The short answer
Start with Anki or Quizlet if you need to remember material, a source notebook if you need to compare readings, and a tutoring tool if you are stuck on an explanation. Keep official practice questions alongside any app. A revision setup should help you answer the exam, not just generate more resources.
- Anki and Quizlet are options for recall; both offer scheduled review, with different controls and platform availability.
- Gemini Notebook, formerly NotebookLM, is useful for working across course sources.
- ChatGPT can support question-by-question practice; LectureParse fits explanations alongside lecture slides.
- Choose from your actual difficulty. A calendar, course materials and paper practice may already cover what you need.
Explore this guide8 sections · jump to what you need
The best revision apps by the problem you need to solve
These are editorial recommendations based on product documentation and study fit, not results from a controlled test. We build LectureParse and disclose it below. Check access on your account and device before paying.
| Problem | Consider | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| I forget facts and distinctions | Anki | Making too many cards creates an ongoing review burden |
| I want to practise a shared set | Quizlet | Set quality and access to particular modes vary |
| My topic spans several readings | Gemini Notebook | Cited passages still need interpretation and checking |
| I need someone to question my reasoning | ChatGPT | Feedback and generated answers can be wrong |
| I cannot follow parts of a lecture deck | LectureParse | Slide explanations cannot recover missing teaching context |
For planning, writing and research tools throughout the semester, use our study apps guide. This comparison focuses on preparing for assessments.
Anki: for a manageable collection you review over time
Anki is a flashcard system with free desktop software and separate mobile options. It suits facts, relationships and distinctions that you need to retrieve repeatedly.
Start with a question you missed in practice. Make a card for the knowledge behind the mistake, not an entire worked solution squeezed onto a card. “When is this assumption needed?” may be more useful than another copy of the formula.
Its scheduling settings include FSRS. Learn the basic workflow before changing many options. The main drawback is maintenance: a growing deck can crowd out problem-solving if you add cards without deciding what is worth reviewing.
Quizlet: for shared sets and varied practice
Quizlet is worth trying if a useful course set already exists or you want several ways to practise it. Learn supports different question types; its full availability depends on subscription or class arrangements.
Quizlet also now documents spaced repetition on the website. Check your device before relying on it. The choice is no longer simply “Anki for spacing, Quizlet without it”.
Sample a shared set against your syllabus and correct errors before studying it. If you mainly recognise the right answer, try producing it without choices. Our Anki vs Quizlet guide includes a small trial and examples of better cards.
Gemini Notebook: for comparing course sources
Google renamed NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook in July 2026. It is a useful starting point when revision means connecting several readings, rather than working through one set of definitions.
Try a narrow comparison: “Where do these two authors disagree about the cause?” Open the cited passages, then make your own answer plan. A summary that merges their arguments is not enough preparation for a question asking you to evaluate them.
The limitation is the source collection and your checking. Missing readings stay missing, and source grounding does not make every interpretation correct. See our NotebookLM vs ChatGPT comparison for an exercise that checks this.
ChatGPT: for interactive practice and feedback
Use ChatGPT to question you about one topic, inspect your attempt or provide a hint. Give it the learning objective and permitted course material. Our student prompts make the task specific.
A useful instruction is: “Ask one question, wait for my attempt, then identify the first error using the supplied solution.” Check the feedback, especially when the problem has several valid methods. AI marking is not an official prediction of your exam grade.
Keep some official questions outside the chat. Attempting those independently helps you notice whether you learned the material or only became comfortable following hints.
LectureParse: for the lecture you still cannot explain
We build LectureParse. It provides explanations, key concepts, questions and follow-up help alongside lecture slides. That workflow can be useful when a deck is your starting material and you keep losing the connection between the slide and the explanation.
Check explanations against the course and use the recording or reading when the slide omits a necessary step. If you already understand the lecture, another explanation may be less useful than attempting a question. If the task is comparing a body of research, a source notebook may fit better.
Try the workflow on one difficult section using our worked student prompt guide. Judge it by what you can do afterwards.
Match your setup to the assessment
| Assessment | Spend time on | Avoid relying only on |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple choice | Recall plus explaining why distractors are wrong | Recognition of familiar wording |
| Calculations or proofs | Selecting methods, showing steps and solving new problems | Memorised worked solutions |
| Essays | Question-specific arguments, evidence and limitations | A large bank of isolated facts |
| Open book | Finding and applying permitted material under time constraints | Assuming accessible notes remove the need to practise |
You can begin exam-style practice before mastering everything. An early attempt diagnoses gaps; a later timed attempt checks pacing. Use our revision timetable to reserve space for both.
Before subscribing, try one complete revision session
- 01Choose a real course question and identify what is blocking you.
- 02Try the relevant tool using material you are allowed to upload.
- 03Check its output against a dependable answer or source.
- 04Attempt a new question without assistance.
- 05Keep the tool only if the benefit justifies the cost and upkeep.
If the exam is close, use a familiar setup. Do not migrate a semester of notes to a new app unless a specific missing feature is preventing useful work. The underlying practice matters more than the number of tools in the stack.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best revision app for university students?
It depends on the task: Anki or Quizlet for recall, Gemini Notebook for comparing sources, ChatGPT for directed practice, or LectureParse for slide explanations. Official questions and checked feedback remain important.
Are there free ways to revise without an app?
Yes. Use course questions, paper flashcards, diagram drawing and an error log. Anki desktop is also free. Check university access and feature limits before paying for other tools.
Are AI-generated flashcards reliable?
They need checking for accuracy, ambiguity and syllabus relevance. Generate a small batch, edit it and try reviewing it before producing hundreds.
Should I use flashcards for essay exams?
They can help you recall evidence and concepts, but also practise building an argument for a specific question. Remembering facts is not the same as selecting and evaluating them.
