88 Apps for College Students (That Are Proven to Work)
The Ultimate Guide to College Student Apps
In college, a proper balancing act is a constant struggle. Between school, a social life, sleep, and/or a job: there’s not a lot of extra breathing room.
Dropping the ball in just one of these areas often causes a chain reaction.
One minute you have everything under control and life is manageable. And the next…
it all comes crashing down at once. With the end result leaving you feeling completely overwhelmed.
Having been there myself a time or two, I know that having the right tools at your finger tips can make all the difference.
So I put together this list with the best apps for college students.
From studying to dating, to budgeting and time management; the solutions to facilitate living your best life might just be a download away.
Discover which apps will help you get your shit together (so you can keep it all together until graduation).
In This Article
Apps for Studying
1) StudyBlue – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Digital study materials that make studying on-the-go, as well as tracking your learning progress, easy. Unlimited access to a library with 500+ study guides, flash cards, textbook solutions, custom quizzes and more – all created by students.
Premium Pricing: N/A
2) AnkiApp – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Mac + Windows
Tests your knowledge in quick (1 minute or less) study sessions using flashcards. Developed by an ex-neuroscientist, the app uses an algorithm to prioritize which flashcards it shows to you. Helps you learn more efficiently and save time because it learns which cards you know well.
Premium Pricing: $9.99 one year or $24.99 lifetime
3) Brainscape – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Create flashcards for studying that you can access on any device. Download already made decks and even share cards with friends.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month
4) Quizlet – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Browser
Quizlet is one the most popular apps for studying, it has millions of study sets and flashcards made by other students. Choose from those or make your own using custom images and audio. Practice your knowledge in a variety of ways to prepare for tests.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $11.99/month
Note Taking Apps
5) OneNote – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android +Windows + Mac
Flexible and highly customizable digital notebook that lets you take notes in a way that works best for you. It syncs across all devices so you can access and share your ideas anywhere.
Premium Pricing: N/A
6) Evernote – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Windows
Dedicated note taking app that also has a focus on organization. You can use it to keep track of upcoming exams, assignments, and other deadlines. Versatile tool for more than just jotting down reminders.
Premium Pricing: $7.99/month
7) Notability
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac
Regularly ranked #1 among the best apps for college note taking by iPad users. It’s praised for its sleek and simple interface. You can type, handwrite, and sketch, as well as record audio.
Premium Pricing: $8.99 one time purchase
8) GoodNotes 5
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac
A direct competitor with Notability for being the best app to use with a stylus. It offers functionality for creating, importing, and editing documents, as well as a management system for those documents.
Premium Pricing: $7.99 one time purchase
9) SimpleNote – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac + Android + Windows + Linux
SimpleNote is a bare bones note-taking app. As the name implies, it offers very few features. It’s the perfect choice for students who want a straight-forward, easy note-taking experience.
Premium Pricing: N/A
10) Notion – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Mac + Windows
An all-in-one workspace for your notes, tasks, wikis, and databases. Combined functionality makes it convenient to use.
Premium Pricing: FREE for students
⟶ Compare the best note-taking apps for students here
Homework Apps
11) LitCharts – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Provides detailed summary guides for over 400 books. Get a deeper understanding with chapter breakdowns and plot analysis. There are no ads and you can even access the material offline.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $9.95/month
12) Ulysses
Available for iPhone iOS
Want to write more and stress less? This writing app is designed to help you focus on that goal. The interface minimizes distractions by keeping things simple.
Premium Pricing: Students are qualify for special pricing – $10.99/6 months.
13) Wikipanion – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS
A faster and easier way to read Wikipedia articles on mobile. Additional features, like a table of contents and the ability to bookmark sections of a page, improve the overall browsing experience. Advertisement free.
Premium Pricing: N/A
14) ReadCube Papers
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop + Browser
Use this app to make reading, managing, and discovering research literature less demanding. Highlight, annotate, organize and more while on-the-go.
*Recent reviews for ReadCube Papers are mixed. However, as of 10/1/19 it looks like a new update has been released to fix the issues.
Premium Pricing: $36/year for students
15) Microsoft Office – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Being able to use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on your phone is useful. Even more so when you need to make an emergency edit on the way to class.
Premium Pricing: FREE for students!
