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Best Homework And Assignments Apps For iPad / iPhone

As a student, I never feared the ever-mounting workload nor did the challenge to become the most adorable student ever pushed me back to the wall. The only thing that killed me—more often than not—was tracking assignments, as I would often miss out a few of them. Alas, I didn’t have a powerful tablet like iPad and intelligently crafted apps in those days! I’m really glad to see the best iPad and iPhone apps that make managing and tracking homework and assignments a painless experience.

1. Documents by Readdle

Documents by Readdle iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

Do you find it a bit tedious to manage a lot of files and important documents? No longer spend a lot of time in keeping your files in sync with your high demand by making the most the best file manager for iOS—Documents.

The app works with multiple cloud services like Apple’s iCloud, Microsoft’s OneDrive Dropbox and Box to ensure you have desired efficiency to manage your docs. Using several powerful tools, you can edit documents, annotate PDFs, browse photos, and read e-books. Oh yes, you can also watch videos and play your favorite music.

Price: Free Download

2. Power Planner

Power Planner boasts online sync for students. This feature enables students to access their homework from anywhere. Even if your kids go for a sleepover at friends’ homes, they can download their assignments and files.

A smart app allows your kids to manage semesters, enter classes with time schedules and room locations, add assignments and exams, get automatic reminders of upcoming homework, etc.

If you go for a premium version of this app, kids can add more than five grades per class.

Price: Free (In-app Purchases) Download

3. Socratic Math & Homework Help

$Socratic Math & Homework Help iPhone and iPad App Screenshot$

Ranked as the 8th best app in education category and achieved 5 stars out of almost 10K ratings, “Socratic Math & Homework Help” doesn’t any introduction, doesn’t it? What I have found really admirable in this app is the ability to be a fantastic guide to help kids solve homework and Math.

Your child just needs to snap the photo of a Math equation to get the quick answer. Thanks to the step-by-step guide, he will be able to easily understand the trick to solve the problems. Better still, the app supports multiple subjects including Math (Algebra, Calculus, Statistics, Graphing, etc.), Science, Chemistry, History, English, Economics, etc.

4. Pocket Schedule Planner

Pocket Schedule Planner iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

Tracking down classes and assignments is a piece of cake with Pocket Schedule Planner! The app boasts a neat user-interface and easy-to-use features that bring about the essential convenience in getting the task done without any stress at all.

Based on your need, you can comfortably organize your entire courses and monitor them with ease. To take the hassle out of the equation, you can sort all of your assignments into a separate section. Additionally, it also allows you to manage the detailed info of your guider so that nothing goes for a miss.

5. myHomework Student Planner

myHomework Student Planner iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

“myHomework” is one of the most appreciable back-to-school apps for iOS. With this app, you can effortlessly keep an eye on your classes, homework, assignments, and tests. There is a smart calendar display to let you instantly find out the required information.

The support for the time, block and period based schedules offer you more flexibility to get on top of your task. Homework reminders never let you forget important things. If you ever feel constrained, you can upgrade to the premium version ($4.99) of the app to unlock all the features.

6. OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 2 Managing Schoolwork iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

OmniFocus has always been one of my favorite task manager apps for both iOS and macOS. Though it’s not specifically designed for students, it can be immensely pivotal in helping them manage their tasks and assignments. The app lets you easily enter in a task and assign a due date. With notification reminders, it keeps you in charge.

As it’s location-aware, you will be able to assign a location to a specific task and be reminded of it whenever you reach that location.

7. The Homework App

The Homework iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

This one is what you should pick to manage your entire homework with complete peace of mind! You can easily add your tasks and complete them in time. To ensure you don’t miss out on any important assignments, you will also be able to keep track of them.

It lets you add subtasks to keep your homework fully organized. With custom reminders, you will remain alert to things that you have to do. There is an in-app calendar to help you quickly check out your tasks daily, monthly and yearly basis. Lastly, this education app supports only two languages like English and Korean.

8. iStudiez Pro Legendary Planner

iStudiez Pro Legendary Planner iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

Time to ramp up your productivity! iStudiez Pro can get the best out of you by letting you complete your projects more efficiently. The app features a smart built-in planner that allows you to easily enter all types of schedules. You can add holiday periods and cancel separate classes in case of outstanding events.

You will also be able to organize your assignments by date or by course or by priority or sort them into pending and completed. It allows you to view your third-party calendar events as well. Another notable feature of this app is the compatibility with several languages like English, Arabic, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German and more.

