Getting back into good study habits can be one of the toughest parts of the new year but study aids can be the perfect way to instantly make studying more engaging and more effective. Luckily, there are now countless smartphone apps that provide exactly that for iPhone and Android users.
From ones like Engross that keep the user from getting distracted whilst working to ones like Quizlet that provide a ton of study tools and exercises to make it that much more interactive, these apps are the perfect accompaniment to any good study session.
StudySmarter Provides Great All-Round Study Support
Available On Android And IOS (Free Or From $4.49/Month For Premium)
Encompassing flashcards, note-taking, different study modes, quizzes, and textbook solutions, few study apps are as wide-ranged as StudySmarter. Although there is a premium version that removes ads and allows offline use, all of the app's millions of study resources are available completely for free.
Along with great extra features like the ability to collaborate with peers on shared materials, StudySmarter aims to be pretty much every other major study app rolled into one. Along with an attractive UI and detailed feedback on study progress, the app is one of the most powerful study tools out there.
Evernote Is The Only Note-Taking App You Need
Available On Android And IOS (Free Or From $3.99/Month For Evernote Plus)
There are countless apps to make taking and keeping notes easier for more convenient study but Evernote is amongst the most highly rated. Evernote allows the user to take notes in whatever format they prefer and at any time they need, compiling them all into one place for easy access.
With the ability to sync across all devices as well as create a to-do list and connect it with Google Calendar to help keep users on top of tasks, it goes beyond just being a great note-taking app. Evernote is free but features like how many devices can be synced and how much can be uploaded each month are limited depending on subscription plans.
Quizlet Is A Great Resource For Flashcards And Exercises
Available On Android And IOS (Free Or $7.99/Month For Quizlet Plus)
Quizlet makes creating flashcards and quizzes for any subject easier, but the best feature of the app is that, with over 500 million sets already created across countless different topics, whatever the user is looking for likely already exists. Given how effective of a study tool flashcards can be, a flashcard app is almost a must and few are better than Quizlet.
As the name suggests, it's also great at helping to make study feel more interactive with quizzes and practice exercises to perform. There are plenty of time-sink apps that are easy to lose hours in, but Quizlet can have that effect with a much more productive outcome. Textbook answers are another great bonus too.
Engross Helps You Avoid Distractions During Study Sessions
Available On Android (Free Or $1.99 For Engross Pro)
There are plenty of concentration apps for study or work that utilize the Pomodoro technique®, a time-management system that involves working in focused 25-minute periods with short breaks in between, but distractions can easily undermine this approach. Apps like Engross remove that stress in some interesting ways.
In the case of Engross, it adds a button that the user can hit when they get distracted at any point during a focused study session and, instead of pausing the timer, it displays a motivational message to encourage the user to keep at it. Add in a task manager and goals tracker, and it makes for a simple but effective study aid.
SimpleMind Helps Structure Ideas During Study
Available On Android And IOS (Free Or $8.49 For SimpleMind Pro)
Everyone learns in different ways and that means some study aids will be more effective for some than others. For visual learners, a mind-mapping tool like SimpleMind could be the perfect way to start structuring and arranging ideas into straightforward and easy-to-read charts.
Although the focus of SimpleMind is on simplicity, as the name implies, it comes with plenty of helpful and intuitive features including a ton of different mind-map layouts and appearances. For even more productivity-boosting features, the Pro edition is reasonably if confusingly priced at $8.49 from the Google Play store and $10.99 from Apple's App Store.
Cram Makes Flashcards For Study Simple And Appealing
Available On Android And IOS (Free)
Although going with a free flashcard app as opposed to one of the paid ones inevitably means some compromise when it comes to features, Cram is one of the best options out there for users that prefer free study aids, and it's an app more people should know about. Cram's excellent UI makes creating and studying with flashcards easy and intuitive.
Though it might not be a comprehensive study aid, the ability to sync flashcard sets across devices and work offline means that Cram gets all the important things right especially for users that prioritize functionality. The four study modes are basic but get the job done.
Forest Is An Anti-Distraction Study Tool That Many Love
Available On Android And IOS ($3.99)
Whilst some may dismiss a lot of productivity tools for work and study as gimmicks, one that a lot of students swear by is Forest. Referred to as a "gamified timer," Forest plants an imaginary seed in the ground every time the user starts a countdown.
As the timer winds down, the seed blooms into a fully-grown tree but the catch is that it only does so whilst the app is open. As soon as the user switches to another app, the tree withers, and it turns out to be a pretty strong incentive to stay focused. Forest requires a small purchase for the full version, but it may well be worth the price for those who need a reason to stay off their phone while studying.
The Chegg Study App Provides Personalized Study Support
Available On Android And IOS ($15.99/Month)
Chegg Study may be on the more expensive side, but there are plenty of students that have found it more than worth the cost for the unique kind of personalized study support it provides. Textbook solutions, videos and Q&As with experts, individual help with work, and access to a huge range of flashcards are all included with a Chegg Study subscription.
One of the app's coolest features allows the user to upload a picture of a specific problem and get step-by-step help in solving it. For students that don't mind paying a little extra, the Chegg Study app can help support study in a personalized way that sets it apart from almost anything else out there.
Freedom Takes A Strict Approach To Blocking Distractions
Available On Android And IOS ($8.99/Month)
For those that have tried the kind of fun approaches to avoiding study distractions offered by apps like Forest and Engross and still can't help losing focus, Freedom might be the best solution. Similar to a parental control app, it allows the user to choose which apps to block and how long to block them in a set period.
That means there's no reason to even pick up the phone during a study session as there's now no way to access any of the apps that were previously a source of distraction. Some might not like this strict approach, but it can make a huge difference in ensuring effective study sessions.
The Xmind Aids Study With More Complex Mind Maps
Available On Android And IOS (Free Or $5.99/Month For Xmind Pro)
Brainstorming isn't always a simple process so the task of organizing more complicated ideas into an easy-to-read mind map can be a difficult one. Xmind is an app designed to aid work and study by providing exactly that, with a ton of formats and features that can help turn complex thoughts into readable charts.
For those that find their creativity hindered by boring templates, Xmind's smart color themes and cool extras like a hand-drawn style can help a ton. The free version of the mobile app is fairly limited, however, so a subscription may be required to get the most out of Xmind.