16) Mendeley – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop
An indispensable tool for accessing research papers anywhere. Mendeley is a reference manager and PDF reader designed for researchers, students, and academics.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $55 per year for additional storage
17) Office Lens – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Windows
Getting a scanner to do what you want the first time around can be hit and miss. Office Lens however, makes scanning and uploading a breeze.
Premium Pricing: N/A
18) Genius Scan – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Quickly create multiple page PDFs just by scanning documents from your phone. This app automatically recognizes the paper against the background, crops it, and cleans up the result. You obtain a crisp, legible scan.
Premium Pricing: $2.99/month or $7.99 one-time fee
19) Scanner Pro
Available for iPhone iOS
Scanner Pro stands out from the crowd with it’s OCR technology. Turn even handwritten notes into text that can be selected and copied.
Premium Pricing: $3.99
20) Adobe Acrobat Reader – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop
Allows you to open, view, and annotate PDF documents right on your phone.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $1.99
21) RealCalc – FREE
Available for Android + Kindle
Designed to look and operate exactly like a real hand-held calculator with the power of all the standard scientific functions. Choose from a number of display styles and formats.
Premium Pricing: $3.49
22) Soulver
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac
This app offers a different interface compared to a traditional calculator; it’s a notepad and a calculator rolled into one. It provides instant answers as you type and lets you use words alongside numbers.
Premium Pricing: $2.99
23) Khan Academy – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
In 2019, Khan Academy continues to be one of the best apps for college students. The free learning library covers math, science, economics, humanities, and more. It’s useful for strengthening your academics or learning something new.
Premium Pricing: N/A
24) Wolfram|Alpha
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop + Kindle
Get instant help with math and chemistry problems in the palm of your hand. Step-by-step solutions will help you understand the answers to complex equations. It’s a STEM major’s best friend.
Premium Pricing: $2.99 | $6.99/month for Pro
25) Mathway – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Enter problems by typing, talking, or snapping a pic for fast solutions to difficult math problems. Mathway is like having your personal private tutor.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month
26) Photomath – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Math homework feels a lot more doable when you actually know what to do. Get help on demand when you run across a problem you don’t understand. The best part is that it works without wi-fi or data.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $2.99/month
Productivity Apps
27) Goodtime – FREE (no ads)
Available for Android
A minimalist pomodoro timer app that’s designed to help you stay focused. It eliminates distractions so you can get more work done. It has customizable options and provides detailed reports for work sessions.
Premium Pricing: $4.99
28) Noisli
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Chrome
Background noise generator for improving focus and productivity. Ambient sounds for working, studying, meditating, and relaxing. Includes a timer which you can set for any length of time.
Premium Pricing: $1.99 (Chrome Extension is free)
29) Loffee – FREE
Available for Android + Spotify
Plays Lo-Fi music which helps you relax and focus on the task at hand.
Premium Pricing: N/A
30) Forest
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Chrome
Encourages you to put down your phone so you can stay present in any scenario (including studying for college classes). It plants a virtual tree which gradually grows the longer you leave the app open.
Premium Pricing: $1.99
31) Habitica – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Habitica is a productivity app that uses fun to incentivize! It “gamifies” your life by turning all your tasks (habits, dailies, and to-dos) into little monsters you have to conquer. The better you are at this, the more you progress in the game.
Premium Pricing: $5/month or $48/year
32) RescueTime – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop + Browser
Automatic time management tool that helps you identify where time is being wasted so you can optimize your days. It shows you exactly how you spend your time on digital devices and helps you set goals.
Premium Pricing: $6/month
33) Be Focused – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac + Setapp
Be Focused is another app that utilizes the pomodoro technique to maximize efficiency. Use it to manage tasks, break them up into more manageable chunks, and track your progress.
Premium Pricing: $4.99
34) Due Reminders
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac
One of the best college student apps for those who are constantly forgetting to do things. It persistently nags you with reminders until you act on them.
