The apps that help students most cover revision, planning, notes, focus and writing. Flashcard apps with spaced repetition beat rereading notes, a planner keeps deadlines visible and a focus timer keeps your phone out of the way. Nearly everything here has a free plan, so try before you upgrade.
Students are surrounded by apps, and most of them are designed to steal attention, not help you study. The ones on this list do the opposite: they help you remember more, plan better and spend less time distracted.
This list suits secondary, college and university students. If you're using AI to study, my guide to AI writing tools that help students study smarter is a good companion, and these productivity tools for students cover the rest of your week.
Student apps compared at a glance
Here's what each app is, what it's good for and whether its own site shows a free plan, a trial or neither. The list is alphabetical and in no particular order.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anki | Flashcards | Remembering facts long term | Yes |
| Brainscape | Flashcards | Rating how well you know each card | Yes |
| Duolingo | Languages | A daily language habit | Yes |
| Forest | Focus timer | Staying off your phone | Yes |
| Goodnotes | Handwritten notes | Writing notes on a tablet | Yes |
| Grammarly | Writing help | Catching errors in essays | Yes |
| MyStudyLife | Study planner | Timetables, homework and exams | Yes |
| Notion | Notes and planning | Organising a whole course in one place | Yes |
| Zotero | References | Citations and bibliographies | Yes |
Apps students can use every day
Anki
Best for: Medical, law and language students with lots to memorise who want flashcards shown just before they'd forget them.
Brainscape
Best for: Exam revision, when you want cards repeated based on how confident you felt about each answer rather than a fixed order.
Duolingo
Best for: Learners adding a language alongside their course who want short daily lessons and a streak that keeps them coming back.
Forest
Best for: Anyone who picks up their phone every few minutes while studying and wants a gentle reason to leave it alone.
Goodnotes
Best for: Tablet and stylus owners who prefer handwriting notes and annotating lecture slides to typing them out.
Grammarly
Best for: Essay and application writing, with spelling, grammar and unclear sentences flagged before you press submit.
MyStudyLife
Best for: Students juggling lessons, homework deadlines and exam dates who want one planner on their phone and laptop.
Notion
Best for: People who like building their own system, with notes, reading lists and assignment trackers linked together in one workspace.
Zotero
Best for: University students writing dissertations who need sources saved, cited and turned into a bibliography in the right style.
Build a simple study routine around your apps
- Put every deadline and exam date in your planner the day you get it.
- Turn each lesson's key facts into flashcards the same evening.
- Do a short flashcard session every day rather than one long one before the exam.
- Use a focus timer for study blocks and leave your phone face down until it ends.
- Run essays through a writing checker before you submit, then read them aloud once.
Why flashcards beat rereading
Going back over your notes feels productive because the words look familiar, but familiarity isn't the same as remembering. Flashcard apps make you dig the answer out of your own memory, and spaced repetition shows each card again just before you're likely to forget it. It feels harder, which is exactly why it works.
Keep your accounts safe
The National Cyber Security Centre's top tips are to use a strong and separate password for your email, install the latest software and app updates, and turn on 2-step verification. Your email is the way into every other app you use, including university portals, so give it its own strong password and switch on two-step sign-in first.
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Apps for group projects
Group projects go wrong when nobody knows who's doing what. Agree on one shared document or workspace, one place for messages and a simple task list with names and deadlines next to each job. Set it up in the first meeting, while everyone's still keen, rather than halfway through when things have started slipping.
Keep your own copy of anything you write for the group. If a shared folder gets deleted or someone leaves the course, you'll still have your part of the work and the notes that show what you contributed. It's a small habit that saves a lot of stress near the deadline.
Don't let apps become another way to put off studying. If you spend more time colouring your planner or tidying your flashcard decks than using them, strip things back to the basics. A plain list of tasks you tick off each day and twenty minutes of flashcards will do more for your grades than the prettiest setup. When exams are close, switch off notifications for everything except the apps you need, and tell friends you'll reply after your study block.
If you're not sure where to start, begin with the planner. Once every deadline is in one place, it's much easier to see which subjects need flashcards, which need focus time and where you've got room to breathe.
Do you make an app for students? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for students choosing study apps
Pick three apps at most: one for planning, one for revision and one for focus. Use them every day for two weeks before judging them. The best study app is the one you open without thinking, and that only happens once it's a habit.
If you're writing with AI help, keep your own notes on what you asked and why. My ChatGPT prompts for students show how to use it to learn rather than to skip the learning.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best free apps for students?
Most apps here have a free plan or free version, covering flashcards, planning, focus, note-taking, writing help, languages and references.
Which app is best for revision?
Flashcard apps with spaced repetition are strong for revision because they test recall and repeat cards at the right time.
How can an app help me stop using my phone while studying?
Focus timer apps reward you for leaving your phone alone during a study block, which makes it easier to resist checking messages.
Do university students need a reference manager?
If you're writing long essays or a dissertation, yes. A reference manager saves sources and builds your bibliography in the required style.
How do I keep my student accounts secure?
Use a strong, separate password for your email, keep apps updated and turn on 2-step verification, as the NCSC recommends.