9. Class Manager– My Homework App

Class Manager My Homework iPhone and iPad App Screenshot

Manage all your classes, assignment, sessions, and many other things using the intuitive interface of the app. You can also tag your homework with the specific class that will make it easier to organize things. Besides, you can sort your homework by the due date, further making things easily accessible when you want.

You can also set reminders for homework, assignments, and classes. To again make things simpler, there are different views for homework, assignment, classes, and other things. Overall, the app has all the features you may need to keep your education in sync. Give it a try.

That’s all, folks!

What’s your pick?

Now that you have explored the top apps for education, Let us know which one have you chosen for your kid. And also tell us your feedback about the apps mentioned above.

Take a peek at these posts as well:

Best Calendar Apps for iPhone and iPad
Best Task Manager Apps for iPhone and iPad
Education Apps for iPhone and iPad
Best iPad Pro Drawing Apps

The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.

Top 20 Best iPad Apps for Students [2024]

Today, iPads are incredibly capable devices that can handle most types of schoolwork for college and grad students alike. Yes, it’s true. Depending on your field of study, you might be able to get by with just an iPad alone — no need for a laptop at all!

Of course, an iPad on its own (even if you have the best iPad for schoolwork ) is unlikely to be able to do everything a student needs to make it through their program. Whether you’re in undergraduate or graduate school, you’ll need some of the best iPad apps for students to help make your life easier all around.

The best iPad apps for students in 2024 include a wide variety of applications meant for all sorts of purposes. The vast majority of these apps are productivity-focused, and if not, they’re still helpful to schoolwork somehow.

So, what exactly are the best apps for iPad if you’re a student who wants to use your tablet for coursework?

Read on to learn some of our top recommendations for apps you should install on your iPad as a college or graduate student. We included free and paid options too, so let’s get right to it!

Table of Contents

What Makes an iPad App for Students Special?

There isn’t anything inherently special about iPad apps for college students. In fact, many of the apps below are useful not just for college students but for students of any level — and for professionals and casual users alike.

That said, there are apps that are simply more useful for students overall. These apps include some of the top iPad apps for education and productivity.

If you’re wondering how we decided on which iPad education apps to include on our list of recommendations below, these are the factors we considered:

We looked at whether the apps are affordable . Most college and graduate students may have trouble fitting several paid/premium apps into their budgets, which is why we looked for the most affordable options where possible. If we could find free apps, we included them as well. Additionally, we ensured that many of the apps included have a free forever tier that allow students to use them without paying for anything (albeit with limited functionality).
We included apps that are incredibly useful for performing schoolwork-related tasks. That includes various types of productivity apps like word processors, calculators, Pomodoro timers, and more. The best iPad apps for college students are those that allow students to complete their assignments, projects, readings, etc. Some apps like Zoom are even great for attending online classes.

The apps included below are useful for more than just schoolwork. We also included apps that allow you to create art or other graphics, make notes, journal, track your finances, and more. To help you select apps more easily, we divided the apps below into two sections – premium and free.

Best iPad Apps for Students: Premium

Key Information

Price : $3.99 one-time purchase to unlock on all iOS devices; separate purchase necessary for other platforms
Platforms : iOS/iPadOS, Android, Google Chrome browser extension
Publisher : Seekrtech
Best for : Focus and Pomodoro timing, time management and tracking
Download link : Forest

Forest is one of the best apps for college students on iPad. It’s extremely cheap and is available through a one-time purchase, which means no expensive subscriptions that balloon up the price. There are some minor microtransactions within the app itself, but none of them are absolutely necessary for you to use Forest.

If you aren’t sure what Forest is, it’s a focus app that also works well as a time tracker and Pomodoro timer. You can set however long you want your focus hours to be, starting from ten minutes and going at five-minute increments all the way to one hundred and twenty minutes.

Forest allows you to label your focus time so you can look at reports, later on, to see where you spent your time. Additionally, successfully completed focus time allows you to plant your flowers and trees and fill up your forest. Growing a plant also nets you some coins, which you can then use to purchase more plants in the store or to plant a real tree in real life!

If focusing is an issue for you, Deep Focus will allow you to block certain apps unrelated to your task so you can minimize distractions.