Premium Pricing: $4.99
Dating Apps
35) Tinder – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Cast a wide net by trying the most popular dating app in the world. While it’s infamous go-to place for hookups, it’s also sparked marriages. Love is found everywhere – yes, even on Tinder.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $0.99
36) Hinge – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Touted as the dating app for people who want to get off dating apps, Hinge is up and coming in the digital world. Unique answers to prompts help give you a sense of someone’s personality and make starting a conversation easier.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $10.99
37) Bumble – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
The main difference between Bumble and all other options: women make the first move. There’s a time limit, too. The connection expires after 24 hours if the first step isn’t taken.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $8.99
38) Coffee Meets Bagel – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
There are so many dating apps for college students that at a certain point you just get sick of swiping. Coffee Meets Bagel gets to the heart of meaningful connections by daring you to dig deep.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $0.99
39) Happn – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Allows you to easily find the people you’ve crossed paths with IN REAL LIFE (yes, those who caught your eye, but you didn’t dare to approach)!
Premium Pricing: Starts at $1.99
40) Reddit R4R – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
You might be aware of Reddit, but did you know it has it’s own personals section called r/r4r? (“r4r” stands for “redditor for redditor”) The forum has over 260,000 readers who are looking to form all types of connections ranging from platonic to soulmates to friends with benefits.
If you live in a major city, there’s a strong possibility there’s a specific local r4r group. Try searching r4r + your city on Google to see what you find.
Premium Pricing: N/A
Social Apps
41) Groupme – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Windows
Groupme is one of the more popular social apps for college students. It’s helpful for coordinating who’s doing what on group projects.
Premium Pricing: N/A
42) Pulse – FREE
Available for Android + Desktop
Messenger that lets you instantly send and receive SMS across 10+ platforms. It’s highly rated and has no ads.
Premium Pricing: $0.99/month or $10.99 one-time fee
43) Wildfire – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Wildfire keeps you informed of important events happening nearby, & makes it easy to spread the word quickly when something significant happens. For college students in particular, it can facilitate a campus wide support group. Use it to make friends, post memes, and buy/sell stuff.
Premium Pricing: N/A
Budgeting Apps
44) Pluto Money – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS
100% free and designed for the college lifestyle – it’s easy to see why this is one of the best budgeting apps for college students. Pluto guides you to spend smarter & save up in a simple, automatic and fun way.
Premium Pricing: N/A
Must-Have Student Apps for Thriving in College (Most Are Free)45) Wismo – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
A simple and effective way to keep track of your spending, maximize your savings, and transform your financial life. The app encourages users to be mindful about tracking daily purchases and sends notifications to keep you on track. Linking your bank account is optional.
Premium Pricing: $2.99/month or $29.99/year
46) Mint – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Money management and financial tracker app that brings together your bank accounts, credit cards, bills, and investments in one place. Offers lots of features and allows for customized budget categories.
Premium Pricing: N/A
47) Daily Budget Original – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS
Unlike traditional complicated budgeting apps, Daily Budget Original focuses on being simple, easy and actually fun to use. The app does not connect to bank accounts, so there is no need to enter your online banking log in data.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $1.99
48) YNAB – FREE*
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
You Need A Budget (YNAB) has gained cult like following due to how well the program works. It helps users break the paycheck to paycheck cycle, get out of debt, and save more money.
Premium Pricing: $83.88/year. *Students get 12 months for FREE!
49) Splitwise – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
An app that is extremely useful for keeping track of shared expenses. Use it to organize group bills with roommates, group trips, and more.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $0.99
50) GasBuddy – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Find the cheapest gas near you, earn rewards, and locate discounted parking.
Premium Pricing: N/A
51) Groupon – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Download to save money on shopping and earn cash back on purchases. Spend less on eating out by using it to check out local restaurant offers in your area.
Premium Pricing: N/A
52) Cash App – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Cash App makes sending and receiving money effortless. Pay back friends without ever having to take a trip to the ATM.
Premium Pricing: N/A
53) Venmo – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Another popular way to send and receive money. Additional features help you track your finances and share bills with friends.
Premium Pricing: N/A
54) Zelle – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Partnered with leading banks and credit unions across the U.S., this app brings you a fast, safe and easy way to send money to friends and family. Money moves quickly – directly from bank account to bank account.
Premium Pricing: N/A
55) PayPal – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
PayPal is the old, tried and true way to exchange money virtually. Convenient way to pay someone back and to pay for things online.
Premium Pricing: N/A
→ More FREE apps for budgeting ←
Money Making Apps
56) Class Cash – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
One-of-a-kind app that pays college students actual cash for going to class and studying. Students can earn $20-$30 per week by being in active “pay zones” all around campus. Payouts are every Friday.
