Artificial intelligence is changing the way students study, revise and manage schoolwork. From summarising lecture notes to creating flashcards, explaining difficult concepts and helping with essay planning, the best AI apps for studying can make learning faster, more personalised and easier to manage.
But with so many AI study tools now available, it can be hard to know which ones are actually useful.
Some apps are best for flashcards and quizzes, others are better for note-taking, research, writing support or acting like a personal AI tutor.
In this guide, we break down the best AI apps for students, including what each tool helps with, who it is best suited to, where to find it and whether it is free or paid.
Best AI Study Tools Recommended by Students
To understand what students are actually using, we also looked through Reddit discussions and study forums. Reddit comments are personal experiences rather than expert reviews, but they can be useful for seeing how students use these AI study tools in real routines.
1. ChatGPT
Best for: Explaining concepts, essay planning, tutoring support and study help
ChatGPT is one of the most popular AI tools for students because it can be used in so many different ways.
Instead of just asking it for answers, students can use ChatGPT as a personal study assistant. It can explain difficult topics in simpler language, create practice questions, help brainstorm essay ideas, summarise notes and walk through maths or science problems step by step.
One of the biggest advantages of ChatGPT is that it can adapt to your level. For example, you can ask it to explain a concept “like I’m in Year 9,” “at a university level,” or “with examples I can remember for an exam.” This makes it especially useful when class notes or textbooks feel too complicated.
“Personally I use LLMs like Gemini or ChatGPT to actually explain the material to me like a tutor so I can ask questions and get clarifications.”
Student comment on Reddit
Where to find it: chatgpt.com
Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans are available for students who want higher limits and more advanced features.
2. Google NotebookLM
Best for: Studying from your own notes, readings and lecture materials
NotebookLM is one of the best AI study apps for students who want help understanding their own class materials.
You can upload notes, PDFs, slides, readings or other sources, and NotebookLM helps summarise, organise and explain the content.
This makes it especially useful for exam revision because the answers are based on the materials you provide.
Students can use it to create summaries, ask questions about readings, generate study guides and review key points before a test.
“I put in my class book and study guide as the source and have been asking questions and using the podcast feature and honestly, I’ve found it extremely helpful.”
Student comment on Reddit
“For me it’s the best use case for a LLM, because you actually interact with the text of the source.”
Student comment on Reddit
Where to find it: notebooklm.google.com
Pricing: Free version available.
3. Quizlet
Best for: Flashcards, memorisation and quick revision
Quizlet has been a student favourite for years, and its AI features make it even more useful for studying.
Students can create flashcards, practice quizzes and revision sets, or search through millions of existing study sets made by other students.
Quizlet is especially helpful for subjects that require memorisation, such as languages, science definitions, history dates, legal terms or business concepts. Its AI tools can also help turn notes into study materials more quickly.
“I dump my terms into ChatGPT for definitions then dump those into Quizlet magic notes. Nearly-instant flash cards :)”
Student comment on Reddit
Where to find it: quizlet.com
Pricing: Free plan available, with paid upgrades for extra features.
4. Anki
Best for: Long-term memorisation and spaced repetition
Anki is one of the strongest tools for students who need to remember large amounts of information over time. It uses spaced repetition, which means it shows you flashcards just before you are likely to forget them.
While Anki is less flashy than some newer AI study apps, it is extremely effective for subjects like medicine, law, languages, science and any course with heavy memorisation. Students can also use AI tools like ChatGPT to help generate Anki-style flashcards from notes.
“If you use Anki you can import CSV files super easy. Otherwise, you can use ChatGPT or some other AI to generate flashcards from your notes.”
Student comment on Reddit
Where to find it: apps.ankiweb.net
Pricing: Free on desktop and Android. The iOS app is paid.
5. StudyFetch
Best for: Turning class materials into flashcards, quizzes and AI tutoring
StudyFetch is designed specifically as an AI study platform. Students can upload class notes, PowerPoints, PDFs or lecture materials, and the app turns them into study tools such as flashcards, quizzes and practice tests.