Simple and easy to use
Earn coins to plant real trees
Collect various types of trees and plant as desired
Track time with tags
Block out other apps to help keep your focus
Some trees require separate real-money purchases
Requires you to purchase again on other platforms

Free version with limitations
$4.99 one-time purchase for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch
Separate $4.99 one-time purchase on macOS
Platforms : macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch
Publisher : Xwavesoft
Best for : Tracking time, Pomodoro timing, simple task management
Download link : BeFocused | BeFocused Pro

BeFocused is another school app for iPad users. Although not exclusively for school, this Pomodoro timer and focusing app allows you to stay on task for a set amount of time with breaks in between. You can also block certain apps to minimize distractions.

One of the best things about BeFocused is its Pro version syncs with Focus Matrix, which means you can more easily track your time, manage your tasks, and more. There are plenty of settings within the Pro app that allows you to fiddle with timing, alerts, and more.

On its own, BeFocused isn’t the best at managing tasks. But when synced with Focus Matrix, this app is able to do much more. The only thing we’d say could use some improvement is the fact that you have to purchase it separately for your Mac and iPad, if you want it on both machines.

Syncs with Focus Matrix on macOS and iOS for easier time tracking and task management
Set your own Pomodoro session timing
Use included sound alerts to be alerted of sessions finishing
Requires you to purchase the macOS version separately
Not the best at task management on its own

Price : One-time purchase of $12.99
Platforms : iPad only (there is an iPhone version called Procreate Pocket available for $5.99)
Publisher : Savage Interactive
Best for : Creating art, animation, graphics, calligraphy, etc.
Download link : Procreate

Although not exclusively for the pro version of the iPad, Procreate is arguably one of the very best iPad Pro apps for students. This app is amazing for creating art, making graphics, painting, sketching, and more. It has a robust set of tools (with the possibility for more) and allows you to work seamlessly with the Apple Pencil.

Procreate is always topping the list of the best iPad apps overall, but we certainly believe that it’s also one of the best iPad pro apps for students around.

One of the very best art-related apps on the iPad
Works seamlessly with the Apple Pencil (1 and 2)
Regularly updated with new features, so it never feels stale
Create animations within the app
Allows you to export your files easily and without a hassle
Resource-intensive
May not be able to handle as many layers or as large a canvas depending on the iPad model
Somewhat steep learning curve

GoodNotes 5

Limited free forever tier (up to three notebooks only)
One-time purchase of $7.99 on iPadOS
Platforms : iPadOS (will also work on certain versions of macOS with no additional purchase), Android, Windows, and ChromeOS
Publisher : GoodNotes Limited
Best for : Note-taking, journaling, PDF annotation, studying , etc.
Download link : GoodNotes 5

GoodNotes 5 is one of the top iPad apps for schools, thanks to how useful it is for notetaking, PDF annotation, organization, and more. GoodNotes 5 is chock full of features that allows users to handwrite their notes and organize them properly. It works seamlessly with the Apple Pencil, but also allows you to use other styluses if you prefer.

This app is quite affordable, only $7.99 as a one-time purchase. You can use all the features with this singular purchase, though if you want additional templates, elements, stickers, assets, and more, you’ll likely end up paying quite a bit more by purchasing third-party content.

Tons of third-party content available on websites like Etsy, but you need to purchase them separately
Use stickers, elements, templates etc. to personalize your notes
Create notebooks and organize them in folders
Amazing for note-taking with handwriting
Truly affordable
Can be quite glitchy sometimes
Could be a bit better in terms of the pen options

Focus Matrix

Limited free forever version
About $10 one-time purchase on iOS/iPadOS, requires a separate purchase on macOS (about the same price)
Platforms : iOS/iPadOS, macOS
Best for : Task management and prioritization
Download link : Focus Matrix

Focus Matrix uses the Eisenhower Matrix to help you organize your tasks and to-dos as perfectly as possible. On its own, Focus Matrix is easy and simple to use, so you don’t have to deal with a steep learning curve. The only issue is the interface isn’t the best, so if you’re looking for something pretty, then you might not find it here. And, like BeFocused Pro, you need to buy Focus Matrix on your iPad and your Mac if you want to sync between the two. Fortunately, it’s affordable, sitting at around a $10 one-time purchase.

There are many better planner apps for students , but if you want something simple that won’t break the bank, it’s hard to overlook Focus Matrix as a solid option.

Syncs with BeFocused (Pro) to make task management and prioritization a bit easier to do overall
Uses the Eisenhower Matrix to make task prioritization a breeze
Syncs with your Calendar so you can see when your tasks are due
Requires separate purchases for macOS and iOS
Not the best-looking design and interface

Free forever tier
Canva Pro (single user) – $12.99 per month or $119.90 per year
Canva for Teams is also available if you have 2+ users
Platforms : Web, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS
Publisher : Canva
Best for : Creating graphics, presentations, posters, flyers, etc.
Download link : Canva

You’ve probably already heard about Canva before, but if you haven’t — Canva is a web-based design app that allows you to create all sorts of graphics, designs, documents, and assets. It’s available not just on the web, but also on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, so you can install the app on your preferred system. Your account also syncs on your devices, so you get to work on your design on whichever device you have handy.

