From Study Aids to Time Management: Explore the Top 100 Apps Every Student Needs

Austin Wright
Austin Wright - Contributor
22 Min Read


In today’s digital-driven educational landscape, the right tools can make a world of difference for students. The accessibility of apps has transformed the way students learn, organize, and manage their time. From study aids to productivity boosters, this comprehensive guide explores the Top 100 Apps Every Student Needs, ensuring that you optimize your learning experience and manage your time effectively.

1. Evernote

What it is: A note-taking app that allows for the organization of notes, tasks, and attachments.
Why it’s essential: Helps students organize lecture notes and research materials.
Link: Evernote

2. Notion

What it is: An all-in-one workspace for note-taking, project management, and collaboration.
Why it’s essential: Its versatility makes it great for organizing classwork and projects.
Link: Notion

3. Google Drive

What it is: A cloud storage service for file storage and synchronization.
Why it’s essential: Enables access to documents anywhere and facilitates teamwork.
Link: Google Drive

4. Microsoft OneNote

What it is: A digital notebook for capturing thoughts and ideas.
Why it’s essential: Allows for multimedia notes and is compatible with other Microsoft tools.
Link: OneNote

5. Todoist

What it is: A task manager that helps you keep track of your projects and tasks.
Why it’s essential: Its simple interface and productivity tracking keep you organized.
Link: Todoist

6. Trello

What it is: A project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to manage tasks.
Why it’s essential: Great for visual learners and project tracking in group assignments.
Link: Trello

7. Quizlet

What it is: A study tool that allows students to create flashcards and quizzes.
Why it’s essential: Helps with memorization and active recall techniques.
Link: Quizlet

8. Khan Academy

What it is: A non-profit educational platform offering free video courses.
Why it’s essential: Covers a wide range of subjects with high-quality instructional videos.
Link: Khan Academy

9. Wolfram Alpha

What it is: A computational knowledge engine.
Why it’s essential: Provides answers to mathematical problems and scientific queries.
Link: Wolfram Alpha

10. Chegg Study

What it is: A learning platform that provides textbook solutions and expert Q&A.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for homework help and deeper understanding of subjects.
Link: Chegg Study

11. Microsoft Office Lens

What it is: A mobile scanner app that turns your device into a portable scanner.
Why it’s essential: Scan and organize notes, whiteboards, and documents easily.
Link: Office Lens

12. Forest

What it is: A productivity app that encourages you to stay focused.
Why it’s essential: Helps you avoid phone distractions during study time.
Link: Forest

13. Zotero

What it is: A free reference manager for managing bibliographic data.
Why it’s essential: Helps students manage citations and organize research papers.
Link: Zotero

14. Mendeley

What it is: A reference manager tailored for academic research.
Why it’s essential: Facilitates the organization of research and collaboration with peers.
Link: Mendeley

15. Grammarly

What it is: An AI-powered writing assistant that checks for grammatical mistakes.
Why it’s essential: Improves writing quality, ensuring your papers are polished.
Link: Grammarly

16. Slack

What it is: A communication platform for teams and group projects.
Why it’s essential: Provides a real-time chat and file-sharing system ideal for collaboration.
Link: Slack

17. Toggl

What it is: A time tracking app that helps you monitor the time you spend on tasks.
Why it’s essential: Helps in developing better time management habits.
Link: Toggl

18. SimpleMind

What it is: A mind mapping app that helps visualize ideas and concepts.
Why it’s essential: Useful for brainstorming sessions and structuring complex concepts.
Link: SimpleMind

19. Focus@Will

What it is: A music app designed to improve concentration.
Why it’s essential: Curates music that helps you focus while studying.
Link: Focus@Will

20. Google Keep

What it is: A note-taking service that integrates with Google Drive.
Why it’s essential: Allows for quick and easy note-taking with reminders.
Link: Google Keep

21. Microsoft To Do

What it is: A task management app that helps create lists and reminders.
Why it’s essential: Integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office products.
Link: Microsoft To Do

22. Habitica

What it is: A productivity app that gamifies your habits and tasks.
Why it’s essential: Motivation increases as you progress through levels by completing tasks.
Link: Habitica

23. Duolingo

What it is: A language-learning app that uses games to teach various languages.
Why it’s essential: Effective and enjoyable way to learn a new language at your own pace.
Link: Duolingo

