Membean
Vocabulary trainer built on spaced retrieval and word roots, sold to schools and to individuals by the month.
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About Membean
Membean is a web-based vocabulary program from Portland, Oregon, used mainly by middle and high schools but also sold to individuals. Each word is taught through several "Memlets": a context paragraph, quotes from journalism and literature, an image, related words, word forms, a video clip and a breakdown of the word's roots. Training sessions then ask you a lot of questions, many of them hard, and space each word over time so you relearn it just as you start to forget. An initial calibration sets where you start. Individuals can try it free for 3 days, then buy a plan by length: $29 for one month, down to $6 a month on a 12-month plan, paid by card with no automatic renewal. Membean says personal and GRE learners cover about 1,500 words and SAT learners about 2,000, chosen to be useful rather than exotic. Schools pay $8 to $20 per student a year. It suits students preparing for the SAT or GRE and adults who want to study vocabulary properly rather than glance at a daily word. The trade-off is effort and polish: sessions feel like coursework, the experience is built around the browser rather than a phone app, and the 1,500-word scope is narrower than the big daily-word libraries.
Best for: SAT and GRE students, or adults who want structured study with deep coverage of each word.
Pros and cons
What works
- Teaches each word through roots, context, quotes and images
- Spaced retrieval practice with demanding questions
- Plans don't auto-renew
- Separate word lists for SAT and GRE
Why people leave
- No free tier beyond a 3-day trial
- Feels like coursework rather than a quick daily habit
- Covers about 1,500 to 2,000 words, fewer than daily-word apps
Top Membean alternatives
See all 5- 1
Vocabulary.com68.8Similarly rigorous adaptive questions with a much larger word bank and a free tier for light use.
- 2
Vocabulary Builder by Knudge64.8Exam-level word lists and spaced repetition in a phone app with 5-minute sessions, at a lower yearly price.
- 3
Atlas Vocabulary Builder61.8Includes GRE, SAT, TOEFL and IELTS categories inside a phone app with widgets and a placement test.
- 4
Zann WordUp57.5A cheaper solo option that also uses spaced review, ordered by the most useful English words.
- 5
Anki51.2Free spaced-repetition flashcards; shared GRE and SAT decks exist, but you build or pick the content yourself.
Why people left Membean
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Membean: common questions
Is Membean free?
No, Membean is a paid product.
Is Membean open source?
No, Membean is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Anki.
What platforms does Membean run on?
Membean is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to Membean?
The highest-ranked Membean alternatives right now are Vocabulary.com, Vocabulary Builder by Knudge and Atlas Vocabulary Builder. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.