Key Takeaways:

• As a student, you probably don’t want to hear the word “learning” anymore. We get it. However, there are some really innovative apps out there that can help you streamline student life, and they’re worth learning about! Explore our favorites below.
• Notebloc is ideal for turning your chicken-scratch class notes into pdfs that you can easily study or share, while Otter.ai can take notes for you. By automatically transcribing in real time, you can focus on what your teacher is saying rather than trying to get it all down (and again, it’s easy to share with others if you’re feeling generous).
• If you need help with focus or organization, try Notion and Forest. Notion is an all-in-one organizer that can make sense of your various to-do lists, notes, deadlines, etc. Forest helps you stay focused by planting virtual trees during periods of concentration—the more you focus, the more trees you help to plant!
• Flashcards can be your best friend or your worst enemy. They’re scientifically proven to help you retain information, but who has the time to make all the cards (not to mention keep them organized)? Zorbi is a great app that lets you create your own flashcards or use their library to help you actually learn the material (and not just regurgitate it).
• If you’re reading about these best apps for students and immediately thinking of how cluttered your desktop would be, take a deep breath. Shift is an app-integrated browser that is essential for students and professionals alike. Use it to bring all of your most-used tools together without drowning in tabs.

It’s midnight, and you’re drowning in notes—and stress—scrambling to prepare for an exam you totally meant to start studying for earlier. And instead of sitting down to get serious about your work, you dive headfirst into social media. Hours of doom scrolling later, you resign yourself to the fact that this upcoming test won’t be your best.

This is an experience that’s almost universal among students. In fact, people are highly susceptible to procrastination no matter their age. Student life is chaotic, and staying organized, productive, and focused is easier said than done.

But here’s the good news.

You’re living in 2025, so there are tons of good study apps to make your life SO much easier. We’ve rounded up eight underrated apps that will transform the way you study, take notes, and manage your time. Once you start using them, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without these study sidekicks.

Notebloc – The Smartest Scanner for Study Notes

What it does: Turns your handwritten notes into digital, searchable PDFs.

Notebloc is an innovative app designed to make your life easier by transforming your handwritten notes into digital, searchable PDFs. With its powerful scanning technology, you can capture your notes in seconds, and it automatically enhances the images for clarity. Gone are the days of rifling through stacks of paper trying to find that one crucial note; Notebloc allows you to organize your notes into folders, tag them for easy retrieval, and share them with classmates effortlessly (if you feel like being extra nice, that is).

Why you’ll love it: No more lost notes—organize and share them in minutes. You know that moment when you frantically search for that one page of notes that has the exact info you need? Notebloc is here to rescue you from the chaos of crumpled papers and the panic that comes from losing notes.

What to know: One of the best things about this app is that it’s completely free! The Notebloc scanner app offers 100% free digitalization and editing tools for documents with no restrictions on usage. You can even access features in this free tool that are not included in other scanner apps.

Related post: The Best Productivity Apps for Students

Notion – The Ultimate All-in-One Organizer

What it does: Combines notes, to-do lists, databases, and calendars into one streamlined workspace.

If you’ve ever wanted to feel like an executive for a day, try using Notion as your own personal admin. It allows you to create one cohesive workspace out of lots of different inputs. It’s incredibly customizable, allowing you to create your own templates for class notes, project plans, or study schedules. You can invite classmates to collaborate on group projects, ensuring everyone is on the same page–we all know how difficult that group work can be. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, organizing your tasks and notes becomes a breeze, turning the chaos of student life into a streamlined process.

Why you’ll love it: Perfect for organizing class notes, tracking assignments, and collaborating on group work. It’s like having a personal assistant who never sleeps (and doesn’t even need coffee breaks). With Notion, your life will be so organized that your future self might just send you a thank-you card.

What to know: There is a free version that individuals can use to organize their personal projects. For $10 per user per month, access the Plus plan, which is suited to small teams or professionals that work together. Growing organizations may want to upgrade to the Business plan for $15 per seat per month. Finally, there is an Enterprise version available, but you’ll need to call their sales support to get a quote.

Forest – Stay Focused, Stay Present

What it does: Uses gamification to encourage focus by growing a virtual tree when you stay off your phone.

Forest is a unique app that combines productivity with a touch of gamification. The concept is simple yet effective: when you want to focus, you plant a virtual tree that grows while you stay off your phone. If you pick up your phone to check social media, your tree dies. This visual representation of your focus time not only encourages you to stay present but also helps combat phone addiction. Over time, as you accumulate focused sessions, you can grow an entire forest, giving you a sense of accomplishment. Best of all, the app partners with real-world tree-planting initiatives, so your productivity helps the planet as well!

Why you’ll love it: Boosts concentration while making studying feel rewarding. If you’ve ever wanted to grow a virtual forest instead of just a pile of dirty laundry, Forest is the ticket. It’s eco-friendly multitasking for a good cause and better grades!

What to know: You can access the app on iOS or Android, and both offer in-app purchases. On Apple devices, there is a one-time purchase of $3.99, but there is a free version on Android. Also on Android, users can upgrade to the “Pro” version for $1.99. Both iOS and Android versions offer chances to earn virtual coins for planting real trees.