24. Trello

What it is: A project management system using a kanban board layout.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for group projects, keeping everyone organized.
Link: Trello

25. Notability

What it is: A note-taking app that allows handwriting and drawing capabilities.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for lecture notes and sketches.
Link: Notability

26. StudyBlue

What it is: A study tool that allows students to create and share flashcards.
Why it’s essential: Great for collaborative studying and test preparation.
Link: StudyBlue

27. Microsoft Edge

What it is: A browser with robust features like reading mode and web note-taking.
Why it’s essential: Helpful for research with built-in annotation features.
Link: Microsoft Edge

28. SimpleNote

What it is: A minimalist note-taking app that emphasizes simplicity.
Why it’s essential: Great for quick notes and cross-device sync.
Link: SimpleNote

29. Coursera

What it is: An online learning platform offering courses from top universities.
Why it’s essential: Expands knowledge beyond standard curriculum.
Link: Coursera

30. Spotify

What it is: A music streaming app that can also provide study playlists.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for creating a focused study atmosphere.
Link: Spotify

31. Google Calendar

What it is: A time-management and scheduling calendar app.
Why it’s essential: Helps keep track of classes, assignments, and deadlines.
Link: Google Calendar

32. Kahoot!

What it is: A game-based learning platform for creating fun quizzes.
Why it’s essential: Engages studying with interactive quizzes and competitions.
Link: Kahoot!

33. Bitly

What it is: A URL shortening service that helps manage links.
Why it’s essential: Useful for sharing resources in papers and presentations.
Link: Bitly

34. Planoly

What it is: A social media planning app for managing Instagram accounts.
Why it’s essential: Keeps media content organized for social media projects or clubs.
Link: Planoly

35. Pocket

What it is: A content-saving app that allows users to save articles and videos.
Why it’s essential: Organizes resources for future reference.
Link: Pocket

36. Carrot

What it is: A task manager with a humorous and motivational twist.
Why it’s essential: Makes task completion entertaining and engaging.
Link: Carrot

37. Coggle

What it is: A mind mapping tool for collaborative brainstorming.
Why it’s essential: Facilitates idea generation and organization for group projects.
Link: Coggle

38. Khan Academy Kids

What it is: An educational app aimed at younger students.
Why it’s essential: Provides foundational skills across subjects for younger audiences.
Link: Khan Academy Kids

39. Procreate

What it is: A digital painting app designed for artwork and sketching.
Why it’s essential: Great for art students to express creativity digitally.
Link: Procreate

40. SimpleMind

What it is: A mind mapping app for organizing thoughts visually.
Why it’s essential: Enhances brainstorming and organizing information.
Link: SimpleMind

41. Audible

What it is: An audiobook and podcast service that offers a vast library.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for multitasking while consuming literature.
Link: Audible

42. Skillshare

What it is: An online learning community offering various courses.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for expanding skills beyond traditional learning.
Link: Skillshare

43. Duolingo

What it is: A fun and interactive language learning platform.
Why it’s essential: Turns language learning into a game, making it engaging.
Link: Duolingo

44. Blinkist

What it is: An app that summarizes non-fiction books into key insights.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for students needing quick overviews without reading the full book.
Link: Blinkist

45. SimpleMind

What it is: A tool for easy mind mapping and brainstorming.
Why it’s essential: It helps students conceptualize ideas in a structured manner.
Link: SimpleMind

46. My Study Life

What it is: A planner for students to manage classes, assignments, and exams.
Why it’s essential: Helps keep track of academic deadlines and schedules.
Link: My Study Life

47. Slack

What it is: A collaboration hub that connects work, people, and tools.
Why it’s essential: Useful for coordinating group projects with team members.
Link: Slack

48. XMind

What it is: A detailed mind mapping tool for organizing and managing thoughts.
Why it’s essential: Enhances clarity and understanding of complex subjects.
Link: XMind

49. Notion

What it is: A versatile app combining notes, task management, and databases.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for customized study planning and organization.
Link: Notion

50. Canva

What it is: A graphic design tool that offers templates for presentations.
Why it’s essential: Supports creating visually engaging presentations and projects.
Link: Canva

51. Zoom

What it is: A cloud-based video conferencing tool.
Why it’s essential: Facilitates virtual classes and group meetings.
Link: Zoom

