Your 2026 Study Toolkit: 6 Must-Have Apps and Resources

Learning is hard as it is, and getting into the right mindset to study can be even harder.

That's why we've carefully curated the ultimate 2026 study toolkit, chock-full of must-have study apps and learning resources to help you stay motivated and on track.

Whether you need help finding good music to study to or help with keeping your assignments organised, there's something on this list for everyone! 

1. Goodnotes: Digital Notepad

No more heavy notebooks! Goodnotes is a digital notepad, and it is as comprehensive as it gets.

First, create your digital notebook using customisable templates such as blank paper, ruled paper, planners, and more. After, combine both handwriting and typed text on one page, alongside images, stickers, diagrams, and doodles, or record audio memos that are synced to your notes – perfect for lectures or presentations. You can even write notes on already existing PDFs.

Finally, simply back up all your notes to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and use iCloud to sync across iPad, iPhone, and Mac so your notes are always safe. Goodnotes offers you an unlimited number of notebooks for the price of one.

Lifetime access costs £9.99 on Android and iOS.

2. Grammarly: Writing Assistant

Perfecting essays, research papers, and emails can be time-consuming, but this app makes it a breeze! Grammarly is perhaps the most robust writing assistant on the market. It’s more than just a grammar checker; Grammarly’s AI identifies your key points and helps you develop them so you can solidify your thesis and make your ideas flow logically. It’s like having a personal editor at your fingertips.

Submit flawless writing with built-in proofreading that catches mistakes and improves clarity. Ensure that your work is uniquely yours with plagiarism detection and citation support. Grammarly also works in all the apps you’ll likely use for class—and your career.

Grammarly is free to use but requires a paid upgrade for some of its AI features.

3. Headspace: Sleep and Meditation

Studying isn’t just about grinding through material; it’s about being physically and mentally prepared to balance studying with your busy life.

Headspace is a mindfulness app that offers guided meditations, breathing exercises, focus exercises, and sleepcasts. Spending just 10 minutes a day on this app can help you reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus for specific study sessions, and reset your mind when it gets tough.

Their team of experts ranges from mental health clinicians to Emmy award-winning producers and data scientists.

Headspace is free to download on Android and iOS but does have in-app purchases.

4. Spotify: Music Streaming

Do you like listening to music while you study or work? How about podcasts? Good music can make a good study session into a great one! On Spotify, you can stream songs, albums, and podcasts for free on your mobile or tablet, with a paid subscription allowing you to download and listen offline wherever you are.

They have premade playlists specific for studying, like Deep Focus and Brain Food, or you can simply create your own. Spotify also has a wide range of Lo-fi playlists for those of us who can’t listen to lyrics while they study.

Spotify premium costs £12/mo, but there is a range of different subscriptions that you can share with friends and bring the cost down.

5. Trello: Task Managing Board

Manage study tasks and projects with ease.

Trello is a visual task management tool that helps you stay organised. Like a Kanban board, Trello helps you break down a complex project into bite-sized cards that can be completed by yourself or a team. Set due dates, checklists, add attachments, or view your entire board as a calendar!

You can also set custom behaviours for your board by adding trigger actions and moving cards forward along the project. As you use your board, it will recognise repetitive actions and suggest automations that can be enabled in a single click.

Oh, and bonus! – Trello is completely free for personal use.

6. ChatGPT: AI Assistant

Hey ChatGPT, describe yourself and tell me how you can help students achieve their goals?

Hello! I'm ChatGPT, a large language model created by OpenAI, trained to assist with a wide range of topics. My primary purpose is to understand your questions or prompts and generate helpful, informative, and engaging responses. I can help students achieve their goals by providing support in various ways:

1. Homework Help: I can explain complex topics, solve math problems, assist with writing essays, and provide guidance on a range of subjects like history, science, literature, and more.
2. Study Assistance: I can help students understand difficult concepts, summarise textbooks or lectures, and create study guides or flashcards for efficient learning.
3. Writing and Editing: Whether you're drafting essays, research papers, or creative writing, I can help you organise ideas, refine your writing, and improve grammar and style.
4. Research: I can help students find reliable information, explain how to conduct research, and help structure projects or reports.
5. Time Management and Motivation: I can offer tips on managing time, creating effective study schedules, and staying motivated. I can also suggest techniques for managing stress and avoiding burnout.
6. Language Learning: If you're learning a new language, I can assist with vocabulary, grammar, and practice conversations to improve fluency.
7. Test Preparation: I can help you prepare for exams by reviewing key concepts, offering practice questions, and explaining study techniques.
8. Creative Problem Solving: Whether you're working on a project or brainstorming ideas, I can assist in generating creative solutions and thinking outside the box.

By providing personalised guidance, breaking down information, and offering encouragement, I can help students build confidence and achieve their academic and personal goals. Feel free to ask me anything—I'm here to assist!

Impressive, isn’t it? When it comes to finding answers, brainstorming ideas, or even generating drafts, ChatGPT is free and an invaluable resource. This AI language model is equipped with internet knowledge and designed to understand your prompts and generate answers that help you in whatever task you need help with, even computer code.

Disclaimer: ChatGPT is powered by internet knowledge, and you should never blindly trust anything you see on the internet. Always double-check sources and ensure that your final work represents your own understanding of the topic.

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