The right apps can turn a chaotic study routine into a calm, productive workflow. We tested and shortlisted the most useful tools for note-taking, revision, focus, flashcards, and planning — apps that students actually use and love in 2025.
Notion — Notes, Databases & Planning
All-in-one workspace for notes, to-do lists, and project planning. Great for organising modules and assignments.
Use templates for lecture notes and assignment trackers.
Quizlet — Flashcards & Practice Tests
Create flashcards fast, practice with spaced repetition and use audio & diagrams for better recall.
Excellent for vocabulary and formula memorisation.
Anki — Powerful Spaced Repetition
Advanced spaced repetition for serious memorisation (great for medicine, languages, and law).
Steeper learning curve but unbeatable long-term retention.
Forest — Focus & Time Management
Plant virtual trees while you study — gamified focus timer that discourages phone use.
Perfect for Pomodoro-style sessions and building focus habits.
Microsoft OneNote — Flexible Note Taking
Free-form notes with handwriting support and easy integration with Office tools.
Great if you already use Microsoft 365 via your institution.
Google Keep — Quick Notes & Checklists
Fast note capture, colour-coded notes, and easy syncing with Google services.
Best for quick ideas, checklists and reminders.
Khan Academy — Free Learning & Practice
High-quality lessons and practice problems across maths, science and economics.
Excellent for catching up or filling gaps in lecture content.
Grammarly — Writing & Proofreading
Grammar checks, rewriting suggestions and tone adjustments for essays and emails.
Use the free tier for basic grammar and clarity fixes.
Todoist — Task Management
Simple, powerful task lists with deadlines, priorities and recurring tasks.
Helps keep assignment deadlines and weekly study plans on track.
WolframAlpha — Calculations & Problem Solving
Powerful computation engine for maths, statistics and data analysis.
Great for checking work and exploring concepts in depth.
Quick Tips
- Mix apps: combine a note app (Notion/OneNote) with a flashcard app (Anki/Quizlet).
- Use focus apps (Forest) during heavy study sessions to block distractions.
- Back up notes to cloud storage weekly.
- Try free tiers first — many apps have student discounts/education plans.
Try a couple of these apps for a week each and keep the ones that actually improve your workflow. If you want, we can create quick comparison posts (e.g., Notion vs OneNote, Anki vs Quizlet).