7 Must-Have iPhone Apps for Students in 2025

If you’re a student right now, I get it — life’s basically a crazy juggling act between classes, assignments, exams, part-time work, and somehow still trying to have a social life.

Here’s something wild: a recent study found that over 90% of students use their smartphones to help with schoolwork.

And guess what? More than 60% say they can’t survive without their favorite study apps.

Yeah — apps aren’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore.

They’re essential tools if you wanna keep up without losing your mind.

Now, not every app is actually worth your time.

So what I did here is simple: I picked out the real gold.

Let’s dive in.

1. ChatGPT – Best for Homework Help and Brainstorming

Pros:

• Can explain complex topics in simple words
• Helps with essays, homework, brainstorming, and summaries
• Available 24/7 — like a study buddy that never sleeps
• Great for getting ideas when you’re stuck

Cons:

• You still need to double-check facts (it can sometimes mess up)
• Can make you a little lazy if you overuse it

If I had to pick just one app to survive school life today, honestly, ChatGPT would be right up there.

Need to understand a tough topic your teacher rushed through?

Type it into this AI tool.

Stuck on an essay intro and feeling the panic set in?

Ask for a few opening ideas.

Can’t figure out what your math word problem is even talking about?

Break it down in ChatGPT and watch it explain it in plain English.

A survey by Chegg found that over 80% of college students use AI tools like ChatGPT to study.

And honestly, if you use it the right way (as a helper, not a crutch), it can make a HUGE difference — faster research, better writing, clearer understanding.

But here’s the thing: Don’t just copy-paste whatever it spits out.

Sometimes it sounds super confident even when it’s wrong.

Use it to brainstorm, understand, and polish.

But always do a quick double-check, especially for serious assignments.

Bottom line: ChatGPT doesn’t replace your brain, it boosts it. 

And if you use it smartly, it can seriously take a ton of pressure off your plate.

2. Notion – Best for Notes

Pros:

• All-in-one place for notes, to-dos, projects, and schedules
• Super customizable — works exactly how you want it
• Great free templates for students
• Syncs perfectly across iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Cons:

• Can feel overwhelming at first because it’s so flexible
• Needs a little setup time to make it truly yours

If you’re the kind of student who has a million sticky notes, random screenshots, and half-finished planners scattered everywhere, Notion will change your life.

You can create pages for each subject, track assignments, manage group projects, and even plan your day hour-by-hour if you want.

And once you get the hang of it? It’s actually fun.

More than 4 million students around the world use Notion today.

And it’s easy to see why.

There are free student templates already made for things like class schedules, homework trackers, reading lists, and exam prep checklists.

You don’t even need to be a tech genius. 

Just pick a template, tweak it a little, and you’re way more organized than 90% of your classmates.

And because it syncs across your iPhone, iPad, and laptop, you’re never stuck thinking, “Wait, where did I write that?” again.

Open Notion, and everything’s right there.

Tiny tip though: When you first open it, it can feel like walking into a giant empty room with infinite furniture options. Start small, maybe just make a simple “Classes” page and “Assignments” list first.

You can build out the fancy stuff later once you get comfy.

Bottom line? If you want to stop feeling like your life’s a mess, Notion’s the move.

3. Photomath – Best for Math Problems

Pros:

• Instantly solves math problems by just taking a picture
• Shows step-by-step explanations (not just answers)
• Covers basic to advanced math — algebra, calculus, and more
• Great for double-checking homework or studying for tests

Cons:

• Can make it too tempting to just copy answers without learning
• Struggles sometimes with very messy handwriting

If math feels like that one subject where you try… and it still feels like reading a foreign language, Photomath is about to be your secret weapon.

Here’s how it works: Open the app → Snap a photo of the math problem → Boom, solution + full step-by-step breakdown.

Not just the answer, it shows how to get there, which is honestly the real magic.

Photomath isn’t just for basic stuff either.

It covers everything from simple equations to hardcore calculus, even word problems sometimes. 

And you know, over 300 million downloads worldwide, and a big chunk of those are students using it to survive their math classes.

One study even showed that students who used Photomath to study improved their understanding and finished homework faster compared to those who didn’t.

But here’s the honest part: It’s super easy to fall into the trap of just snapping photos, copying the answer, and moving on.

Don’t do that.

Use it to actually understand the steps, because that’s what’s gonna save you when you’re staring at a blank exam paper.

In short, Photomath doesn’t just give you answers, it teaches you how to solve problems.

Big difference.

4. GoodNotes 6 – Best for Handwritten Notes

Pros:

• Feels just like writing on real paper, but smarter
• Organizes all your notes by subject or topic
• Great for handwritten notes, PDF annotations, and study guides
• Perfect if you use an Apple Pencil

Cons:

• Works best if you have an iPad (iPhone is great for quick notes, but smaller screen)
• Costs a few bucks, not free

If you’re someone who remembers stuff better when you write it down, GoodNotes 6 is straight-up a game-changer.

It basically turns your iPhone into an endless stack of smart notebooks, without ever running out of pages or losing stuff.

You can create a notebook for every class, scribble down lecture notes, highlight important points, even import your textbooks as PDFs and mark them up like crazy.

There’s something about handwriting your notes that sticks way better than typing.

And GoodNotes nails that feeling, it’s crazy smooth.

Especially if you’ve got an Apple Pencil. 

Feels so good, it makes you wanna actually take notes.

Over 19 million students and professionals use GoodNotes worldwide, and it’s easy to see why.

