The short version
Pick Playbacks to record a lecture and review it afterwards.
Pick Praesto for help while the class is still talking.
Side by side
| Topic | Praesto | Playbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Starts from | The lecture as it happens. | A recording or an upload. |
| During the lecture | Question cards, cold-call assist and chat that start from your class. | Its page describes recording, with a voice tutor for chatting with a recording. |
| Your own material | Your slides, reading and notes are read alongside what was said. | Its page says you can attach PDFs, slides, links and YouTube videos. |
| Practice | Practice sets and review cards, scheduled with FSRS. | Its page lists quizzes, and flashcards with spaced repetition. |
| Your audio | It never leaves your device. No model trains on you. | Its page says data is not sold or used to train external models. |
| Price | Free to start. Essential $9.99 a month and Pro $12.99 a month on the web. | Free to download. Its home page lists no plan prices. |
Playbacks details are from its own site, read in October 2026. Check Playbacks for today’s version. Plans and limits change. Compare Praesto’s plans
Where Playbacks is the better pick
Its page lists 50+ languages, and sources such as YouTube videos.
If you review after class instead of during it, it fits well.
Questions
Is Praesto an alternative to Playbacks?
Yes, on the same devices. Praesto starts from the live lecture, and Playbacks starts from a recording.
Do both make quizzes and flashcards?
Yes. Praesto schedules its review cards with FSRS, and Playbacks lists spaced repetition too.
Which one keeps my audio on my device?
Praesto does: your audio never leaves your device. Check Playbacks for its own answer.
Does Praesto have a free plan?
Yes. The Free plan works without a card. A trial on Essential or Pro asks for one.
Free to start. For iPhone, iPad and Mac.