University life is a constant battle between what you should be doing and what Netflix is suggesting. Whether you are cramming for exams, managing group projects, or trying to maintain some semblance of a social life, the right productivity apps can be the difference between a first and a fail.
Why Students Need Different Tools
Most productivity advice is designed for office workers. Students face unique challenges: irregular schedules, exam-cycle intensity spikes, social pressure, and the constant temptation of a phone that does everything except help you study.
Best All-Round: PeakLevs
PeakLevs goes beyond task management. It tracks your real-world actions across fitness, learning, creativity, wellness, productivity, and social good — giving you a single momentum score that reflects how well you are actually doing across your whole life, not just your to-do list.
For students, the learning and productivity categories are particularly powerful. Log study sessions, reading, project work, and watch your Levs climb. The community leaderboard adds healthy competition with coursemates.
Best for Focus: Forest
Plant a virtual tree that grows while you stay off your phone. If you leave the app, the tree dies. Simple, effective, and slightly guilt-inducing in the best way.
Best for Note-Taking: Notion
The Swiss Army knife of student tools. Lecture notes, project wikis, assignment trackers, and databases all in one. The learning curve is steep but worth it.
Best for Time Management: Toggl Track
Know exactly where your time goes. Track study sessions, lectures, and revision. The data often reveals uncomfortable truths about how much time you actually spend studying versus thinking about studying.
Best for Flashcards: Anki
Spaced repetition is the most evidence-based study technique available. Anki is free, powerful, and used by medical students worldwide. Not pretty, but devastatingly effective.
The Student Productivity Stack
The ideal setup combines: PeakLevs for overall momentum and accountability, Notion for notes and planning, Forest for focus sessions, and Anki for exam revision. This stack covers motivation, organisation, focus, and retention.