7 Best free AI apps for students to enhance productivity

ยท
December 15, 2024
ยท
12 min read
7 Best free AI apps for students to enhance productivity

Artificial intelligence is sweeping many industries worldwide, and education is no exception. It is rapidly changing and shaping how students learn, study, and interact. 

AI tools are now easy for students who want quick access to valuable resources, a personalised learning experience, an organised study schedule, task management, improved academic writing, and the ability to summarise lengthy text into clear and concise short paragraphs. 

While all of these are good, the downside is that too many AI tools are on the market, and deciding which ones to choose may be overwhelming (especially for first-timers).

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Well, today is your lucky day because I've taken the time to research the best AI tools for students that will help you save opportunity, study smarter, and succeed in your academics. Ready to learn? Let's dive in.

Key takeaways

  • Notion AI helps students take notes and manage their tasks.
  • ChatGPT is a sophisticated AI tool that enables users to research and brainstorm new ideas.
  • Scholarcy allows students to summarise lengthy research papers.
  • You can use Grammarly to improve your academic writing, making it error-free and clear to read.
  • Canva for Education helps you create visually appealing presentations for your projects.
  • Mind the Graph is your best bet for an illustration AI tool.
  • AskYourPDF allows you to summarise and extract relevant information from your document.

The best free AI Tools For Students 

  1. Notion AI
  2. ChatGPT
  3. Scholarcy
  4. Grammarly
  5. Canva for Education
  6. Mind the Graph
  7. AskYourPDF

1. Notion AI

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FeatureDescription
Content GenerationCreates content using prompts and brainstorms new ideas for projects, notes, and tasks.
Collaborative FeaturesHelp teammates to collaborate and brainstorm new ideas together.
Task ManagementAssists users to manage and organise task and workflows within Notion AI
SummarisationUse AI to summarise long documents, highlighting essential points automatically.
TemplatesAllows users to create templates or use the available ones for projects easily.
AI IntegrationIt integrates AI with Notion's databases to perform various task like content generation, task management, etc.

Notion AI is an AI-powered tool that allows students to manage their notes or projects, perform various tasks and plan their studies efficiently. It is a good organisational tool that helps you become more productive with your studies.

The most outstanding aspect of using Notion AI is how it simplifies complex projects and creates content and summaries from your notes, helping you better understand the subject.

In addition, it is a great collaboration tool that enables students to study and complete assignments with their peers. However, the only downside of this AI app is that the interface is not very user-friendly, especially for first-time users.

Notion AI offers free and paid versions, with paid versions starting at $8 monthly.

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Pros:

  • Notion AI has an intuitive interface and is super flexible, so users can customise it to suit their needs.
  • It allows users to organise their research and academic materials seamlessly.
  • It integrates well with other online platforms like Google Drive.

Cons:

  • It offers limited access to the free version.
  • Particularly for novice users, the learning curve can be challenging.
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2. ChatGPT

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FeatureDescription
Conversational AIProvides human-like responses to different topics.
Supports Multiple LanguagesChatGPT understands and responds in multiple languages, which makes it possible to connect on a global level
Access to KnowledgeIt offers quick access to knowledge, providing insightful answers to prompts.
Creative WritingCreatively generates ideas, stories, poems, and so on.
Code AssistanceIt helps you generate code snippets, debug, and explain various programming languages.
Automates TaskIt helps you automate tasks, making users more productive.
Third-party IntegrationIntegrates seamlessly with other online platforms and GPTs.

ChatGPT is a versatile and sophisticated AI assistant chatbot that uses natural language processing for interactions. This AI tool was developed by OpenAI and runs on a large language model (LLM). It is trained on a large database, enabling it to perform various tasks across diverse industries.

Students can use this AI tool to get quick answers about any topic, summarise long notes or texts, generate ideas for their assignments or research, enhance productivity, write better content, and more. The best part is that it offers both free and paid versions.

