Medly AI vs Gizmo
AI exam tutoring vs AI flashcards — which approach works best for GCSE, A-Level, and IB students?
Medly AI vs Gizmo: Full Comparison
Medly AI and Gizmo both use artificial intelligence to help students study, but they solve different problems. Gizmo generates flashcards and quizzes. Medly AI provides AI tutoring, exam practice, and personalised marking across thousands of exam-style questions. Here's how they compare.
Quick Comparison
| Medly AI | Gizmo | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Function | AI exam tutoring + practice | AI flashcards + quizzes |
| Question Bank | Thousands of exam-style Qs, 14+ types | User-generated flashcards |
| AI Marking | ✓ Annotated per-answer feedback | ✗ Right/wrong only |
| Exam Board Aligned | ✓ AQA, Edexcel, OCR, CIE | ✗ No alignment |
| Handwriting Support | ✓ Canvas + auto-mark | ✗ Not available |
| Upload Any Paper | ✓ Upload & Mark any PDF | ✗ Not available |
| Adaptive Learning | ✓ Bayesian mastery model | Spaced repetition |
| Mock Exams | ✓ Medly Mocks — free, examiner-made, nationwide | ✗ Not available |
| Qualifications | GCSE, A-Level, IGCSE, IB, AP, SAT | Curriculum agnostic |
| Pricing | £24.99/mo or £80 one-off until end of academic year | Paid plans from ~$7–$13/mo |
What Is Medly AI?
Medly AI is an AI-powered exam preparation platform designed to go beyond recall and train students in the full range of skills exams actually test — application, analysis, and evaluation alongside knowledge retention. It covers GCSE, A-Level, IGCSE, IB, AP, and SAT across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and CIE.
The platform's question bank of thousands of exam-style questions spans 14+ question types, from multiple choice to 6-mark extended responses and essays — all aligned to specific exam board specification points and vetted by teachers and examiners. Every answer receives annotated AI marking showing exactly where marks were gained and lost. Features include a pedagogical AI tutor with long-term memory, handwriting recognition with auto-marking, Upload & Mark for external papers, Bayesian adaptive learning that tracks mastery per topic, and Medly Mocks — free, examiner-made nationwide mock exams run like real exams with grade boundaries and a results day.
What Is Gizmo?
Gizmo is an AI-powered flashcard and quiz platform built by Cambridge alumni. It converts PDFs, YouTube videos, lecture recordings, PowerPoints, and notes into flashcards and quizzes automatically. It uses spaced repetition and active recall to schedule reviews at optimised intervals. It includes an AI Tutor with step-by-step explanations and an "Explain like I'm 5" mode. Users can import existing decks from Quizlet and Anki.
Gizmo is subject and curriculum agnostic — students create or import their own content. It does not align to any specific exam board or syllabus.
Recall vs Full Exam Preparation
Gizmo's spaced repetition system is designed for memorisation: retaining facts, definitions, formulae, and key terms. This addresses the recall component of exams.
Most GCSE and A-Level papers allocate the majority of marks to application, analysis, and evaluation. A 6-mark extended response requires a structured argument, not a recalled definition. Medly AI's question bank of thousands of exam-style questions spans 14+ question types including essays, long-form answers, and multiple choice — practising the full range of what students face on exam day. The AI marks every answer with annotated feedback tied to specification points and assessment objectives.
Medly's handwriting recognition means students can practise exactly as they will in the real exam — writing by hand on a canvas — with state-of-the-art recognition that reads even bad handwriting — and having answers auto-marked. Gizmo does not support handwritten input.
Exam Board Alignment
Gizmo does not align to any exam board. The quality and accuracy of content depends entirely on what the student uploads or selects from community decks.
Every question in Medly AI's bank is aligned to curriculum specification points and vetted by teachers and examiners. When the AI marks an answer, it references the specific assessment objectives for that exam board. Even work done outside the platform — through Upload & Mark — is matched to specification points and feeds into the student's personalised mastery model.
Pricing
Gizmo offers 15 free lives per day (lost on wrong answers), plus up to 10 AI-generated quizzes per day. Paid plans start from ~$7–$13/month depending on tier and billing cycle, with student discounts available.
Medly AI offers a generous free tier — including Medly Mondays (unlimited free practice for a subject every Monday), completely free Learn Mode and textbooks, and limited free daily premium AI usage — with no credit card required. Full access is £24.99/month or £80 one-off until end of academic year. Medly's subscription includes AI tutoring, thousands of exam questions, handwriting recognition, Upload & Mark, Bayesian adaptive learning, Medly Mocks, and a full analytics dashboard.
The Verdict
Gizmo is an effective memorisation tool using AI-generated flashcards and spaced repetition. Medly AI is a comprehensive exam preparation platform with AI tutoring, thousands of exam-board-aligned questions, handwriting recognition, Upload & Mark, adaptive learning, and Medly Mocks. For students who need to turn knowledge into exam marks, Medly AI addresses every stage of exam preparation — from learning to practising to perfecting exam technique.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Gizmo help with GCSE exam technique?
Gizmo's strength is memorisation. It does not offer exam simulations, timed practice, handwriting support, or AI marking against exam board assessment objectives.
Is Gizmo aligned to UK exam boards?
No. Gizmo is curriculum agnostic. Medly AI's entire question bank is aligned to specific exam board specification points and vetted by teachers and examiners.
Can I practise handwritten answers on Medly AI?
Yes. Medly includes a built-in drawing canvas with pen, eraser, and text tools. Handwritten answers are read with state-of-the-art recognition that reads even bad handwriting, and auto-marked against official mark schemes.
Other Comparisons
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- Medly AI vs Quizlet
- Medly AI vs Physics & Maths Tutor (PMT)
- Medly AI vs Save My Exams
- Medly AI vs Revisely
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