Student life is fast-paced and loaded with to-do tasks, which is why we have prepared a large list of the best and most useful apps for 2023 that will (hopefully) help you with organising your life better.
It has been a hot minute since mobile phones and tablets (and honestly all other kinds of devices) have been on the market and have been invading our lives, taking over our daily tasks. We are so used to holding our phone in our hand that it barely touches a flat surface.
Despite the fact that you are students, nowadays it is very common for assignments and what not to be submitted digitally.
It only comes naturally that you are interested in cool and free apps to complement your little devices, so we have gathered some of the best apps for students. At least let’s make it a useful article, ok?
Art and design
It is not often that students use apps for art and design (at least I don’t think so)
1. Canva
However, Canva is a very cool app to use. It allows you to create beautiful designs anywhere, faster. The mobile app has a drag-and-drop feature, allows you to create documents and presentations, has great graphics and cool layouts. From making a presentation to making a social media graphic for your internship, Canva will be a useful student app for you.
Free app
Beauty
Not going to stay long on this topic, because this is not what our focus is on today (kindaaa has nothing to do with student apps…) But! We thought it was important to show you two useful mobile apps that will allow you to check the ingredients in your cosmetics (including shampoo, douche gel etc for all my fellas that just lost interest real quick).
2. Clean beauty
Easily decrypts ingredients contained in beauty and hygiene products (told ya). The mobile app works as follows – you scan the list of ingredients, and then it detects if it has any allergens, nanoparticles or other risky ingredients that you have to be worried about. Such a useful app, right? Especially when you are a student and you are on a budget, so you cannot afford Estee Lauder every month.
Free app
3. CodeCheck
This free app is even better than the last one. CodeCheck not only scans your cosmetics, but also your food! Healthy and natural af, who dis? It’s also a free mobile app soooo… if we perform a cost-benefit analysis, let’s say we only see the benefits. 😉
Free app
Books and reference
Okay, one of the most important categories of useful apps for you guys (I hope). Three very different mobile apps will follow, possibly all useful to use so without further adieu, let’s begin.
4. Goodreads
Now, I know you do not have much free time outside college, but if you are an overachiever or simply like to read, this app is for you. Goodreads is the world’s largest site for readers and book recommendations. People like Warren Buffett and Mark Cuban are there to give advice or share their favorites every now and then. As students, it is very important to pick your books well so that they give you the most for your time. Thus, this useful app is exactly what you need. Over 2.2 billion books, now that is a challenge.
Free app
5. Audible
In case you are not much of a book reader, I can be that you are a book listener. For a student, this can be a very cool app. Audible has the largest selection of audiobooks and podcasts so you can listen to them while you are cleaning your room, for example, or shopping for food. Remember, knowledge is power.
Free app
First book free, afterwards paid per book
6. TOEFL Preparation
For you international students out there, applying for a job, looking for the next adventure, or simply preparing for school in the UK – it is very possible that you would need IELTS or TOEFL certificates for proof of language. This useful student app is great for practicing on the go all kinds of tests similar to the ones that will be given to you by the real examiners.
Free app
Business
For my entrepreneurs who use cool apps to develop themselves and stay up to date – I see you!
7. Google Primer
This is the marketing beginner’s dream mobile app, honestly! Use it to learn new business and digital marketing skills. As a marketer, I can tell you that this student app is great and it covers all of the needed topics – from SEO, through advertising to business planning and management.
Free app
8. McKinsey Insights
As we all know (we don’t need a student app to know that), McKinsey is one of the largest consultancy firms in the world. It conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis to appraise management decisions across the public and private sectors.
The McKinsey Insights app is very useful because it offers what the senior executives are facing, topics from leadership to digitalization, everything you need to know from the focus point of the world’s best consultants and field experts. If I only had this cool app when I was a student…
Free app
Communication
We offer two of the simplest choices really, all for the sake of communicating with your study groups.
9. Whatsapp
Duuh… Who doesn’t use Whatsapp nowadays (ok China is all about WeChat, but that’s not the point). So Whatsapp is the most useful chat app since you can use it both on your phone as a mobile app and on your computer from your browser. When you create your study group, don’t forget to add all kinds of emojis in the title like: “Study group C 💁💋👑💕🔝📚”
Free app
10. Facebook
Well obviously if you have to upload files to check each other’s work, nobody does that via email anymore. So people thought of another use of Facebook so that you can procrastinate even more, instead of actually getting some work done.
Free app
iPhone app Android appThe good thing is that you can’t really check the whole paper on your phone, so maybe you can limit the use of Facebook only for communication about deadlines and responsibilities?
Education
Now that is a good one. In this category are some of the most useful apps that let you learn new things and develop further when you are not at school (cuz that is what everybody wants – study more after you finish studying…).