The free version gives you access to the older version of ChatGPT, GPT 3.5, and a limited part of the GPT-4 module (which expires once your daily limits are up). The paid version costs $20 per month and gives you unlimited access to the latest GPT-4 modules.

Additionally, ChatGPT is super user-friendly and easy to use regardless of the user's technical level. 

Pros:

  • ChatGPT is a conversational AI tool and uses natural language processing to interact with users and provide human-like responses.
  • ChatGPT is a sophisticated AI assistant that can perform various tasks regardless of the industry.
  • It can be accessed from anywhere in the world and on any operating system or device as long as there is an internet connection.

Cons:

  • ChatGPT was last updated in 2021, which means most of the responses it gives are outdated information.
  • The free version gives you access to limited features.
  • The paid version is quite expensive.

3. Scholarcy   

FeatureDescription
AI-Powered SummarizationUse AI to generate summaries for your academic work automatically
Text-to-FlashcardsConverts relevant information from research papers into flashcards so users can study faster
Reference ManagementAssist users in managing their reference by linking citations to relevant sources.
Interactive ExperienceUses AI to analyse large academic papers to extract relevant data automatically.
Cloud-Based AccessibilityIt can be easily accessed from any device with an internet connection.
AI-Powered Research AnalysisUses AI to analyze large academic papers to extract relevant data automatically.
Smooth IntegrationIt integrates well with other online platforms.

Research is always part of study. However, reading research articles can sometimes be exhausting, overwhelming the student. 

The good news is that Scholarcy can help you summarise lengthy research articles or papers into concise paragraphs that you can read to obtain relevant information for your research.

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In addition, it helps you highlight key areas in your research paper, such as the main findings, limitations, and abbreviations or terms, so you can quickly understand what the paper is about. Scholarcy offers both free and paid versions, with the paid version costing $45 per year.

4. Grammarly

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FeatureDescription
Grammar and Spelling CheckIt checks for grammatical mistakes, spelling, and punctuation errors and corrects them.
Suggest Writing StyleIt helps you to write clearly by offering suggestions that enhance your sentence structure, tone, and writing style.
Plagiarism DetectionScans through text to check for plagiarised content.
Tone DetectionAssesses the tone of your writing and provides potential suggestions to improve it.
Enhances VocabularyRecommend synonyms to improve on your choice of words and avoid repetition.
Personal DictionaryUsers can add custom words to their personal dictionary to avoid repeated suggestions.
Platforms IntegrationIt integrates seamlessly with different platforms.
Readability AnalysisGrades your readability level and suggests changes for improvement.

Grammarly is an AI grammar correction tool that students can use to improve their grammatical mistakes, making their writing well structured and error-free. In addition to using it as a grammar correction tool, students can also use it to paraphrase text and check for plagiarism.

In addition, Grammarly has a tone detection feature that tells you if your writing's tone is good or bad. What I particularly love about this AI tool is that it can act as a standalone AI app and also integrate well with your browser, smartphone, or any other device.

Grammarly offers both free and paid versions. The free version is very useful; however, it has some limitations. The paid version starts at $12 per month and gives you full access to its features.

Pros:

  • Grammarly is a top-rated grammar correction tool that helps check your writing and correct grammatical errors quickly.
  • It is effective in helping non-native English speakers to improve their language-speaking and writing skills.
  • Grammarly has a clean and user-friendly interface that anyone can navigate regardless of their technical skills.

Cons:

  • It offers limited access and features on the free version.
  • The paid version may be a bit pricey for students who are not working yet.

5. Canva for Education

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FeatureDescription
Large Educational TemplatesIt gives you access to a wide range of educational templates that you can use for presentations.
Platform IntegrationThis feature allows users to integrate with other online platforms smoothly.
Collaboration FeatureBecause of this feat, teachers and students can easily collaborate in real time on their projects.
Feedback FeaturesIt allow educators to provide feedback on students' assignments within Canva.
Design ToolsAllow users access to design tools to create visually appealing educational content.
AccessibilityUsers can access it from any device with an internet connection.
Portfolio CreationStudents can seamlessly use this AI app to create their digital portfolios.
Visual ToolsIt offers visual tools with which you can create animations and educational videos.
Student PortfoliosAllows students to create digital portfolios to showcase their work and progress throughout the school year.