Otter.ai – Your Personal AI Notetaker

What it does: Automatically transcribes lectures and meetings in real-time.

Otter.ai revolutionizes the way you take notes during lectures and meetings by automatically transcribing audio in real-time. With its advanced speech recognition technology, Otter can differentiate between different speakers and provide a clear, organized transcript of what was said. This means no more hyper note-taking that causes you to miss key points during class discussions. You can even highlight important sections, add comments, and share transcripts with classmates (owe anyone a favor?). It’s an invaluable tool for those who struggle to keep up with fast-paced lectures or simply want to ensure they capture every detail without the stress of traditional note-taking.

Why you’ll love it: Never miss important info from a lecture again. Otter.ai is like having your smartest friend take notes for you. You can finally pay attention instead of trying to furiously scribble down every word your professor says–or at the very least, think about more fun things.

What to know: You can try Otter for free to access basic features like summarizing and transcribing in real time. Pro is designed to offer better collaboration among small teams, and costs $8.33 per user, per month. Pro+ ($20/user/month) has everything the Pro plan has, plus enhanced administration features, usage analytics, prioritized support, and more.

Related post: The Best AI Note-Taking Apps for Meetings

Zorbi – The Ultimate Flashcard App

What it does: Uses spaced repetition to help you memorize concepts efficiently.

Flashcards are a popular learning tool for a reason, and it’s not because they’re fun to make. Zorbi takes the classic concept of flashcards and supercharges it with scientifically-backed learning techniques. This means the app intelligently schedules the review of flashcards based on how well you know each concept, ensuring you focus on the material that needs reinforcement. You can create your own flashcards or access a library of pre-made cards on various subjects. The app also supports multimedia elements, so you can even add images, audio, or videos to your cards for a more engaging study experience.

Why you’ll love it: Perfect for last-minute test prep or mastering difficult subjects. Zorbi is like a super-engaged study partner, reminding you of all the things you need to remember to ace your class. Say goodbye to cramming and hello to actually retaining information (what a refreshing concept!).

What to know: Zorbi’s base app with core features is free. There are no subscription fees or in-app purchases. Zorbi Pro is $.99 per week. Schools can also obtain special licenses.

My Study Life – Your Digital Planner

What it does: Keeps track of assignments, exams, and class schedules.

My Study Life is the digital planner every student needs to navigate an endless list of deadlines. It allows you to input your class timetable, track upcoming tasks, and set reminders for assignments and exams. The app’s calendar view presents all your tasks in one place, helping you visualize your workload and prioritize effectively. Additionally, you can keep track of your progress on assignments and even plan your study sessions around your unique schedule.

Why you’ll love it: Helps you stay on top of deadlines and prevent last-minute stress. My Study Life is like your mom reminding you about everything you have to do–minus the judgement!

What to know: Take advantage of the core scheduling features offered in the free version, or choose a paid subscription that has grade tracking, widgets, and dark mode for $4.99 each month (or $29.00 per year). Make sure to start with the one-week free trial, too.

Related post: Learning That Lasts: How to Stay Motivated When the Excitement Wears Off

Speechify – Listen to Your Textbooks

What it does: Converts textbooks, PDFs, and notes into audio, so you can listen instead of reading.

Speechify is a game-changer for students who prefer auditory learning or simply want to maximize their study time. This app can convert your textbooks, PDFs, and notes into audio format, allowing you to listen while you do other tasks. You can customize the playback speed and even choose different voice options to find a narrating style that you actually like listening to. This makes it perfect for multitasking—you can literally absorb valuable information while going for a jog or throwing in laundry. Speechify is especially helpful for students with learning disabilities who may find traditional reading challenging.

Why you’ll love it: Perfect for auditory learners or multitasking while studying. With Speechify, you can finally tackle all those new chapters while you (pretend to) help your roommate clean up.

What to know: You can try it for free in a version that has up to 10 standard reading voices and listens at speed up to 1x. The Premium version is $11.58 per user, per month, and it has over 200 natural reading voices, 60 languages, scan and listen options, and 5x faster speeds.

Shift – The Power Browser for Student Life

What it does: Combines your favorite apps, email accounts, and tools into one streamlined browser so you can study, work, and stay organized.

Studying is hard enough—don’t make things harder on yourself by switching between apps, emails, and accounts. Shift browser brings all your most-used tools together in one browser window, so you can seamlessly manage school, work, and personal life without tab overload. Whether you're taking notes, organizing your schedule, or trying to focus, Shift browser helps you you stay focused, organized, and in control of it all. It’s like an incredible cheat code—but one your professors would applaud (and maybe even ask for)! Once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever studied without it.

Why you’ll love it: Perfect for students juggling classes, projects, and way too many logins. Shift keeps everything in one place, so you can focus on learning (or at least look like you are) without the chaos.

What to know: Shift offers a free version with core features, or you can upgrade for even more powerful integrations and workflows.

Related post: What is Shift Browser? One Window for Everything You Do Online