Class Cash is actively expanding to more campuses all across the U.S. The more students that sign up for the wait list at your university, the faster they can come to you!
Premium Pricing: N/A
57) Field Agent – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
An app that makes it easy to earn extra money without a job. It pays you via direct deposit for different tasks you complete (such as trying a product or auditing a business). You have the ability to cash out at anytime.
Check out my review of Field Agent for more details.
Premium Pricing: N/A
58) Campus Pro – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS
Service based marketplace that connects student freelancers with the campus community. Use it to market your skills and meet clients.
Premium Pricing: N/A
59) Bing Search – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Search engine alternative to Google. Earn points for your searches and redeem for gift cards from your favorite stores and more.
Premium Pricing: N/A
Organization Apps
60) Trello – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop
Out of all the best organization apps for college students, I personally love Trello. It’s a visual tool for organizing your work and life. Tackle to-do lists with ease, minimize your mental load, and collaborate on group projects. Works offline!
Premium Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month
Video: How to Use the Trello App for College Organization & Productivity
61) Google Keep – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Chrome
The quickest way to offload ideas, thoughts, and to-dos without losing focus. Ability to type, dictate, add photos, and draw. Easy to share with others.
Premium Pricing: N/A
62) Todoist – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop + Browser
As the name suggests, the main purpose of this app is creating to-do lists. However, it can do so much more. Use it to keep track of everything and make life feel less overwhelming.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $3.99/month
63) Clear
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac
Tame the chaos of your life and focus it to something simpler with Clear, an app that somehow improves on the simple satisfaction of crossing off items on a piece of paper.
Premium Pricing: $4.99
64) Taskade – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop + Browser
User friendly, simplistic interface for creating outlines, checklists, and workflows. Collaborate with classmates on the same page and edit projects together in real time. Chat, organize, and work together instantly.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month
Planner Apps
65) Grade Hound – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS
Helps you manage your classes, organize your assignments, and track your grades. Tracks your grades with precision: tells you what grade you need to either achieve the next letter grade in the class, or maintain your current one, and more.
Premium Pricing: N/A
66) iStudiez Pro – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Mac + Windows
Often praised as the best planner app for college, iStudiez Pro is an all-in-one agenda. Use it to keep track of your daily schedules, tasks, assignments, deadlines, and other important dates. Includes a built in GPA calculator. No ads!
Premium Pricing: $2.99 – $9.99 for syncing
67) myHomework Student Planner – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Browser
Ad-free student planner that offers beauty, simplicity, and reliability. Supports time, block and period-based schedules. A great way to stay on top of your crazy schedule in college.
Premium Pricing: $4.99
68) Power Planner – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Windows
Lets you manage semesters, enter classes with time schedules and room locations, add assignments and exams, receive automatic reminders, enter grades, see overall GPA, and more. The free version has more limitations than other apps (only 1 semester and only 5 grades per class).
Premium Pricing: $1.99
69) My Study Life – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Integrates all areas of your academic life – see homework due and overdue for classes, classes which conflict with your exams and even add revision tasks for a specific exam – all in one free, easy to use application. Supports week and day rotation schedules.
Premium Pricing: N/A
→ Prefer writing by hand? See the Top Planners for College Students ←
Calendar Apps
70) Google Calendar – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Basic but functional calendar app for students that gets the job done. Conveniently add reminders and events right from your phone.
Premium Pricing: N/A
71) Business Calendar 2 – FREE
Available for Android
Robust app that has everything you could ever want in a calendar. Powerful features let it double as an agenda, as well.
Premium Pricing: $6.99
Apps for College Scholarships
72) Scholly Search
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Scholly takes the hassle out of the scholarship search process so you can focus on what’s important—getting free money for school. Helpful for finding scholarship opportunities on-the-go.
Premium Pricing: $4.99/month or $44.99/year
73) RaiseMe – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS
Studying and doing your homework pays off, with colleges offering up to $1,500 for every A and $1,000 for every B. Earn up to $750 for each of your activities, like math club, speech and debate, or sports – even if you don’t plan to continue them in college. No essays or applications required!
Premium Pricing: N/A
74) Niche – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Search scholarships by category or get matched to college scholarships you’re eligible for. Provides rankings, reviews, and statistics to compare colleges.
