All-in-One Apps
1. Notion
Notion is an all-in-one productivity and organization tool designed to help users create, manage, and collaborate on a wide range of content. It seamlessly integrates the features of note-taking apps, task managers, databases, and wikis into a single, user-friendly platform, making it incredibly efficient and easy to navigate. With Notion, you can store lecture notes, upload class materials, and organize everything into neatly structured files and folders. You can also create to-do lists, set up calendars, and manage tasks—all without needing to switch between multiple apps or platforms. One of its standout features is the powerful search function, which allows you to quickly find anything you need by simply typing a keyword. Whether you’re looking for a specific file, note, or task, Notion saves you time by eliminating the hassle of digging through cluttered folders or apps. By centralizing your workflows, Notion helps you stay organized, productive, and focused.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: Free limited plan for everyone. Free Plus Plan for students and teachers with .edu emails (You can read this instruction from Notion to get student free upgrade to Plus Plan for Education)
2. Evernote
Similar to Notion, Evernote is an all-in-one organization tool designed to simplify workflows and keep information in one place. Originally a note-taking app, it has evolved to include features like document scanning and web clipping, allowing users to digitize physical notes or save web pages for offline access. Its flexibility makes it easy to store and organize everything from receipts to study materials, eliminating the need for multiple platforms.
Evernote is especially useful for students. It helps streamline the process of managing handouts, exams, essays, and other documents by storing them all in one accessible location. With its powerful search and organization features, Evernote ensures you can quickly find what you need, making studying and staying organized much easier.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: Free limited plan for everyone, 40% discount on Professional Plan for teachers and students (original price of $14.19/month).
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Notion vs Evernote - Which one is better?
Notion and Evernote are two of the best apps for high school students when it comes to all-in-one usage, often compared for their unique strengths. While Evernote has been a long-standing favorite, Notion is a newer player in the field that has quickly gained popularity. Both tools share similarities but excel in different areas.
Notion stands out for its cross-platform organization capabilities, offering a highly customizable workspace for tasks, databases, and collaboration. On the other hand, Evernote shines with its powerful note-taking and information organization features, such as document scanning and web clipping. Your choice between the two ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. However, if cost is a factor, Notion may have an edge—its Plus Plan is free for students, making it a budget-friendly option. For a detailed comparison, you can explore in-depth reviews from a user who has extensively used both apps.
Best Note-taking Apps for Students
3. Notability
Notability is a standout app for students who love the flexibility of handwriting or drawing their notes, providing a seamless digital alternative to traditional pen and paper. It allows you to write, sketch, and annotate PDFs with ease, making it particularly useful for subjects like math, science, or art, where visual elements and diagrams are essential. Beyond its handwriting capabilities, Notability supports multimedia integration, letting you add typed text, images, and even audio recordings to your notes. This feature is especially helpful for recording lectures while jotting down key points, ensuring you capture every detail. However, the one limitation is that Notability is exclusive to iOS, meaning it’s only available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac users. If you’re already part of the Apple ecosystem and use iCloud devices, Notability is the perfect app for combining handwriting, drawing, and multimedia note-taking in one powerful tool.
Available on IOS only.
Price: free for personal use.
4. GoodNotes
GoodNotes is another app for students seeking a digital solution to take detailed notes. Similar to Notability, it offers a natural handwriting and drawing experience, making it feel like you’re using pen and paper. However, GoodNotes stands out with its organizational capabilities, allowing you to categorize subjects, assignments, and projects into neatly structured notebooks. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to write, sketch, and annotate PDFs, which is especially useful for subjects like math, science, and art, where diagrams and visual elements are essential. One of GoodNotes’ standout features is its ability to auto-correct spelling and grammar mistakes, even in handwritten notes. Additionally, its powerful search function can recognize handwritten text, making it easier to find specific information within your notes.
Available on IOS, Android, Windows.
Price: free limited plan for everyone. Unlimited plans start from $6.99/year. If your school uses Apple School Manager, unlimited plans are free for students.
5. Obsidian
Obsidian is a unique and powerful note-taking app designed for students who want to go beyond simple note organization. Its standout feature is the ability to create internal connections between notes and ideas, allowing you to build a more comprehensive understanding towards new knowledge. By linking related concepts, you can visualize relationships among different pieces of information, which is especially helpful for complex subjects or research projects. You can create graphs to map out connections, embed media, and even integrate plugins to extend its functionality. Obsidian helps you think critically and organize your thoughts in a way that saves you lots of time compared to traditional note-taking.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: free for personal use.