Canva for Education is another AI-powered tool that allows students to create visually appealing designs for their presentations or infographics that help them better excel in their academics.

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Students can easily create visually appealing presentation designs using the drag-and-drop functionality and a wide range of stock template libraries.

Furthermore, Canva for Education integrates well with other online platforms like Google Classroom, enabling students to collaborate on group projects. Also, it offers both free and paid versions, with paid versions starting at $12.99 per month.

Pros:

  • It offers a wide range of template libraries that students can use for their presentations and infographics without starting from scratch.
  • Both students and teachers can use this tool for free.
  • It integrates well with other online learning platforms.
  • The drag-and-drop features make it easy to design with.

Cons:

  • The free version has limited features.
  • First-time users may get overwhelmed by its many features.
  • The paid plan is quite expensive, especially for students on a budget.

6. Mind the Graph  

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FeatureDescription
Illustrative FeaturesOffers customisable templates to assist users in creating professional, scientific illustrations for research and publications.
Presentation ToolIt helps users create visually appealing presentations.
Drag-and-Drop InterfaceAllows users to create diagrams and illustrations effortlessly.
Customisable OptionsLet users create the type of illustrations they want using colours, shapes, and layouts that align with their needs.
Presentation ModeEnables users to create visually appealing presentations directly from their illustrations.
Cloud-Based AccessProjects and other academic works are stored in the cloud, enabling users to easily access their work when needed.
3D VisualizationEnables users to create 3D visualisations to better illustrate and explain complex scientific concepts.

This AI-powered illustration tool enables students to create visually appealing graphics for their research. It has over 75 thousand stock illustration libraries that students can use to create graphical representations for free.

Additionally, Mind the Graph has a drag-and-drop user interface, which makes it easy for non-technical users to use it effortlessly. However, this AI tool is not free but affordable for students. The pricing plans start at $5 per month. interface,

7. AskYourPDF

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FeatureDescription
Data ExtractionAllow users to extract and analyse relevant data from PDF documents seamlessly.
AI-powered SearchUsers can search and extract key information from PDF files through conversational methods.
SummarisationGenerates clear and concise summaries of long documents.
File CompatibilityAskYourPDF supports various formats, like PDF, Word, Excel, etc.
OCR TechnologyIt converts scanned images and handwritten text in PDF files into searchable and editable text.
Data SecurityPlaces importance on users data security

AskYourPDF is an AI document management tool that allows users to quickly summarise long text into short, clear, and concise text. Students can use this tool to extract valuable information from their textbooks and notebooks, enabling them to grasp the information in their academic books quickly without needing to read the entire material.

Additionally, AskYourPDF offers a good number of sophisticated features, like the AI Essay Writer, which helps students to write essays, the PDF merger, which allows users to merge multiple files together easily, and so on.ย 

Also, AskYourPDF offers both free and paid versions. The paid version starts from $14 per month and gives you unlimited access to all of its features.

Pros:

  • Using AskYourPDF allows you to summarise and extract relevant information from your academic materials seamlessly.
  • It provides you with a detailed summary of what your PDF file is about without you needing to read from page to page.
  • It offers a sleek, intuitive, user-friendly interface that is easy to use and navigate.
  • It integrates well with platforms like ChatGPT and can be used as a research assistant.

Cons:

  • The free version offers limited features.