52. Headspace

What it is: A meditation and mindfulness app.
Why it’s essential: Helps reduce stress and improves focus, beneficial during exams.
Link: Headspace

53. Shazam

What it is: An app that identifies music playing around you.
Why it’s essential: Useful for students in music courses to locate songs and analyze them.
Link: Shazam

54. Duet Display

What it is: A productivity app that turns an iPad into a second screen for a Mac.
Why it’s essential: Enhances productivity for multitasking during complex work.
Link: Duet Display

55. ColorNote

What it is: A simple note-taking app with sticky notes and a checklist.
Why it’s essential: Keeps reminders handy and organized visually.
Link: ColorNote

56. Camscanner

What it is: A mobile scanning app that converts images to PDF.
Why it’s essential: Useful for digitizing notes and documents.
Link: Camscanner

57. Freeletics

What it is: A fitness app that offers workouts and nutritional advice.
Why it’s essential: Supports physical health and well-being for better focus.
Link: Freeletics

58. CheatSheet

What it is: An app that allows you to keep essential information handy.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for quick reference during homework or study sessions.
Link: CheatSheet

59. Google Docs

What it is: An online word processor that allows collaborative document creation.
Why it’s essential: Enables real-time collaboration for papers and projects.
Link: Google Docs

60. Plickers

What it is: A tool that combines physical cards with mobile technology for polls and quizzes.
Why it’s essential: Engages students in real-time assessments.
Link: Plickers

61. Hemingway App

What it is: A writing tool that highlights complex sentences.
Why it’s essential: Helps students improve clarity and readability in their writing.
Link: Hemingway App

62. PocketBib

What it is: A reference management app that helps keep citations organized.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for research-intensive courses and projects.
Link: PocketBib

63. Adobe Scan

What it is: A mobile scanning app that transforms documents into PDFs.
Why it’s essential: Useful for archiving lecture notes and documents digitally.
Link: Adobe Scan

64. Google Translate

What it is: A translation service that supports numerous languages.
Why it’s essential: Immediate assistance for students working with foreign languages.
Link: Google Translate

65. iStudiez Pro

What it is: A student planner to keep track of schedules, assignments, and grades.
Why it’s essential: Comprehensive organization for student life.
Link: iStudiez Pro

66. My Study Life

What it is: A planner designed specifically for students to manage their academic life.
Why it’s essential: Tracks assignments, exams, and school schedules.
Link: My Study Life

67. Canva

What it is: A design tool for creating stunning visuals, posters, and presentations.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for visual projects and presentations.
Link: Canva

68. Flipsnack

What it is: An online platform for creating interactive publications.
Why it’s essential: Useful for creating portfolios and presentations.
Link: Flipsnack

69. Asana

What it is: A project management tool that helps keep teams organized.
Why it’s essential: Great for managing group projects in school settings.
Link: Asana

70. Trello

What it is: A project management app using a card-based design.
Why it’s essential: Keeps tasks organized visually and effectively for group work.
Link: Trello

71. Slack

What it is: A collaboration tool that facilitates communication across teams.
Why it’s essential: Essential for group project coordination.
Link: Slack

72. Speak

What it is: A language learning app that focuses on conversational skills.
Why it’s essential: Helps boost fluency in target languages through practice.
Link: Speak

73. Feedly

What it is: A news aggregator that compiles articles and updates from various sources.
Why it’s essential: Useful for staying updated in specific subject areas.
Link: Feedly

74. Khan Academy

What it is: A free online educational platform offering lessons in various subjects.
Why it’s essential: Offers comprehensive support for multiple academic areas.
Link: Khan Academy

75. Goodnotes

What it is: A note-taking app that allows handwritten notes and PDFs.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for students who prefer handwriting their notes.
Link: Goodnotes

76. Forest

What it is: A unique productivity app that encourages staying off your phone.
Why it’s essential: Balances focus on study with fun goal-oriented tasks.
Link: Forest

77. Coursera

What it is: Provides access to online courses from leading universities and companies.
Why it’s essential: Great for expanding knowledge in various fields at your pace.
Link: Coursera

78. SimpleMind

What it is: An intuitive mind mapping tool that helps organize thoughts visually.
Why it’s essential: Facilitates clear understanding of complex information.
Link: SimpleMind

79. Study.com

What it is: An online platform providing study materials, courses, and resources.
Why it’s essential: Offers a plethora of study aids and exam preparation.
Link: Study.com