Canva also comes with a massive amount of assets, templates, elements, and more. However, you’ll need to pay for Canva Pro to be able to take advantage of these copyright-free elements.

Has a free forever tier, albeit somewhat limited
Incredibly versatile — create graphics, prints, documents, presentations, and more
Use on practically any platform
If you have a paid account, you have access to an incredible amount of content to use in your designs
Much of the content (templates, assets, elements) is locked behind the Canva Pro paywall

Microsoft Office 365

Use Office Online for free on the web
Personal plan: $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year (single user)
Family plan : $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (up to six users)
Platforms : Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web
Publisher : Microsoft
Best for : Various productivity tasks
Download link : Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft 365, formerly Microsoft Office, is the golden standard when it comes to productivity apps. It’s not just for students, either — this software suite is used in homes and offices worldwide. Microsoft 365 is available on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, allowing you to use your apps on any device you choose. Unfortunately, 365 requires a subscription to use, and it can get quite pricey. Luckily, you can use one account on up to five devices.

A family subscription also allows up to six users to use Microsoft 365 on up to five devices each.

The golden standard when it comes to productivity suites
One subscription gives you access to all the Microsoft 365 apps, including Microsoft OneNote
One account allows use on up to five devices
Receives regular updates
Get up to 10% off for students
Your subscription grants you 1TB of cloud storage via OneDrive
If you already have a different cloud storage service, OneDrive is redundant

Price : One-time purchase of $9.99 for the below devices
Platforms : iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Publisher : TLA Systems Ltd.
Best for : Mathematic and scientific calculations
Download link : PCalc

There’s not much to say about PCalc other than the fact that it does literally everything you need in a calculator. It’s quite an odd decision by Apple, but the iPads do not come with a built-in calculator app. There are many free options available, but you’ll need to contend with apps, so PCalc is a good purchase for only $10.

Works as perfectly as you need it
Has all the functions necessary for your math/science work
Not the cheapest

Price : 100% free
Platforms : Web, iOS, iPadOS, Android
Publisher : Intuit
Best for : Budgeting and financial tracking
Download link : Mint

Even students need to be able to track their expenses and budget their money. If you need a little assistance in the finance department, Mint is a fantastic option for you. Mint by Intuit is 100% free to use in its entirety. You’ll need to link your financial accounts, however, so you might want to look at a different option if linking accounts is uncomfortable for you.

100% free to use
Easy and simple to use
Pull all of your financial information from your accounts and track them all in one place
Requires you to link your accounts, which may not be comfortable for everyone
Lacks some financial institutions

Evernote + Penultimate

Free forever plan (limited) or
Personal : $8.99 per month or $6.66 per month paid yearly
Professional : $10.99 per month or $9.17 per month paid yearly
Evernote for Teams also available
Get 40% off Professional for Students
Platforms : Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Publisher : Evernote Corporation (though Evernote was recently acquired by Bending Spoons)
Best for : Taking notes, brainstorming, some task management, organization
Download link : Evernote | Penultimate

Evernote has been around for the better part of two decades since its initial release in 2004. From its first release, this app has grown to become incredibly popular and a favorite for many. You can use Evernote for free with some limitations, such as only being able to sync on two devices. But with a relatively affordable subscription, you get an incredibly robust note-taking app that has Optical Character Recognition features that allow you to search through images and PDFs to find what you are looking for.

Evernote doesn’t handle handwritten notes in the best way possible, which indeed can be quite the drawback. However, you can use Penultimate, the companion handwriting app, and sync your handwritten notes into your Evernote account if you wish.

One of the very best notetaking apps available for the iPad (and other platforms)
Has legendary OCR (optical character recognition) features that allows Evernote to index images and makes it possible to search via the text on pictures and PDFs
Create various types of notes
Free forever tier allows use on two devices (plus limited features)
Sync across all your devices with a premium account
Syncs with Penultimate, the handwriting/notetaking app on iPad
Not the best for handwritten notes
Currently kind of in limbo as it was recently acquired by company Bending Spoons
Could have more organization features

Free forever plan
More information is available here
Platforms : iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Publisher : Zoom Video Communications
Best for : Video conferencing, attending classes, etc.
Download link : Zoom

At this point, who doesn’t know about Zoom?