11. Curiosity
Curiosity is a fun cool app which, if you have time, can be very useful as well. It has more than 5,000 articles and over 1 million curated videos on every topic that one can imagine. So even if you do not know what you are looking for, you can browse the app in your free time and personalize it to give you results that you’d like to read. I meaaaan… it doens’t get better than that, does it?
Free app
12. Coursera
Coursera is a personal favorite of mine so there was no way I was not going to include it in this app chart. This useful app provides you with courses that you can watch online from the best universities worldwide, like Harvard, MIT, LSE etc. The courses are free to watch but if you would like to obtain a diploma, usually it is paid. However, you can apply for financial aid.
Free app
13. edX Online Courses
Very similar app to Coursera. The same principle stands here. Courses from Harvard, MIT and more, from Entrepreneurship to Food and Nutrition. Flexible schedule for listening to the lectures. Overall, great app!
Free app
14. Duolingo
Duolingo can be described as the best app to learn the basics of a new language. Whenever you go to a new country or really want to start learning a new language, you go to the greatest app for that, namely Duolingo. Easy quizzes, speaking tests, explanations. Very accessible for everybody. 20+ languages available and I am sure more are to come.
Free app
15. Vocabulary builder
The name says it all. This useful app is used for building your English vocabulary and getting to know some irregular but useful words. Could be my new hobby?
Free app
16. TED
TED is what I call entertainment app but it is definitely part of the education section. You can watch remarkable people’s TED talks on a variety of topics. Usually TED talks are ideally around 18 minutes so you can quickly gain some insight on different topics in between lectures or so.
Free app
17. Any kind of a scientific calculator
Not everybody is a fan of maths (dare I say, a very small amount of people), but either way, there is a need for a scientific calculator being part of our mobile app collection. On the bright side, you will have an app that can do square root of a number, sinus, cosinus, and whatever else torture your teacher has decided to use on you this day.
Free app
18. Photomath
If you are in a fight with Maths, then you need this cool app. You can use it to scan your math problem and then the miracle happens. The app solves the problem for you and gives you detailed instructions. Sorry, is it Christmas or what?
Free app
Finance
Being a student almost immediately equals being on a budget, which is why we have prepared a selection of student apps for better handling your budget as well as learning a bit more about finance.
19. Forex Trading for Beginners
If someone wants to learn how to trade on the biggest, most liquid market in the world, including all currencies, this is the app for you (and me tbh). This app is extremely useful because it offers friendly explanations and expert tips about trading, many illustrations and strategy examples, and of course, a simulator. Why not give it a try? Maybe this cool app teaches you well and turns you into a wealthy person in a few months, eh?
Free app
20. You Need a Budget (YNAB) — Budget, Personal Finance
For those who agreed with me in the beginning of this section, we have found the best student app for financial planning. YNAB is easy to use and once you get the hang of it, absolutely genius! Try it out and save some coin.
Free app
21. TransferWise Money Transfer
Yas gurl! A must-have useful student app! In short, this cool app allows you to send money abroad quickly and easily, at the lowest possible cost, in 28 currencies. No more large bank transfer fees and 20 *business* days (obviously exaggerating…) till the other party receives it.
Free app
Food and Drinks
University is not only for studying, right? Gotta reward ourselves and indulge in some good (affordable) meals. So what are the best apps for that?
22. Tasty
Of course, everybody knows Tasty! So that makes it a great student app to have in case of feeling like a fancy meal. Their videos are made in a great quick way and you can choose from a variety of dishes to prepare.
Free app
23. Uber eats
In case you do not feel like cooking at home, you can always rely on Uber eats to be your cool useful app on which you can order some food. Maybe for your next group meeting?
Free app
Health and Fitness
This category is especially important for all my students out there. Life in uni is not only about studying the books and doing tests, tests, tests. Do not forget about your health and condition. Below are some useful apps that might help you keep it all together and stay in shape.
24. Myfitnesspal
This useful app is one I use to this day. Myfitnesspal is owned by Under Armour and has almost all the foods (ready or not) that you can imagine. And if it doesn’t, you can enter the ones that it doesn’t yourself and still track your calorie consumption. The app is free, it has some paid features, but you can perfectly track your daily calorie intake with the free version. It is such an easy-to-use app that you can directly scan the barcode of your food or drink and it will most probably have it.
Free app
25. Keep Yoga – Yoga & Meditation
For all my zen people, this cool app might be something for you. In case you are more of a yoga fan, rather than a fitness fan, keep on reading. This useful app has more than 400 asanas, 10+ yoga session plans and 7 meditation courses. It is all in one – you can lose weight, completely relax, have a better sleep at night, boost your immune system, and keep a calmer mind.
Free app
26. Headspace: Meditation and Mindfulness
In combination (or alone, that is completely possible) with the previous one, Headspace is the ULTIMATE meditation tool. It is soooo calm to listen to and it has so many options (free and paid) for so many occasions. You can use the app for a 3-, 5-, 10- and more minute meditation a day, look at inspiring quotes and absolutely fantastic animated videos that explain the main concepts.
