the video approach has genuine value. For actually recalling the word when you need it — especially weeks or months later — the results are significantly weaker.
Without a deliberate encoding technique, you are fighting the forgetting curve with volume alone. The curve wins unless you keep reviewing constantly.
Loci is built on the method of loci — the oldest and most scientifically validated memory technique in existence. Each word in the curriculum is assigned a specific location inside a memory palace, and a professionally crafted mnemonic scene encodes its meaning at that location.
Learning a new word is not “see it and repeat it” — it is experiencing a vivid, bizarre, sensory-rich scene that your brain automatically anchors to the spatial location. Your hippocampus, which evolved to remember places and routes effortlessly, does most of the work.
After encoding, adaptive spaced repetition schedules reviews at precisely the right intervals to move the word from short-term into long-term memory with minimum total effort. You rate each review (Again / Hard / Good / Easy) so the algorithm models how strong your memory actually is — not just whether you got it right.
The neuroscience
John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard Moser won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering the brain's “place cells” — neurons in the hippocampus that fire when you occupy or imagine a specific location. Memory palaces deliberately activate these cells, giving abstract vocabulary a physical address in your brain's spatial map. No amount of video repetition activates place cells. That is the fundamental difference. Read more about how to remember vocabulary using these techniques.
The Numbers
The most important question is not how many words you study — it is how many you can still recall a month later. This is where the two apps diverge most dramatically.
Memrise (video + repetition)
~20%
Repetition-based encoding creates a shallow initial memory trace. Without continuous review, most words fade within the first 48–72 hours. Memrise's video immersion creates familiarity but not durable recall.
Loci (memory palace encoding)
80%+
Spatial anchoring and vivid mnemonic scenes create a durable memory trace from the very first encounter. Words survive long review gaps because the underlying memory is genuinely strong — not dependent on constant reinforcement.
This is not a criticism specific to Memrise — it is a limitation of repetition-based learning as a category. The Ebbinghaus forgetting curve demonstrates that information learned through repetition decays rapidly without reinforcement. A word encountered in a video clip and drilled through matching exercises creates a weak initial memory trace. That trace requires frequent review just to maintain — and if you miss a few sessions, it may need to be relearned almost entirely.
Dresler et al. (2017) found that participants trained on the method of loci for six weeks improved word recall by 2.1x compared to controls using rote repetition. The improvement persisted four months later with no additional training. The reason is that spatial memory and vivid scene encoding create durable memory traces that survive gaps naturally — you are reconstructing a strong memory rather than trying to rebuild a faded one.
After one month of studying with Memrise, you might recognise a word when you see it — but active recall (producing it without a prompt) will be limited to words you have reviewed very recently. With Loci, words you encoded three weeks ago and have not reviewed since are still accessible, because the spatial anchor and mnemonic scene remain in place. Learn how to get the most from this approach in the guide on how to remember vocabulary.
What You Pay
Pricing is simple to compare — but the hidden costs of paywalls and interrupted learning matter more than the monthly fee.
Free tier
$0
Access to basic courses with advertisements. Some content and features locked behind Pro.
Memrise Pro
~$8.49 / month
Full course access, offline mode, no ads. Annual plans reduce the effective monthly rate.
Early access
$0
Full app access, no ads, no paywalls. Everything available on day one. Offline included.
The hidden cost of interrupted learning: Ads and paywalls do not just cost money — they break the flow state that makes vocabulary encoding effective. Every time a Memrise ad fires mid-session, your attention is redirected and the memory trace you were forming is interrupted. Loci's no-interruption policy is a meaningful product decision, not just a pricing choice.
Being Honest
This is not a one-sided comparison. Memrise's pivot to video immersion created real strengths worth acknowledging.
Memrise's video library is genuinely impressive. Seeing words spoken by real people in natural sentences, with regional accents and authentic intonation, builds a kind of phonological familiarity that written study cannot replicate. For pronunciation and listening comprehension, this is a meaningful and differentiated advantage.
Memrise covers 20+ languages including Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Russian, and most major European languages. If your target language is not Portuguese, Memrise has a course for it. Loci begins with Portuguese only — more languages are in development but not yet available.
Some learners respond better to organic exposure than structured encoding. Memrise's approach of surrounding you with real language feels less “studious” than deliberate mnemonic work. For learners who find active memory techniques uncomfortable or effortful, immersion-style learning has a lower activation barrier.
Memrise has had over a decade of investment and iteration. The app is smooth, well-designed, and benefits from years of UX refinement. The video production quality is high. If app polish matters to your daily motivation, Memrise has a head start over a newer product.