Best Task Management Apps for Students
6. Google Workspace
Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is an essential tool for students, especially when it comes to group work and collaboration. It includes a suite of powerful apps like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive, which allow you to create, edit, and share documents in real-time. You can also manage your schedule easily with Google Calendar by blocking focus tim e, setting reminders, creating meetings for group projects, and checking your teammates’ schedule. Additionally, features like comments, suggestions, and version history streamline the editing process, making it ideal for teamwork. For students who need a reliable and versatile platform for both individual and collaborative tasks, Google Workspace is a must-have.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: Free for personal use.
7. Todoist
Todoist is the best task-tracking app for students with a simple yet useful design to help students manage their assignments, deadlines, and personal projects with ease. Its clean and intuitive interface allows you to create tasks, set due dates, and organize them into projects or categories, such as by subject or priority. Todoist also offers helpful features like reminders, recurring tasks, and productivity tracking, which can help you stay on top of your workload and build better study habits. The app syncs across all your devices, so you can access your to-do list anytime, anywhere.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: Free for Beginner plan, $4/month for Pro pan.
8. MyHomework
MyHomework is the best homework app for high school students, designed specifically to help you track homework, assignments, and class schedules. Its straightforward and user-friendly interface makes it easy to input your tasks, set due dates, and receive reminders, ensuring you never miss a deadline. The app also allows you to organize your assignments by class, priority, or type, giving you a clear overview of what needs to be done. For students with busy schedules, MyHomework’s calendar view is particularly useful, as it provides a visual representation of upcoming deadlines and commitments.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: Free with ads, $4.99/year for Premium plan.
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Other Useful Apps
9. Forrest
Forest is a unique and engaging app that helps students stay focused and productive during study sessions. The concept is simple: you plant a virtual tree, and it grows as long as you stay focused on your task. If you leave the app to check your phone or get distracted, the tree dies. This gamified approach to productivity makes studying more fun and motivating. Over time, you can grow an entire forest, which serves as a visual representation of your focus and dedication. Forest also offers a rewards system, allowing you to earn coins that can be used to plant real trees through a partnership with environmental organizations. For students who struggle with distractions or want to make their study sessions more enjoyable, Forest is a creative and useful solution.
Available on IOS, Android.
Price: $3.99/download
10. Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is a comprehensive productivity suite that has become an essential tool for students, offering classic applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, along with advanced features and cloud-based services to enhance collaboration, organization, and efficiency. With its integration into OneDrive, you can access and share files from any device, while Microsoft Teams helps manage schedules, deadlines, and group collaboration through virtual meetings and file sharing. OneNote is perfect for note-taking, supporting handwriting, audio recordings, and multimedia, while Outlook keeps your emails, calendar, and tasks organized. If your school uses Microsoft 365, you can unlock its full potential to stay organized, collaborate effectively, and boost productivity—all while enjoying free or discounted access for students and educators.
Available on IOS, Android, Desktop.
Price: various pricing plans, but often free for students whose schools are already part of the Microsoft 365 system.
Tips to Staying Organized in High School
The ten apps we introduced might seem like a lot, but you don’t need all of them to succeed—you just need to find the right tool(s) for your needs. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Experiment with multiple apps and choose what works best for you: You don’t have to limit yourself to just one app. Try out different options and pick the ones that fit your workflow. For example, you might use Google Calendar for scheduling, Zoom for meetings, and GoodNotes for note-taking—and that’s perfectly fine!
- Look out for what your school offers: Many schools provide access to tools and apps like Google Classroom, Microsoft 365, or other platforms to help manage assignments and deadlines. Take advantage of these free resources to stay on top of your work.
- Find a system that works for you and stick with it: Consistency is key, whether you prefer digital tools, traditional methods like planners and notebooks, or a mix of both. The goal is to find what helps you stay organized and makes your life easier.
- YouTube tutorials are great resources: If you’re not tech-savvy, learning a new app can feel stressful. Search for YouTube tutorials to get familiar with the platform quickly. These videos often include tips and best practices that can save you time and help you use the app more effectively.
Staying organized in high school doesn’t have to be stressful. With the right apps, you can manage your class materials, deadlines, and extracurricular activities more effectively. Whether you need an all-in-one workspace like Notion or Evernote, a task manager like Todoist, or a focus tool like Forest, these apps can help you take control of your high school life. Try a few and see which ones work best for you!
