The 5 Best Study Apps for Students in 2026

Our picks at a glance

#	App	Best for	Price	Works on
1	Anki	Best overall	Free	iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
2	Quizlet	Best for test prep	Free + paid plans	iOS, Android, Web
3	Khan Academy	Best free	Free	iOS, Android, Web
4	Brilliant	Best hands-on lessons	Free + paid plans	iOS, Android, Web
5	Coursera	Best for certificates	Free + paid plans	iOS, Android, Web

Studying usually breaks down in one of two places. Either you understand the material in class and lose it by exam week, or you never quite understood it and are trying to memorize your way out. Different apps fix different halves of that problem. Flashcard apps protect what you have already learned. Course and practice apps teach the parts you are still missing.

This guide puts the memory tools first, because forgetting is the problem almost every student shares, then covers the apps that teach. Anki and Quizlet handle flashcards and review. Khan Academy and Brilliant teach math, science and coding through practice. Coursera is there for anyone who wants university-level courses and a certificate to show for them. Most students only need one or two.

1
Best overall
Anki

Open-source flashcards powered by spaced repetition

0

Spaced repetition shows each card right before you'd forget it, so you remember more with less review time.

Anki earns the top spot because it does the one thing that matters most for exams: it makes knowledge stick. Its scheduler, including the newer FSRS option, tracks how well you know each card and spaces reviews further apart as you keep getting them right. You spend your time on the cards you're about to forget, not the ones you already know. That's why med students and serious language learners rely on it.
A typical day looks like this: open Anki, clear the reviews it has queued, then add a few new cards from today's lectures. Shared community decks can save hours of card-making, and free AnkiWeb sync keeps your desktop, phone and browser in step. The catch is effort. The interface is dated, setup takes time, and the iPhone and iPad app, AnkiMobile, is a one-time purchase, though Anki is free everywhere else.

Good for
Med, law and language students memorizing large volumes of facts

Watch out for
Dated interface and a real learning curve before it clicks

Read the Anki review Visit website iOSAndroidMacWindowsLinuxWeb
2
Best for test prep
Quizlet

Flashcards, practice tests and study games for any subject

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The quickest way to turn class notes into flashcards, with practice tests and games for review before an exam.

Quizlet is the app to open the week before a test. You can type a set of terms in minutes, or search the shared library and often find a set for your exact class or textbook. Learn mode quizzes you until you get each term right, practice tests mimic the real thing, and matching games make a dull review session go faster. AI tools can also build flashcards straight from your notes.
It is lighter than Anki and much friendlier on day one, which is why it suits high school and college students reviewing vocabulary and key terms. The catches matter, though. The free plan shows ads and limits Learn and Test modes, which are the most useful parts. Shared sets can contain mistakes, so check them against your notes. And for knowledge you need to keep for years, Anki's scheduling works better.

Good for
Students reviewing vocabulary and key terms for upcoming tests

Watch out for
Best study modes are limited on the free plan, which also has ads

Read the Quizlet review Visit website iOSAndroidWeb
3
Best free
Khan Academy

Free nonprofit lessons in math, science and more

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Free, ad-free lessons and mastery-based practice in math and science, from arithmetic all the way to calculus.

Khan Academy is the best place to learn the material, not just review it, and it costs nothing. Short videos explain a concept, then practice exercises check whether you've got it and adapt to what you have and haven't mastered. Math runs from arithmetic to calculus, with science, economics, grammar and computing alongside. There are no ads and no core lessons behind a paywall, since it is funded by donations.
It works well as homework help: when a problem set stops making sense, find the matching unit, watch the explanation and practice until it clicks. Parents and teachers get dashboards to follow progress, and the Khanmigo AI tutor is available as an add-on. The catch is the format. It feels like school, which can drag for adult learners, and arts and humanities coverage is thinner than math and science.

Good for
Students and parents who want free, school-aligned math and science help

Watch out for
School-style format can feel dry, especially for adult learners

Read the Khan Academy review Visit website iOSAndroidWeb
4
Best hands-on lessons
Brilliant

Interactive, hands-on lessons in math, science and coding

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Interactive puzzles that build real understanding of math, science, data and coding, one short lesson at a time.

Brilliant is for students who understand things by working them out. Instead of watching a lecture, you solve a short run of interactive problems that build a concept step by step, across math, science, data and programming. The design is excellent, which makes intimidating topics feel approachable, and guided learning paths by level tell you what to tackle next. It's a good way to fix shaky foundations before a harder course.
Lessons are short enough for a daily habit, and streaks help you keep it. The catch is that Brilliant is not built for exam prep. It won't follow your syllabus, there are no certificates, and it offers little homework help. The free plan also caps you at a couple of lessons a day with ads. If your goal is to understand a subject rather than pass a specific test, Premium is where it pays off.

Good for
Curious teens and adults who learn math and coding by solving problems

Watch out for
Free plan is capped daily, and it won't help much with exam prep

Read the Brilliant review Visit website iOSAndroidWeb
5
Best for certificates
Coursera

University and industry courses, certificates and degrees

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University and industry courses with certificates you can put on a resume, plus full online degree programs.

Coursera is the pick when you want structured, university-level learning and proof that you did it. Courses come from universities and companies, with video lectures, readings and graded assignments, and professional certificates and full online degrees sit on top. Offline downloads let you watch lectures on a commute. For students exploring a career path or adding skills beyond their degree, the depth is hard to match.
Most learners pick one course and work through it week by week, like a class with deadlines you set yourself. The catch is cost. Most courses only let you preview the first module for free, and graded work and certificates need a course purchase or a subscription, though financial aid can cover full access. Course quality also varies, so read the syllabus and recent reviews before you enroll.

Good for
Students and career changers who want recognized certificates

Watch out for
Free access is mostly previews, and quality varies between courses

Read the Coursera review Visit website iOSAndroidWeb

What should you look for in a study app?

Decide whether you need to remember or to understand. For memorizing terms, formulas, anatomy or vocabulary, look for spaced repetition, which schedules reviews based on how well you know each card. For learning new material, look for practice that checks your answers and adapts to you, not just videos you watch passively. The best study setups usually combine one of each.

Then think about cost and friction. Some apps put their best study modes behind a subscription, so check what the free plan really includes. Make sure it syncs between your phone and laptop, since you'll study in both places. And be honest about effort: a powerful tool you never set up won't help, so a simpler app you actually open can be the better choice.

How do you get the most out of a flashcard app?

Make small cards that test one fact each, write them in your own words, and review every day instead of in one long session before the exam. Daily reviews are what let spaced repetition do its job. Cards you keep failing are usually too big or unclear, so split or rewrite them rather than grinding through them again and again.

Compare the top picks

Khan Academy 9.2

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free study app?

Khan Academy is the best free app for learning, with no ads and no paywalled lessons. For flashcards, Anki is free on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and the web, with a one-time paid app on iPhone and iPad.

Is Anki or Quizlet better for studying?

Anki is better for long-term memorization because its spaced repetition scheduler times every review. Quizlet is quicker to start, has ready-made sets for many classes and is handy for review right before a test.

Is Khan Academy or Brilliant better for math?

Khan Academy is better for school math and homework help, and it is free. Brilliant is better for building intuition through interactive problems if you are happy to pay for Premium.

Are Coursera certificates worth it for students?

They help most when they come from a well-known university or employer program and relate to the career you want. Treat them as proof of skills and effort, not a replacement for a degree.