If you use Loci as your primary vocabulary tool, adding Memrise as a listening supplement makes sense. After you have encoded a word in Loci using a memory palace, encountering it in a Memrise video reinforces both the phonological form and the real-world usage context. The two apps are genuinely complementary for this reason.
Loci's Advantages
For the specific goal of building vocabulary that stays in your head long-term, Loci's advantages are decisive.
Mnemonic encoding is what Memrise was built on in 2010 and what it abandoned. Loci is built on it in 2026 — but curated, consistent, and professional. Every word has a handcrafted scene. No gaps, no low-quality community submissions, no words left without a memory hook.
Words in Loci are not just encoded with mnemonics — they are placed at specific locations inside a memory palace. Your hippocampus remembers places effortlessly. That spatial anchor is what transforms a mnemonic from a useful trick into a durable, retrievable memory.
Loci uses Again / Hard / Good / Easy self-rating to model how strong your memory of each word actually is. Memrise's basic SRS treats right-or-wrong as a binary. Self-rating produces significantly more accurate review scheduling and fewer unnecessary repetitions of already-known words.
Memrise leans on multiple choice and typing. Loci uses 8 exercise types — cloze fill, dictation, sentence building, conjugation drills, and more — that progressively increase from passive recognition to active production. Words get tested from every angle until they are genuinely internalized.
Loci works completely offline from the start — no Pro subscription required. Memrise gates offline mode behind its paid tier. For commuters, travellers, and anyone without reliable connectivity, this is a practical daily difference.
Loci is entirely free during early access. No advertisements interrupt your learning sessions, no hearts limit how many exercises you can do, and no lessons are locked behind a paywall. Clean, uninterrupted study sessions are part of effective encoding — not a luxury.
Choosing Between Them
These apps are not direct substitutes. They solve different problems for different learners.
Listening-first learners
If your primary goal is understanding spoken language rather than recalling vocabulary from scratch, Memrise's video clips offer something genuinely useful.
Learners targeting languages other than Portuguese
Loci is not yet available for most languages. If you need Japanese, Korean, or Arabic vocabulary, Memrise has courses ready.
Casual learners comfortable with forgetting
If you are learning for travel or enjoyment with no pressure to retain words long-term, Memrise's lighter approach may suit you.
Supplemental use alongside Loci
Memrise works well as a listening layer on top of Loci's vocabulary foundation. Encode with Loci; hear with Memrise.
Learners building a Portuguese vocabulary base
Loci's 2,000-word Brazilian Portuguese curriculum is sequenced deliberately — high-frequency words first, domain-specific vocabulary later.
Anyone who has tried flashcard apps and burned out
If Anki or Duolingo repetition felt like a treadmill, the memory palace approach is fundamentally different — vocabulary sticks without grinding.
Learners who miss Memrise's original mems feature
If you came to Memrise for the mnemonic encoding and were disappointed when it disappeared, Loci is exactly what you were looking for.
Serious learners prioritising long-term retention
If you need vocabulary to still be accessible months after learning — for travel, work, or fluency — the 80%+ retention figures make Loci the clear choice.
Mobile learners who want clean, uninterrupted sessions
No ads, no hearts, no paywalls. Download and study. Loci removes every friction point between you and effective vocabulary encoding.
The Verdict
Memrise is a good app for what it does today — video immersion, listening practice, and broad language support. If those are your priorities, it delivers. But it is no longer a vocabulary memorisation app in any meaningful sense. The memory techniques that defined it were removed. What remains is polished but ordinary.
Loci is the Memrise of 2026: the version that kept the memory techniques. Every word gets a handcrafted mnemonic scene placed in a memory palace. Adaptive spaced repetition reviews it at exactly the right intervals. Eight exercise types build vocabulary from recognition to production. No ads, no paywalls, no hearts.
If your goal is vocabulary that you can actually recall — weeks and months after learning it, without grinding daily reviews — Loci wins this comparison clearly. The 80% vs 20% retention gap after 30 days is not marginal. It is the difference between a vocabulary that functions and one that requires constant maintenance.
The ideal setup for serious Portuguese learners: use Loci as your vocabulary foundation and optionally add Memrise for supplemental listening practice. Or compare how Loci stacks up against other alternatives: Loci vs Duolingo or Loci vs Anki.
Memrise
Loci
Try It Yourself
Download Loci and learn your first 10 Brazilian Portuguese words inside a memory palace — in under 5 minutes. No subscription, no ads, no hoping the community left a good mem. Just words placed in your mind with handcrafted scenes that actually stick.
You will know within one session whether memory palace encoding feels different from flashcard repetition. Most people are surprised by how much more vivid — and how much more durable — the experience is.
Download Loci for AndroidAndroid APK · Early access · Free · Brazilian Portuguese