Being a college student means multitasking assignments, preparing for exams, and trying to balance a social life. Carelessness may lead you to be pulled in more directions than you can handle.
Thankfully, there’s an abundance of software designed to assist you in organizing your everyday routine, communicating efficiently, and making sure your grand thoughts find a place.
Continue reading to uncover the top student productivity applications. You’ll learn what these applications offer, the ones available at no cost, and where to obtain them.
Outstanding Note-Taking Productivity Applications for Students: 2023
Note-taking applications for students are perfect for recording key information from lectures or storing ideas for your thesis and various projects.
1. Apple Notes
* Free, Apple device required
* iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS
* Pros: User-friendly, exclusive to Apple devices, free, collaborative, offline availability
* Cons: Unavailable on non-Apple devices
Why It’s Our Choice: As an Apple user, Notes ranks among the top free student productivity tools. From checklists to free writing or voice-to-text functionality, this app covers it all. Pin necessary documents, include various formats, and more. If you own an iPad, explore the finest iPad productivity tools.
2. Google Keep
* Free, Google account needed
* iOS, Mac, iPadOS, watchOS, Windows, Android
* Pros: Free, across multiple OS, offline use
* Cons: Limited to web app on computer, no automatic bullet points
* **Our Reasoning**: An ideal alternative to Notes, Google Keep provides unlimited pages, synchronization across devices, reminders, labels, and organized notes.
3. Evernote
* Free to $109.99/yr
* iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
* Pros: Extensive notes creation, free version benefits, document and image uploads
* Cons: Two devices on free plan, limited free version
* **Why We Selected This App**: Evernote is best for those wanting an intricate note-taking tool. The ability to create and group books makes it great for important lectures. We recommend one book per assignment or module.
4. Notion Web Clipper
* Free
* Chrome, Firefox, Safari
* Pros: Three browsers supported, link retention
* Cons: Notion account required, Microsoft Edge unsupported
* **Our Choice Rationale**: With Notion Web Clipper, clipping and pasting texts into Notion is straightforward. Highlight vital passages or save article links for later use.
Top Student Planner Productivity Tools
Organizing your week beforehand aids in time management for studies, without overloading your schedule. Here are the best organizational applications for college students.
5. Brite
* Free to $4.99/mo
* iOS, Mac, Windows
* Pros: Comprehensive productivity suite, user-friendly, task classification
* Cons: No Android app, occasional iOS glitches
* **Our Selection Reasoning**: Brite divides tasks between Work and Private, with features similar to Apple Notes and Google Keep. Prioritize, time your tasks, and utilize other tools available in the premium version.
6. Google Calendar
* Free
* Mac, Windows, iOS, Android
* Pros: Free, wide device availability, customizability
* Cons: Google account necessity, no downloadable desktop apps
* **Why We Recommend It**: Google Calendar allows recurring tasks, color-coding, collaboration, and seamless integration with Gmail. Widgets are available for Apple devices.
7. Structured Daily Planner
* Free to $29.99 lifetime
* Mac, iOS, Android (in progress)
* Pros: Customization, responsive apps, fair pricing
* Cons: Recurring tasks require Pro, no Android app yet
* **Our Preference**: Structured allows meticulous planning, task customization, and is highly useful for those desiring immense customization. Free and paid options are available.
The Finest To-Do List Software for Students
Digital to-do list apps help students manage daily tasks without paper waste. Here are some of the best.
8. Todoist
* Free to $72/yr
* iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, Windows, Apple Watch, WearOS
* Pros: Multiplatform, valuable free features, sleek design, reasonable pricing
* Cons: One-week history on free plans, 5 MB upload limit
* **Why This Is Our Pick**: Todoist’s user-friendly design makes task management simple. Collaborate, set deadlines, use labels, and organize better, even with a free plan.
9. TickTick
* Free to $27.99/yr
* iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Apple Watch, Linux
* Pros: Broad OS support, simple interface, eight languages
* Cons: Not on WearOS
* **Our Decision**: Like Todoist, TickTick lets you set priorities and reorganize as needed. Features like “Next 7 Days” tab offer an efficient view of your week.
Best Communication Tools for Students
Whether for lecturer interaction or project collaboration with peers, these communication tools will keep you organized.
10. Slack
* Free to $180/yr
* Mac, iOS, Android, Windows
* Pros: Multi-device support, free version
* Cons: Restrictive free plan
* **Why We Choose This App**: Slack’s free plan offers basic group chat capabilities. Integrate with other apps and access history for 90 days or upgrade for more features.
11. Apple Mail
* Free
* iOS, Mac, Apple Watch
* Pros: Free, organizational tools, multiple account integration
* Cons: Apple devices only
* **Our Selection Justification**: With new features in iOS 16 and macOS
12. Trello
Screenshot of Trello app
Pricing:
Free plan available
Trello Premium: $10/mo / $100/yr
Trello Business: $20/mo / $200/yr
Trello Enterprise: Custom pricing
Platforms: iOS/iPadOS | Android | Mac | Windows
Pros
- Highly customizable
- Available on most platforms
- Great for managing projects
Cons
Some features may be confusing for new users
Why We Chose This App
Trello is a versatile and easy-to-use tool that’s perfect for staying on top of your academic projects. You can create boards and cards to organize your work and invite others to collaborate on shared tasks. Moreover, you can assign due dates, attach files, and create checklists within your cards.
With the free plan, you can create up to 10 boards per workspace. However, if you need more advanced features, you can upgrade to one of the paid plans. Trello is ideal for students who want a reliable and adaptable project management tool.
13. Asana
Screenshot of Asana app
Pricing:
Free plan available
Asana Premium: $11.99/mo / $119.88/yr
Asana Business: $30.49/mo / $365.88/yr
Asana Enterprise: Custom pricing
Platforms: iOS/iPadOS | Android | Mac | Windows
Pros
Great for project planning
Free plan includes lots of features
Can manage team and solo projects
Cons
Expensive for advanced features
Why We Chose This App
Asana is a reliable option for project planning for students who want to manage their tasks more comprehensively. With the free plan, you can create various projects and tasks, assigning due dates, priority labels, and attachments. If you work with others on team projects, you can invite them to collaborate within the app.
Asana’s interface is intuitive, and you can switch between different views to suit your needs. You can upgrade to a paid plan if you want to access more advanced features like timelines and workload management.
14. Microsoft To Do
Pricing: Free
Platforms: iOS/iPadOS | Android | Mac | Windows
Pros
Integrates with Microsoft products
Simple design
Works well for solo projects
Cons
Fewer features compared to other project management apps
Why We Chose This App
Microsoft To Do is a free app designed to integrate with other Microsoft products like Outlook and Office 365. It’s a suitable choice for individual student projects, with a simple design that makes it easy to create and organize tasks. You can assign due dates and set reminders to stay on track.
While Microsoft To Do may have fewer features compared to other project management apps, it’s a solid option for students who prefer a minimalist approach and are already using Microsoft services. It provides all the essential tools for task management without any unnecessary complexity.
Conclusion
For any student seeking to manage their academic workload, there is a wide variety of productivity apps to choose from. Some apps are suited for note-taking, while others help in planning your daily tasks or organizing group projects. The best part is that most of these apps offer free plans, making them accessible to all students, regardless of their budget.