Zoom is an incredibly useful video conferencing tool that allows you to keep in touch with people, attend your classes and lectures, and collaborate with others. It’s free to use as well, with some minor limitations.

Ubiquitious and used by practically everyone
Simple to learn and use
Available on practically every platform
Has a generous free forever plan
Can sometimes be very resource-intensive
May sometimes crash on some devices and systems

Zoho Notebook

Free forever plan with limited features or
$1.99/month paid monthly or $19.99 per year
There is a deal for $49.99 for three years
Platforms : Web, iOS/iPadOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux
Publisher : Zoho Corporation
Best for : Notetaking, task management, some types of journaling, organization, etc.
Download link : Zoho Notebook

Although it’s not quite as popular as GoodNotes 5, Evernote, or Microsoft OneNote, Zoho Notebook is another fantastic option if you’re looking for a note-taking app that can do it all (almost). Like Evernote, Zoho Notebook doesn’t handle handwritten notes too well. However, this app makes up for its shortcomings by allowing you to create notebooks containing all sorts of notes including audio notes, task lists, and more.

Another great thing about Zoho Notebook is it can sync across various platforms — and it’s truly quite affordable, especially if you sign up for three years in advance!

Unique features that allow you to create various types of notes
OCR function allows searching text on images and PDFs
Very affordable premium subscriptions
Also allows for task management (sends notifications and reminders)
Not the most convenient for handwriting notes

Limited free forever plan
Quizlet Plus costs around $48 yearly — no month-to-month subscription available
Platforms : Web, Android, iOS
Publisher : Quizlet Inc
Best for : Studying with flashcards, memorization
Download link : Quizlet

For what it is, Quizlet is pricey. However, we chose to include it anyway, as it can be incredibly helpful for those who need a little extra help with studying and memorization.

Easy to learn and use
Create your own flashcard sets and use them; similarly, you can use others’ flashcards
Great support for a wide range of languages
Lots of study mode variety
Has gotten more and more expensive over the years
No month-to-month subscription option

AnkiMobile Flashcards

Price : One-time purchase of $24.99 for iPad/iPhone
Platforms : Anki Web, iPad/iPhone
Publisher : Ankitects Pty Ltd
Best for : Studying with flashcards, memorization, etc.
Download link : AnkiMobile Flashcards

Anki is far more affordable than Quizlet, but you do get a much less sophisticated app in return. Nevertheless, if you need to study and want some extra help, AnkiMobile Flashcards is one to consider!

One-time purchase means you save money in the long term
Works well for what it is
Expensive for what it is
Interface and design looks dated and needs improvement

Best iPad Apps for Students: FREE

Apple notes.

Price : FREE
Platforms : All Apple devices
Publisher : Apple
Best for : Taking notes and studying
Download link : Included with your iPad

Apple Notes is one of the best apps you need to have on your iPad thanks to its features and ease of use. It’s entirely free, allowing you to take advantage without any additional cost.

Absolutely free
Comes on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac and syncs across all your devices as long as you’re logged in to the same iCloud account
Create typed or handwritten notes
Could be easier and better to organize

Apple Freeform

Platforms : Compatible iPads and Macs
Best for : Brainstorming, mindmapping, notetaking on an infinite canvas, handwritten notes, etc.
Download link : Included with compatible iPads

Freeform is the newer kid on the block, allowing users to do all sorts of things on an infinite canvas. Although it’s only available on select iPads and Macs, this app lets you brainstorm, take notes, and collaborate without ever running out of space.

It’s still new, so you can expect some flaws, bugs, and kinks to smooth out. But considering it’s free, it’s certainly worth looking into if you want to create mindmaps or brainstorm projects!

Infinite canvas allows you to create massive mindmaps
Fantastic for brainstorming
Allows a certain level of collaboration
Has a robust set of tools that makes it easier to be productive
Only works on certain Apple devices

Google Productivity Suite

Free forever or
With a premium plan to Workspace
Platforms : Web, ChromeOS, Android, iOS
Publisher : Google LLC
Best for : Various types of productivity tasks
Download link : Google Docs | Google Sheets | Google Slides

Only slightly behind Microsoft 365’s popularity is the Google productivity suite. The suite comprises apps like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides, and it’s all available for free . These apps all integrate into the Google ecosystem seamlessly, though they require the internet to sync and save your files.

