The most useful apps for teachers do one of four jobs: make revision fun, show you who understands in real time, keep parents in the loop or keep resources organised. Most have free teacher plans. Check your school's approval list before signing a class up, because student privacy rules apply.
Teachers don't need another app that takes an evening to set up. They need something that works in the first five minutes of a lesson, on whatever devices the class has, and that doesn't fall over when thirty students join at once.
This list mixes quick games, live assessment, class communication and resource tools. If you're short on planning time, my ChatGPT prompts for lesson plans can save you an evening, and these time-saving prompts for teachers help with the admin around them.
Teacher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baamboozle | Classroom games | Whole-class team games on one screen | Yes |
| Blooket | Review games | Revision that feels like a game | Yes |
| ClassDojo | Class communication | Messaging parents and sharing class moments | Yes |
| Formative | Live assessment | Seeing answers as students work | Yes |
| Kahoot! | Quiz games | Fast, lively quizzes | Yes |
| Padlet | Collaboration boards | Collecting ideas and student work | Yes |
| Plickers | Card quizzes | Checking understanding without devices | Yes |
| Seesaw | Digital portfolios | Student portfolios families can see | Yes |
| Wakelet | Resource collections | Organising links and resources | Yes |
Classroom apps teachers are using
Baamboozle
Best for: Teachers who want a team game on the board with no student devices, ready to play in a couple of minutes.
Blooket
Best for: Middle and secondary teachers who want students revising vocabulary or facts through game modes they'll ask to play again.
ClassDojo
Best for: Primary teachers who want parents kept in the loop with photos, messages and behaviour points from one app.
Formative
Best for: Maths and science classes where the teacher wants to watch every answer appear live and step in before small mistakes grow.
Kahoot!
Best for: Any teacher wanting a quick, noisy quiz to start or end a lesson, using ready-made games or ones they've written.
Padlet
Best for: Classes brainstorming together or posting work to one shared wall that the teacher can display, sort and keep.
Plickers
Best for: Classrooms with no student devices, where printed cards and the teacher's phone are all that's needed to check understanding.
Seesaw
Best for: Younger classes where students record, draw and photograph their work and families see progress through the year.
Wakelet
Best for: Topic planning, when you've gathered videos, articles and links and want them shared with students as one tidy collection.
Match the app to the moment in your lesson
- Starter or plenary: a quick quiz or team game to wake the room up or check what stuck.
- Middle of the lesson: live assessment so you can see who's stuck while there's still time to help.
- Homework and revision: game modes students can play on their own devices at home.
- Parents' evening and beyond: a messaging app that keeps families updated without extra emails.
- Planning: a collection tool for the videos, links and articles you've gathered for a topic.
Devices decide more than features
Before you fall for an app, check what your students will use it on. Some apps need a device per student, some work with one screen at the front, and card-based tools need nothing but your phone. If your class shares a set of tablets, pick apps that cope with quick log-ins and students switching devices halfway through.
It's also worth testing on the school network, not just at home. Filters and firewalls block more apps than you'd expect, and you don't want to find that out with thirty students waiting.
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Student privacy and school approval
The U.S. Department of Education's student privacy guidance covers apps, mobile apps and web tools provided by a third party that students or parents use as part of a school activity, such as class readings or homework. In practice, that means your school or district may need to approve an app before students sign in, even when the app is free for teachers. In the UK, your school's data protection lead will usually keep a similar list.
Ask for the approved list at the start of term. It saves you building a whole unit around an app you're then told you can't use.
Getting students set up quickly
The first lesson with any new app is mostly log-ins. Save time by preparing class codes or QR codes in advance, putting them on the board and giving students a minute to join before you start. If the app lets you create student accounts in bulk from a class list, do that the night before.
Keep a short fallback plan for the day the Wi-Fi drops. A paper version of the quiz or a card-based activity means the lesson still works, and students won't notice anything went wrong. It's also worth showing students how to log out fully on shared devices, so the next class doesn't inherit someone else's account.
Do you make an app for teachers? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for teachers trying new classroom apps
Try one new app per half term, not five at once. Use it in the same slot each week so students learn the routine, then decide whether it's earned a permanent place. The apps that stick are the ones students ask for by name.
Keep a short note of what worked and what didn't. When a colleague asks which app to try, you'll have a real answer from your own classroom rather than a guess.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best free apps for teachers?
Several apps here have free plans for teachers, covering quizzes, games, class messaging and resource collections. Upgrades usually add reports, more students or school-wide features.
Which teacher apps work without student devices?
Card-based assessment apps and team games played on one screen work without student devices. They're ideal for classrooms with limited tech.
Do I need permission to use an app with my class?
Often, yes. Student privacy guidance covers apps students use as part of a school activity, so check your school or district's approved list first.
How can apps help with formative assessment?
Live assessment and quiz apps show each student's answers as they work, so you can spot misunderstandings and adjust the lesson straight away.
How do I keep parents updated with an app?
Class communication apps let you send messages, photos and updates to families from your phone, which saves time compared with separate emails.