80. Anki

What it is: A flashcard app that uses spaced repetition for improved retention.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for students needing to memorize vocabulary or concepts.
Link: Anki

81. MyStudyLife

What it is: A planner app designed to manage academic schedules and deadlines.
Why it’s essential: Integrates all academic tasks into one coherent planner.
Link: MyStudyLife

82. Pixlr

What it is: A free online photo editor and design tool.
Why it’s essential: Perfect for tweaking images for presentations or assignments.
Link: Pixlr

83. Snagit

What it is: A screen capture tool that allows you to grab images or videos.
Why it’s essential: Useful for creating visual aids for projects or studying.
Link: Snagit

84. MindMeister

What it is: A collaborative mind mapping app that allows for idea sharing.
Why it’s essential: Enhances group brainstorming sessions.
Link: MindMeister

85. Google Slides

What it is: An online presentation tool that offers collaboration features.
Why it’s essential: Great for joint presentations and sharing ideas.
Link: Google Slides

86. MyScript Calculator

What it is: A calculator app that allows users to write calculations by hand.
Why it’s essential: Combines traditional calculation with a modern twist.
Link: MyScript Calculator

87. RescueTime

What it is: A time management app that tracks productivity levels.
Why it’s essential: Provides insights into time usage to improve focus.
Link: RescueTime

88. Asana

What it is: A tool for managing team projects and tasks with clarity.
Why it’s essential: Keeps group assignments organized and measurable.
Link: Asana

89. Wunderlist

What it is: A simple task management app that helps you keep organized.
Why it’s essential: Ensures you stay on top of school deadlines and work.
Link: Wunderlist

90. SurveyMonkey

What it is: A survey tool for creating and distributing questionnaires.
Why it’s essential: Useful for research projects that require data collection.
Link: SurveyMonkey

91. Focus Keeper

What it is: A productivity timer that uses the Pomodoro technique.
Why it’s essential: Helps maintain focus and productivity during study sessions.
Link: Focus Keeper

92. Notion

What it is: A comprehensive workspace for organization and collaboration.
Why it’s essential: Combines notes, tasks, and project management into one platform.
Link: Notion

93. Google Sheets

What it is: A powerful spreadsheet application.
Why it’s essential: Handles data analysis and project planning harmoniously.
Link: Google Sheets

94. Fiverr

What it is: A freelancing platform where you can hire professionals for specific tasks.
Why it’s essential: Useful for creative and technical tasks outside of regular study.
Link: Fiverr

95. Scrivener

What it is: A powerful content-generation tool for long documents.
Why it’s essential: Ideal for organizing essays and lengthy reports.
Link: Scrivener

96. LastPass

What it is: A password manager that securely stores and manages passwords.
Why it’s essential: Ensures you never forget passwords and keeps your accounts safe.
Link: LastPass

97. Wunderlist

What it is: A simple to-do list app to organize tasks.
Why it’s essential: Great for tracking homework, assignments, and personal tasks.
Link: Wunderlist

98. Todoist

What it is: A versatile task management app that offers features for individuals and teams.
Why it’s essential: Helps students prioritize and complete tasks efficiently.
Link: Todoist

99. Balsamiq

What it is: A wireframing tool for creating mockups of digital projects.
Why it’s essential: Useful for students in design or tech courses to visualize their projects.
Link: Balsamiq

100. Grammarly

What it is: An online writing assistant that helps improve writing quality.
Why it’s essential: Provides real-time feedback on grammar and style.
Link: Grammarly


This list provides a comprehensive overview of essential apps that every student should consider integrating into their academic life. Each app not only complements different areas of study and organization but also promotes a balanced approach to managing tasks while optimizing learning experiences. Embracing these digital tools can empower students to achieve their academic goals more efficiently, making their educational journey smoother and more productive.

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Austin is a tech entrepreneur and product leader with a passion for building AI-driven tools that make life easier, smarter, and more efficient. He is the founder behind several innovative platforms, including JobFly.io, InstagramDMs.com, and IPFind, and she runs AllThePicks.com, a leading destination for data-powered sports betting advice. Austin is also the driving force behind Smodin.io, one of the most trusted AI tools for students and educators worldwide. On TheBest100.ai, Austin curates high-impact lists across tech, education, and productivity—making it easier for people to discover the tools and insights that actually matter.
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