Top 6 Apps for Students You Should Download


By Mark Barrow

Being a student these days is no easy task. From juggling coursework and exams to managing extracurricular activities and your weekly budget, the life of a student can sometimes feel overwhelming. Luckily, there are loads of available resources that can help make life a little easier. 

In this blog post, we give you the lowdown on the top 6 apps for students that you should definitely download. These apps range from note-taking tools to productivity apps and even platforms that offer exclusive student discounts. So, let’s dive in and discover how these apps can revolutionise the way you navigate the challenges of student life!

Now, let’s get started with our first app!

App 1 – Goodnotes 6 

Price – £9.99* per year or one-off £29.99* lifetime purchase

Goodnotes 6 is a note-taking app that will revolutionise the way you take notes in class. Gone are the days of carrying around heavy notebooks and countless pens. With Goodnotes 6, you can transform your iPad or tablet into a digital notebook.

The app allows you to write, draw, and highlight your notes with ease. You can even import PDFs and annotate them directly on your device. The best part? Goodnotes 6 offers a wide range of templates, including lined paper, graph paper, and even music sheets. So whether you’re a science student, an aspiring artist, or a music enthusiast, Goodnotes 6 has got you covered.

Not only does Goodnotes 6 make note-taking a breeze, but it also helps you stay organised. The app allows you to create different notebooks for each subject and even offers a search function, so you can easily find that one important concept you need to review. With Goodnotes 6, you’ll never lose another note or spend hours searching for a specific topic again.

So why wait? Say goodbye to the hassle of traditional handwritten notes and embrace digital notetaking with Goodnotes 6!

Pros:

  • Document scan feature lets you save important passages from books or documents
  • Start off with a free plan to see if it’s right for you

Cons:

  • Works best with an iPad and an Apple Pencil, which can be expensive
  • Doesn’t sync across Apple, Android and Windows devices
Get Goodnotes

App 2 – Canva

Price – Choose from either Canva Free or Canva Pro which is £12.99* per month. 

Now, let’s move on to one of our favourite apps for students, this one will unleash your creativity and make your presentations stand out from the crowd. Say hello to Canva, the ultimate graphic design tool for students. Whether you need to create eye-catching posters for a uni event or design a visually appealing presentation, Canva has got your back.

With Canva, you don’t need to be a design expert to create stunning visuals. The app offers a wide range of templates, fonts, and graphics that you can customise to suit your needs. You can add images, shapes, and even videos to make your creations truly unique. And the best part? Canva is incredibly user-friendly, so even if you’re not tech-savvy, you’ll be able to create professional-looking designs in no time.

So why settle for boring presentations when you can wow your teachers and classmates with your design skills? Download Canva today and take your creativity to the next level!

Pros:

  • Super simple to use.
  • The free version is still incredibly useful.
  • Lots of templates to choose from, from social media to presentation slides.

Cons:

  • The free version is a little limited, but many find it good enough.
  • The stock images are almost all American photos. 
Get Canva

 

App 3 – Mind Mapping – MindMeister

Price – £5.99* per month or £59.99* per year 

Now, let’s explore an app for students that will help you organise your thoughts and boost your productivity. Say hello to MindMeister, a mind mapping app that will revolutionise the way you brainstorm and plan your assignments.

MindMeister allows you to create visually appealing mind maps that capture your ideas and connections in a structured manner. You can add branches, icons, and even images to enhance your maps. The app also offers collaboration features, so you can work on projects with your classmates in real-time. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas for an essay or planning a group project, MindMeister is a great tool to help you stay organised and focused.

So why struggle with scattered thoughts and messy notes when you can bring clarity and structure to your ideas with MindMeister? 

Pros:

  • Easy to use interface that enables you to quickly create projects.
  • You can incorporate hyperlinks, notes, images, attachments and more.
  • Export your mind map in multiple ways including a pdf, PowerPoint & Word doc.

Cons:

  • The app is easier to use on a tablet, the text can be difficult to read on phones. 
Get MM


App 4 – Student Beans: Uni Discounts

Price – Free! You’ll save money by downloading it!

Being a student often means living on a tight budget. But fear not, because Student Beans is here to help you save money while still enjoying the things you love. Student Beans is an app for students that offers exclusive discounts and deals.

Whether you’re looking for discounts on clothing, tech gadgets, or even travel, Student Beans has got you covered. The app features a wide range of brands and retailers, so you can find the best deals on everything from fashion and beauty products to food and entertainment. And the best part? The app is free to download, so you can start saving money right away.

So why pay full price when you can enjoy exclusive student discounts with Student Beans? Download the app today and start saving!

Pros:

  • You can save big with exclusive student discounts.

Cons

  • We can’t find a single one! Go on, download it. Go on!
Get SB


App 5 – Zotero

Price – Free

When it comes to academic research, one of the biggest challenges that students face is organising and citing sources. That’s where the incredible app for students Zotero comes to the rescue. With Zotero, you can effortlessly collect, organise, and cite your research materials.

Whether it’s articles, books, websites, or even PDFs, Zotero allows you to store and categorise your sources in a well-structured manner. Not only does it save you precious time, but it also ensures that you never lose track of your references.

Additionally, Zotero seamlessly integrates with popular word processors, making it a breeze to insert citations and create bibliographies. So, you can now say goodbye to the days of manually managing your references.

Pros:

  • It’s completely free!
  • Lots of citation formats.

Cons:

  • The app is missing some of the functions on the desktop version
  • Not available on Android
Get Zotero

App 6 – Forest

Price – £3.99*

Picture this – you sit down to study, determined to stay focused and finish your assignments. However, within minutes, you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through social media or getting lost in the black hole of YouTube videos. Sounds familiar? Well, fear not, because Forest is here to save the day.

Forest is a unique app for students that utilises the Pomodoro technique, combining productivity with mindfulness. The concept is simple – whenever you need to focus, plant a virtual tree in your app Forest.

As long as you resist the temptation to leave the app and use your phone, the tree will grow. However, if you succumb to distraction and exit the app, your tree will wither away. The visual representation of your focus time is not only motivating but also serves as a reminder to stay on track.

Pros:

  • Super easy to use
  • Growing a forest of ‘wins’ after several uninterrupted focused sessions is a great feeling.

Cons:

  • That guilty feeling I got after killing my first forest by picking up my phone once too often…
Get Forest

 

And there you have it, the top 6 apps that every student should download. From note-taking tools like Goodnotes 6 to focused study management apps like Forest, these apps are designed to make student life easier, more organised, and more enjoyable. So why wait? Take advantage of the best digital tools available to you and download these great apps for students today. Your future self will thank you!

*Prices correct at time of writing