Premium Pricing: N/A
→ Check out college scholarships you can apply for right now ←
Health Apps
75) Sleep Cycle – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Sleep is the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. Start your day feeling energized with the intelligent alarm clock that is designed to gently wake you up while you’re in your lightest sleep phase. Plus, you’ll get detailed analysis about sleep patterns.
Premium Pricing: $29.99/year
76) Headspace – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Assists you with letting go of stress. Learn to relax with guided meditations and mindfulness techniques that bring calm, wellness and balance to your life in just a few minutes a day.
Premium Pricing: $12.99/month or $94.99/year
77) Sanvello – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression often arise when least expected. Formerly Pacifica, Sanvello offers clinically validated strategies and support to help you feel happier over time.
Premium Pricing: $8.99/month or $53.99/year
78) Habit Hub – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Build better habits with daily reminders, timers, and goal setting. Intuitive interface with lots of options for customization.
Premium Pricing: $2.99
Transportation Apps
79) Waze – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Always know what’s happening on the road with Waze. Even if you know the way, the app tells you instantly about traffic, construction, police, crashes, & more. Adapts to bad traffic to shorten commutes.
Premium Pricing: N/A
80) Transit – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Navigate your city’s public transit system with accurate real-time predictions, simple trip planning, step-by-step navigation, service disruption notifications, and departure and stop reminders… all presented in a clear, bold interface. Transit is one of the two best apps for college students who don’t drive.
Premium Pricing: N/A
81) Citymapper – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Trip planner combines all transport modes in your city to find the fastest route: bus, subway, train, ferry, cab (Uber, Lyft, taxi), car share, bike share and walk. Includes real time departures, alerts for delays, step-by-step directions, offline maps, and more.
Premium Pricing: N/A
Other Useful Apps for Students
82) Surfshark VPN
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Desktop
Wherever you go, your phone goes. And so does your private information. Surfshark VPN helps you protect your privacy and secure your identity no matter where you are.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $1.99/month and students qualify for a 15% discount.
83) LastPass – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android + Browser
Password manager that securely stores your passwords and personal information in a secure vault. As you visit apps and sites it even autofills your login credentials. All you have to do is remember your LastPass master password.
Premium Pricing: $36/year
84) 1 Second Everyday – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Video diary that makes it easy to take your day-to-day moments and create a meaningful movie of your life. Literally record 1 second of your life everyday. No ads in the free version!
Premium Pricing: $3.99/month or $29.99/year
85) Day One Journal – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Mac
Elegant interface makes journaling about your life a simple pleasure. Capture audio moments (with transcription), upload pictures, and recall every details with location & historical visits.
Premium Pricing: $3.99/month or $24.99/year
86) Alarmy – FREE
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Innovative solution for those who just can’t seem to get up on time, even with an alarm clock. This app has been cleverly designed to force you to get out of bed. You set it up by registering a photo of an area or room in your house. Then once the alarm is set, the ONLY way to make it stop ringing is to get out of bed and go take a photo of the registered area.
Premium Pricing: Starts at $4.99
87) Grubhub
Available for iPhone iOS + Android
Food delivery app with the largest selection of restaurants. Also also offers pickup for takeout orders.
Premium Pricing: No fee to use the app but there are delivery minimums for orders. Students can get special deals!
88) Your School’s Safety App
Safety apps are used to quickly alert the police department in emergency situations. They also can receive emergency notifications.
Check with your campus police to see if your college has it’s own specific safety app for students. Chances are they do as many schools are now adopting this type of emergency notification system.
But if they don’t have a dedicated app, you may want to download one of these options.
Conclusions on Best College Student Apps
Ultimately the best apps for a college student depends on the person.
There’s really only one way to know for sure: simply trying them out for yourself.
But:
These crowd favorites are a great place to start. Take some apps for a test drive and let me know which ones you loved (or hated).
Are there any ridiculously useful apps you think I should add to this list? Tell me about it a comment below.
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About Charlie
Charlie is the co-founder of College Life Made Easy and author of the book 175+ Things to Do Before You Graduate College. She’s a 2015 graduate who teaches overwhelmed students and parents of students how to confidently navigate the whole college thing. As a former broke college kid, she’s passionate about helping students develop the skills they need in order to thrive (instead of just survive), stress less, and actually enjoy the full college experience.