Comparing these tools

Features Notion AIChatGPTScholarcyGrammarlyCanva for EducationMind the Graph AskYourPDF
Main functionIt helps you create visual contentย Assist in research and brainstorming ideasManage tasks and enhance productivity.Helps check your grammar and improve your writingAssist in summarising and extracting key points fromย  research papersAssist in creating illustrationsAssist in managing your documents.
Ease of useSimple to useuser-friendlyEasy to useEasy to useEasy to useuser-friendlyEasy to use
Platforms Web Web Web Web Web Web Web 
Online accessibilityNo No No Yes No No No 
Best forNote-taking and  tasksHelps you create visual contentย Summarising lengthy research papersWriting clearlyVisual presentationIllustrations with diagramsSummarising and extracting data from documents

7 Simple tips to choose the best AI for studying

1. Know your learning needs are: All AI tools are designed differently and serve various purposes. Some are for writing, math, geography, text summarisation, language learning, grammar checking, etc. Therefore, be sure to choose AI tools that align with your study needs.

2. Ease of Use: The first step in choosing an AI tool for your study is to ensure that you can use the tool seamlessly, even as a first-time or non-technical user. This is important because you do not want to struggle with the tool while using it, as situations like that can take time and leave you frustrated.

So, go for easy-to-use AI tools with clean and intuitive user-friendly interfaces.

3. Customisation Options: As a student, you may want to make some adjustments with an AI tool so that it gives you what you want. So consider customisation options for any AI tool you intend to use for your study.

This will help you personalise your learning style and enhance your learning process.

4. Compatibility with Other Tools: There is a high probability that you will also be using other tools for your study. In situations like that, your AI tool of choice should be able to integrate with other tools seamlessly.

This is important because it reduces the way you switch between tabs or platforms and streamlines your workflow.

5. Assess the Cost: Many AI tools offer both free and paid versions. The free versions have limited features and the paid or premium versions have more advanced features. 

When choosing an AI tool, it is important to assess its cost to ensure that it fits your budget and meets you. This will ensure that you do not encounter any challenges when using it.

6. Content Quality and Accuracy: Before choosing an AI tool that would assist you in your study, take the time to test-run the tool with samples to assess the content's quality and accuracy, so you know if it is an AI tool you can rely on for high-quality, up-to-date content or not.

7. Accessibility: Look for AI tools that can be easily accessed from anywhere and on any device with an internet connection. This will enable you to study seamlessly, even on the go.

Wrapping up

We have reached the end of this interesting blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading and found an AI tool or two that meets your needs. I also hope you will give it a try.

I would advise you to make AI tools a part of your study routine and not a replacement, using them responsibly and ethically so you do not infringe on any copyright laws. 

Till I write to you next time, thank you for reading.

Disclaimer

This publication, review, or article ("Content") is based on our independent evaluation and is subjective, reflecting our opinions, which may differ from others' perspectives or experiences. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the content and disclaim responsibility for any errors or omissions it may contain.

The information provided is not investment advice and should not be treated as such, as products or services may change after publication. By engaging with our content, you acknowledge its subjective nature and agree not to hold us liable for any losses or damages arising from your reliance on the information provided.

Always conduct your own research and consult professionals where necessary.

Iโ€™m Fredrick Eghosa, a lifelong learner and tech enthusiast with a deep passion for AI, SEO, and digital innovation. I thrive on curiosity, constantly exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, from content creation to business automation. My true excitement comes from uncovering new ideas, experimenting with emerging technologies, and sharing insights that push boundaries. I love diving deep, asking big questions, and discovering whatโ€™s next. ๐Ÿš€
Iโ€™m Fredrick Eghosa, a lifelong learner and tech enthusiast with a deep passion for AI, SEO, and digital innovation. I thrive on curiosity, constantly exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, from content creation to business automation. My true excitement comes from uncovering new ideas, experimenting with emerging technologies, and sharing insights that push boundaries. I love diving deep, asking big questions, and discovering whatโ€™s next. ๐Ÿš€
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Iโ€™m Fredrick Eghosa, a lifelong learner and tech enthusiast with a deep passion for AI, SEO, and digital innovation. I thrive on curiosity, constantly exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, from content creation to business automation. My true excitement comes from uncovering new ideas, experimenting with emerging technologies, and sharing insights that push boundaries. I love diving deep, asking big questions, and discovering whatโ€™s next. ๐Ÿš€
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