One thing worth mentioning is that although there are apps on mobile, you’ll need to use the web version if you’re on a desktop. You can also use the web version through the browser on your iPad, if that’s something you wish to do.

Absolutely free to use
Use on the web or on your phone or iPad
Has third-party apps and extensions to improve functionality
Has certain limitations
Mobile apps aren’t the most convenient to use
No apps for desktop
Google Drive is known for getting a ton of external spam if your email account was included in a data breach

Google Keep

Platforms : Web, ChromeOS, Android, iOS, Chrome browser extension
Best for : Note-taking, task management, web clipping, handwritten notes and sketching, brainstorming, etc.
Download link : Google Keep

Google Keep is much like Zoho Notebook in that it offers many of the same functionalities. With Google Keep, you can take notes, create checklists, doodle and sketch, take web clippings, and more — and you can do it all entirely for free!

Tagging function makes it easy to organize and find past notes
OCR function allows you to extract text from PDFs and images
Works seamlessly with other Google apps
Limited note colors available
Could have a better organization system
No markdown or rich text support
No apps for desktops

Google Drive

15GB for free, then
200GB for $2.99 / month
2TB for $9.99 / month
5TB for$24.99 / month
Platforms : Windows, macOS, Android, iOS/iPadOS, web
Best for : Cloud storage and syncing
Download link : Google Drive

If you’re deeply embedded into the Google ecosystem, then Google Drive might be the cloud storage service of choice for you. iCloud is great and all, but sometimes you just need something different to keep track of all your important files, photos, and more.

Available on practically all platforms
Affordable cloud storage options
Works seamlessly with all other Google products
Prone to receiving tons of spam with Google seemingly not doing anything about it
Occasionally runs into issues on some systems (taking too much memory or lagging)

Microsoft OneNote

Free forever plan with limited features, or
$6.99 per month or $69.99 per year for a single user through the personal plan
$9.99 per month or $99.99 per year for up to six users through the family plan
Platforms : Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Publisher : Microsoft Corporation
Best for : Notetaking, PDF annotation, studying, etc.
Download link : Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is available entirely for free, albeit with limited functionalities. If you want more features, you’ll need to get a Microsoft 365 subscription. That said, such a subscription will provide plenty of value, giving you access to the rest of Microsoft’s productivity suite.

OneNote is one of the best and most popular notetaking apps available today — even if it’s not perfect. Some prefer OneNote entirely over other apps like GoodNotes 5 or Evernote.

Has a free forever version that could be more than enough for many users
Comes with your Microsoft 365 plan so you get a ton of apps, perks, and features for one subscription
Works really well with styluses and handwritten notes
Could have better organization features
Not exactly as full-featured as other apps like Evernote and GoodNotes 5

Frequently Asked Questions

What apps should a college student have on ipad.

There are countless iPad apps for students that you might just find useful for your tablet. The apps you use are entirely down to your personal preference, but you may want to install a few of the free options. For example, Google’s suite of products are a good starting point. You can also use GoodNotes 5, Evernote, Canva, Forest, and more for free. Fortunately, many of the best apps listed above do offer free tiers so you may not have to pay anything at all!

What can I use my iPad for as a student?

A decade ago, you might’ve had trouble using your iPad efficiently for more than entertainment and light productivity tasks like checking your email. Today, iPads have improved so much, and developers have published so many great apps that using an iPad as your exclusive school device is entirely possible (depending on your field of study). Countless students use their iPads for things like note-taking, reading and annotating books and PDFs, research, emailing, creating presentations, writing papers, and more.

With the thousands upon thousands of apps available on the Apple app store, it can truly be challenging and even overwhelming to find the right ones to suit your needs. If you’re looking for the best iPad apps for students to install on your iPad for your studies, our list of recommendations above might just help.

Remember, if you’re on a tight budget, there are plenty of apps that are either 100% free or offer a free forever tier that allows use despite some limitations. There are also many fantastic apps that are cheap and purchasable with a one-time fee rather than a subscription!

Are you still shopping around? If you aren’t fully sold on an iPad for your schoolwork, check out our recommendations for the best tablets for schoolwork .

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Chriselle Sy

Chriselle has been a passionate professional content writer for over 10 years. She writes educational content for The Grad Cafe, Productivity Spot, The College Monk, and other digital publications. When she isn't busy writing, she spends her time streaming video games and learning new skills.