Free app
27. Seven – 7 Minute Workout Training Challenge
I know school days are tough and busy and full of assignments, but one has to workout their muscles every now and then. Not telling you to go out and become a fitness machine, but more like perform some light and quick exercises at home. Seven is a very useful, so to say, student applicable app which allows you to do simple but efficient seven minute workouts every day. It has illustrations in the app and a timer, so all you need is to fit your gym clothes and spare 7 minutes of your day. Seven’s workouts are based on scientific studies to provide the maximum benefit in only 7 minutes. Enjoy and don’t forget to stretch well!
Free app
28. Water drink reminder
One of the most important things to do no matter where you are or what you are doing – drink water! This useful app reminds you to drink your fluids in intervals and makes sure you are hydrated enough every day. Proper hydration, healthy skin, faster metabolism. Such a cool app to have!
Free app
Lifestyle
29. Daylio – Diary, Journal, Mood Tracker
Most of us like to have an organized life and an organized surrounding. Some of us do not like to organize it ourselves tho. Daylio is a useful app that goes by the saying ‘keep a private diary without having to type a single line’. Sounds good, no? Pick your mood, your activites, write notes, see all kinds of statistics about yourself. If you are a student, you need a cool app like that.
Free app
30. Tinder
I am sure that there is a very small amount of people who have never heard (or used) of Tinder. However, before you let your naughty thoughts take over, keep in mind that this can be a way of meeting new people. So it is up to you if you want to use this app as a student app to grow your social network.
Free app
Music and audio
31. Spotify
Spotify lately has all the good albums uploaded (except the ones on Tidal, ehm ehm *Jay-z* *cough*). This useful app solves a problem for students – listening to music on their phone without constantly having to have the screen on (YouTube). Also, you can make your own playlists and download them so you can listen to them offline if needed.
This cool app has a free version, which is cool, but has ads every now and then and some limited functions on shuffling and picking one set song. My advice – find yourself a friend that has an account and share (or abuse) the costs.
Free app
32. White Noise Lite
This app can prove to be quite useful because it relaxes and reduces stress. Get calm before exams, concentrate while studying, listen to it while taking a power nap. The perfect student app for relaxation.
Free app
News and Magazines
33. The economist
Keep yourself updated of the latest news and conflicts in the world with the Economist. As a good student, you will probably have this app on your phone already. It has its monthly free stories and in case you really get into it, you can pay for the full edition as well.
Free app
34. Medium
Words cannot describe how useful this app is. It has literally every topic you can think of. Read articles written by other readers, from productivity to financial news and analyses. Personalize the topics you are interested in and get new amazing articles every day.
Free app
Productivity
Keep your productivity level at its highest with these useful apps.
35. Pomodoro
The idea behind such a cool app is to make you get things done by giving you the ability to properly manage your time. It’s a great student app because it gives you an effective way to retain motivation and focus.
Free app
36. Wunderlist: To-Do List & Tasks
The best to-do list app for students. You can also synch it with your computer and access it from everywhere. Super useful to keep yourself organized, have a reminder, share tasks, keep a track and make notes.
Free app
Social
Apart from the obvious choice – Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp and Snapchat, we have gathered a couple of very useful apps for students in the social category.
37. Meetup
Meetup is a useful app that brings people together to do, explore, teach and learn the things that help them come alive. For example, if you are looking for a entrepreneurial group to discuss startup ideas with, you might as well look it up on Meetup. Chances are you will find something similar already.
Free app
38. Quora
Quora is a hidden gem! It serves a great purpose as a student app because it is a question and answer platform where people ask questions about any subject, read high quality knowledge that’s personalized and relevant to them, and share their own knowledge with others. All kinds of influential people and industry experts are there and you can personally ask them to give their opinion on a topic that you have posted about.
Free app
Tools
39. OfficeSuite : Free Office + PDF Editor
As a student, basically you cannot function without an office suite on your mobile phone. I mean, how are you going to open all those assignments and essays and check the curriculum, and the tasks etc? So, easiest way is to get the whole pack of the office suite where you can read the downloaded files but also create them. Best of both worlds combined in this student app.
Free app
40. Google Translate
We are all aware of Google Translate, it is the student app that has saved lives and essays and grades. So it is useful to have it on your phone as well, in case you are a foreigner, or are talking to one.
Free app
To sum up, there are plenty of useful student apps that your phone is lacking right now so after finishing this article, please go ahead and install the ones that you think are going to be most beneficial to you.
And do not forget that uni life is not only about being serious, but also gaining experience in all kinds of areas. Magnet.me enables students to find the right internship, placement or graduate job and to directly connect with graduate employers. So if you are looking for an internship or a graduate job, don’t forget to check that out as well.