It also includes an AI tutor that can answer questions based on your uploaded course content. This makes it useful for students who want an all-in-one AI study tool rather than using separate apps for notes, flashcards and quizzes.
“My current one is StudyFetch, so helpful with essays and flashcards. I’ve gotten into a rhythm with it.”
Student comment on Reddit
Where to find it: studyfetch.com
Pricing: Free and paid options may be available depending on plan.
6. Knowt
Best for: Free flashcards, quizzes and note-based revision
Knowt is another strong AI study tool for students who want to create flashcards and quizzes from their notes. It is often compared to Quizlet because it helps students revise through active recall and practice testing.
Students can upload or paste notes, then use Knowt to generate study materials quickly. This is especially helpful when preparing for exams and trying to turn messy notes into something easier to revise from.
Where to find it: knowt.com
Pricing: Free plan available, with paid features.
7. Grammarly
Best for: Essay writing, grammar and editing
Grammarly is useful for students who want to improve the clarity and quality of their writing. It checks grammar, spelling, tone and sentence structure, making it helpful for essays, reports, emails and assignments.
Its AI writing tools can also help students rewrite unclear sentences, make writing more formal or improve flow. However, it is best used as an editing assistant rather than a tool to write entire assignments for you.
Where to find it: grammarly.com
Pricing: Free plan available, with premium upgrades.
8. QuillBot
Best for: Paraphrasing, summarising and improving sentence structure
QuillBot is popular with students because it helps rewrite and summarise text. It can be useful when trying to simplify complex readings, improve sentence flow or rephrase awkward writing.
That said, students should be careful not to use paraphrasing tools to hide copied work. The best way to use QuillBot is to improve your own writing after you understand the material.
Where to find it: quillbot.com
Pricing: Free plan available, with premium options.
9. Perplexity
Best for: Research and finding sources quickly
Perplexity is an AI research tool that can help students explore topics, ask questions and find sources. Unlike a general chatbot, it is especially useful for research because it provides links and references that students can follow up on.
This makes it helpful for essay planning, understanding current events, researching debates or getting a quick overview of a topic before going deeper.
Where to find it: perplexity.ai
Pricing: Free plan available, with paid options.
10. Notion AI
Best for: Study organisation, planning and note management
Notion AI is useful for students who already use Notion to organise their study life. It can help summarise notes, create task lists, plan assignments, organise revision schedules and clean up messy ideas.
It is less of a dedicated tutoring tool and more of a productivity tool for students who want one place to manage notes, deadlines and study plans.
Where to find it: notion.so
Pricing: Notion has free and paid plans. AI features may require an add-on or paid plan.
How to Choose the Best AI App for Studying
The best AI study app depends on what you actually need help with.
If you need help understanding difficult concepts, ChatGPT is one of the best all-round options. If you want to study from your own class notes and readings, NotebookLM is a strong choice.
If you need flashcards and memorisation, Quizlet, Knowt or Anki may be better. For essays and writing, Grammarly and QuillBot are useful editing tools.
For research, Perplexity can help you find information and sources more quickly.
Most students will get the best results by using a combination of tools rather than relying on just one.
How to Use AI for Studying Without Cheating
AI can be incredibly helpful for studying, but it should support your learning rather than replace it. The best way to use AI is to ask it to explain, quiz, summarise, organise or give feedback.
Good uses of AI for studying include:
- Asking for a simpler explanation of a hard concept
- Creating practice questions from your notes
- Turning class content into flashcards
- Planning an essay structure
- Checking grammar and clarity
- Summarising long readings
- Testing yourself before an exam
Students should avoid submitting AI-written work as their own or using AI to bypass learning. The goal is to study smarter, not skip the thinking.
What Is the Best AI App for Studying?
For most students, ChatGPT is the best overall AI study tool because it can help with explanations, revision, writing, planning and problem-solving.
NotebookLM is one of the best options for studying from your own materials, while Quizlet, Knowt and Anki are excellent for flashcards and memorisation.
The best AI apps for studying are the ones that help you actively learn, not just passively collect information. Used properly, AI can make studying more efficient, personalised and less overwhelming.