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Best iPad for students 2024

Preparing for student life can be exciting and stressful. To make things easier, it’s good to know that you’ve got the right tech to help you write your essays, take notes in lessons, and kick back with Netflix and games when the work is done. The iPad has evolved in recent years to something that can now act as a laptop replacement for many students, with accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil making it one of the most versatile devices you can buy.

Choosing the best iPad can be tricky, as Apple currently offers a wide range of models with different prices and features, including the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air models updated in May 2024. Read iPad Air (M2) vs iPad Pro (M4) to find out how they compare.

Can students get discounts on iPads?

Students can save money on all sorts of Apple products by shopping at Apple’s education store in their country. Apple offers money off new iPad purchases to students in higher education all year round. In a separate article, you can read all about how to get an Apple Student Discount .

Plus, if you’re a student and you buy an iPad (or a Mac) from Apple, you might be able to get a free gift such as a pair of AirPods or vouchers while the company’s “Back To Uni” event is running. (This usually runs from June to September in the U.S. and Canada, and from July to October in the U.K. and January to March in Australia, New Zealand and other southern hemisphere locations).

Click on the following links for the Education stores in the countries where most of our readers reside:

Apple’s U.S. Education Store
Apple’s U.K. Education Store (in the U.K. you will need to verify your student status via UNiDAYS).
Apple’s Canada Education Store
Apple’s Australian Education Store

Another bonus if you’re a student: you can get Apple Music for half price with free Apple TV+ included.

How much can students save on an iPad?

Students can save as much as $100 in the U.S., £100 in the U.K., $170 in Australia, and $150 in Canada if they buy from the education store.

	U.S.	U.K.	Australia	Canada
iPad (10th gen) MSRP	$349	£349	$599	$499
iPad (10th gen) Student Price	$329	£329	$559	$469
iPad mini MSRP	$499	£499	$829	$679
iPad mini Student Price	$449	£449	$749	$609
iPad Air (11-inch, M2) MSRP	$599	£599	$999	$799
iPad Air (11-inch, M2) Student Price	$549	£549	$919	$729
iPad Air (13-inch, M2) MSRP	$799	£799	$1,299	$1,099
iPad Air (13-inch, M2) Student Price	$749	£749	$1,219	$1,029
iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) MSRP	$999	£999	$1,699	$1,399
iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) Student Price	$899	£899	$1,529	$1,249
iPad Pro (13-inch, M4) MSRP	$1,299	£1,299	$2,199	$1,799
iPad Pro (13-inch, M4) Student Price	$1,199	£1,199	$2,029	$1,649

How to get an iPad student discount

Apple offers a student discount via its country-specific education stores. To recap:

Apple’s U.K. Education Store (in the UK you will need to verify your student status via UNiDAYS).

Depending on your location you may only need to sign up with details of your student status and course and prove your identity. Some countries have less stringent checks than others. In the U.K. you need to be registered with UNiDAYS in order to even see the student prices. We explain how to do this in our article How to get an Apple student discount .

To qualify for a discount you also need to meet Apple’s conditions. You either need to be a student in higher education, or a teacher at a teaching institution. The only way to get a discount for a child still at school is to be home educating them or to be a teacher yourself.

If you can’t get a student discount that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get money off a new iPad though. Read our round-up of the best iPad deals. You will also find links to the best deals for each iPad below.

Best iPad for students

11-inch ipad air (2024, m2): best all-rounder.

M2 processor
128GB of storage in base model
Lots of color options
It's not cheap

The 11-inch iPad Air (M2), with its 11-inch display, modern design, low weight (462g), great cameras, and hugely powerful processor, is a great choice for students.

Unfortunately, it’s a bit on the pricey side for a tablet, with the current prices starting at $599/£599, but this does now include 128GB of storage, which is double that of the baseline iPad Air (2022, M1) it replaces. This makes it the perfect combination of power, storage and features, for a price that isn’t unreasonable, and one we can heartily recommend for those starting out on their studies.

The biggest feature of the 2024 model is the inclusion of the M2 processor. This is the same chip that powered the previous generation of iPad Pro models, not to mention several of the new Macs. In an iPad Air, it makes the device fly.

The camera is a 12MP Wide lens (also like on the iPad Pro), which can record video up to 4K/60fps, and as with other iPads on this list, the front-facing camera is a 12MP Ultra-Wide that allows for Center Stage and is now sensibly positioned on the longer side of the chassis to allow landscape views.

Essentially, the 2024 iPad Air is a 2022 iPad Pro for a cheaper price. The only major feature it’s missing is the 120Hz ProMotion screen refresh rate, but that’s hardly something most people will even notice.