Studies have even shown that handwriting boosts memory retention compared to just typing everything out.

So, using this notes app isn’t just about being organized, it’s about learning smarter.

Tiny tip: If you’re using it on iPhone, it’s perfect for quick review sessions or jotting something fast between classes. But for heavy-duty note-taking, pairing it with an iPad makes a HUGE difference.

So if you want to take your study game from “messy notes everywhere” to “organized and locked-in,” GoodNotes 6 is worth every penny.

5. Quizlet – Best for Flashcards

Pros:

• Super easy to create flashcards for any subject
• Huge library of ready-made study sets
• Great for quick review sessions and test prep
• Makes studying less boring with games and quizzes

Cons:

• Free version has ads (can get a little annoying)
• Some user-created sets might have mistakes, so double-check

Quizlet makes it easy to study when you’ve got a lot to remember.

It’s basically flashcards but leveled up for the iPhone era.

You can either make your own sets (which honestly helps you memorize better) or you can search millions of ready-made flashcard sets that other students have already created.

Subjects like biology, history, languages — you name it, it’s there.

There’s a reason over 60 million students use Quizlet every month. 

It’s fast, it’s simple, and it works.

One study even showed that using spaced repetition (the system Quizlet is built around) can improve memory retention by up to 50% compared to cramming.

Plus, it’s not just flipping cards endlessly. 

Quizlet mixes things up with little games, quizzes, and timed challenges, which keep your brain actually engaged instead of falling asleep mid-study.

Tiny heads up though: Some public sets are made by other students, and sometimes they sneak in wrong answers. So if you’re using someone else’s flashcards, double-check them against your notes at least once.

All in all, if you want to make studying faster, easier, and way less painful, Quizlet’s a no-brainer.

6. Grammarly – Best for Grammar Mistakes

Pros:

• Catches grammar mistakes and silly typos fast
• Helps you sound more clear and professional
• Works inside apps like Mail, Notes, Safari, and more
• Free version is good enough for most students

Cons:

• Full premium version costs extra (but you don’t need it to get the basics)
• Sometimes makes weird suggestions, so still good to read your work once

If you’re a student, writing is just part of life — essays, assignments, emails to your professor, cover letters for internships… it never ends.

And honestly, Grammarly just makes it all a lot less stressful.

You don’t have to be a grammar nerd to use it. 

It’s super simple.

You type like you normally would, and Grammarly quietly catches your small mistakes before anyone else sees them.

Missing commas, weird sentence flow, spelling mistakes you didn’t even notice, it picks up all that stuff.

The best part? It’s not just about fixing errors.

Grammarly also helps you sound better.

More clear, more confident, more grown-up (which really matters when you’re sending emails to professors or applying for internships).

Most students can get by just fine with the free version.

You don’t have to pay unless you want those fancy extra tools like tone checks.

Even the basic version is enough to clean up your essays and make them look sharp.

Tiny heads-up though: Sometimes it suggests changes that sound a bit off. It’s smart, but it’s still a tool. So always read your work once before you hit send.

In short, Grammarly doesn’t replace your voice, it just helps you clean it up a little.

Way easier than trying to spot every little mistake yourself.

7. Forest – Best for Beating Procrastination

Pros:

• Helps you stay off your phone while you study
• Makes it easier to focus for longer periods
• Simple to use and actually feels rewarding
• One-time small purchase — no subscription drama

Cons:

• You still need a little self-control (it won’t physically block you)
• Might feel too basic if you want something super detailed

If you’re someone who grabs their phone every five minutes without even thinking about it, Forest can really help you fix that.

It’s a focus timer app, but with a little twist.

You set a timer for how long you want to stay focused (like 30 or 60 minutes), and during that time, you’re “growing” a tree inside the app.

If you leave the app to scroll Instagram or check messages, your tree dies.

If you stay focused, you grow it.

Simple idea, but it works.

Because even though it’s just a tiny tree, there’s something about not wanting to mess it up that keeps you locked in.

A lot of students use Forest during study sessions because it helps build real focus habits over time, not just for one day.

Studies have even shown that using focus timers like Forest can help people get into deep work faster and stay productive longer.

Another cool thing? 

If you stay consistent, Forest also lets you plant real trees through their partner programs.

So you’re not just helping yourself, you’re helping the environment a little too.

In short, if you’re serious about cutting down distractions and actually finishing your work without fighting your phone every five minutes, Forest makes it way easier.

Also read: Best productivity apps for iPhone

My Final Take

Being a student these days isn’t easy.

Classes, assignments, deadlines, part-time jobs — it’s a lot to juggle.

And the truth is, you can’t do it all with just notebooks and highlighters anymore.

You need tools that actually make things a little easier.

That’s why I put together this list.

Not apps that just sound good, but the ones that are actually useful when you’re deep in the mess of real school life.

• ChatGPT when you need a hand figuring stuff out.
• Notion when you’re tired of losing track of everything.
• Photomath when math starts feeling like another language.
• GoodNotes 6 when you want your notes to be clean and organized.
• Quizlet when you need to memorize stuff without losing your mind.
• Grammarly when you want your writing to actually sound good.
• Forest when you need to shut out distractions and get stuff done.

None of these apps is magic.

They won’t do the work for you.

But they will make the work easier, and sometimes, that’s all you really need to keep moving.

If even one of these apps helps you study better, stay focused, or just stress a little less, then honestly, it’s worth it.

That’s all from my side. Now it’s your move.

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