There are plenty of colors to choose from, and if you want to complete the Apple flavoured package then the 11-inch iPad Air supports the Magic Keyboard ($299/£299), Apple Pencil Pro ($129/£129) and Apple Pencil Pencil USB-C ($79/£79).

If you prefer a larger display, then there is also the 13-inch iPad Air (M2) that comes with all the same specs and features, and starts at $799/£799.

We highly recommend the 11-inch iPad Air (M2) for students who need premium performance and the best iPad you can buy without the Pro name.

How much can students save on the iPad Air?

MSRP: $599 / £599 / AU$999 / CA$799 Student: $549 / £549 / AU$919 / CA$729

Students save: $50 / £50 / AU$80 / CA$70

Get the best deal on a new iPad Air .

iPad (10th gen, 2022): Best Balance of Price and Power

Air-style design
10.9-inch Liquid Retina display
Price reduced in May 2024
64GB storage on base model
Requires dongle to power Apple Pencil (gen 1)

Thanks to a recent price cut, and the retirement of the iPad 10.2-inch (9th gen), the iPad 10.9-inch (10th gen) model that arrived in October 2022 is now the cheapest iPad available from Apple. But that doesn’t mean it’s a budget device, as it features the same design approach as the iPad mini and iPad Air. This means you don’t have the traditional Home button, which has been replaced with swipe gestures and the Touch ID sensor repositioned in the power button on the top edge. This makes room for a larger display than on its predecessor, and ensures that the Home button is now officially a thing of the past.

On this iPad, the a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, unlike on the mini, Air or Pro models, is unlaminated. This means there’s a slight air gap between the glass and the digitizer beneath. You probably won’t notice it at all, but if you intend to use the Apple Pencil for notes (gen 1 and USB-C are supported) then you may experience slight delays in the tracking.

One welcome addition (that arrived with this model, and is now a feature of the M4 iPad Pro and M2 iPad Air) is that the front-facing camera is located on the longer end of the panel, meaning it offers a true landscape view that’s centrally located. This is much better suited to FaceTime and other video calling apps. That new landscape 12MP Ultra Wide camera has a f/2.4 aperture that delivers a 122-degree view; it’s also compatible with the Center Stage feature that keeps you in the center of the frame even if you move about while on video calls. Apple bestows this iPad with a 12MP f/1.8 rear camera so you can get some great shots and shoot video 4K video at 60fps. If your course requires any kind of video content, then either the front or back optics of the iPad (10th gen) should prove more than sufficient, plus you can call home and look good doing so.

An A14 Bionic processor is at the heart of the new iPad, which is the same chip that powered the iPhone 12 (including the Pros). So there’s more than enough power for word processing, note-taking, coding, and most other education apps, not to mention gaming and entertainment duties. The switch from a Lightning port to USB-C also opens up the ability to use various peripherals and even power an external display if you want the iPad to become more like a fully-fledged computer.

Apple kits out the baseline model with 64GB, which feels a bit of a sore point in 2024. With this in mind, we’d recommend you opt for the 256GB version if you want to download plenty of movies and games or store all or your photos and videos on the device itself. Although this does push the price from $349/£349 (64GB) to $499/£499 (256GB). The extra space will serve you better in the long run, but if you don’t want to blow that extra cash, then there’s always the option of expanding your iCloud storage so that you can keep stuff safe in the cloud instead.

There are four colors to choose from (Blue, Yellow, Silver, and Pink) so you should be able to find one that suits your personality, and for extra functionality, you could invest in the new two-piece Magic Keyboard Folio, although the $249/£249 price tag does seem very high. Of course, a standard Bluetooth keyboard will get you the same results for a lot less money. As mentioned above, the new iPad supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, but as the charging port is now USB-C you’ll need an adaptor from Apple if you’ve already bought the Pencil. Otherwise, the dongle is now included in the box when you buy a new Apple Pencil (1st gen). Of course, there’s also the compatible Apple Pencil (USB-C) which gets around the dongle madness.

As you can see, there are a few caveats, but with its modern design, solid processor, and larger display, the 10.9-inch iPad (10th gen) is a great all-rounder that would prove a wise investment for those heading off to pursue their studies.

For more information, you can read our iPad 10.9-inch (10th gen) guide.

We expect to see an 11th-generation iPad at some point in 2024, more here: What you need to know about the 2024 iPad.

How much can students save on the 10th gen iPad?

MSRP: $349 / £349 / AU$599 / CA$499 Students; $329 / £329 / AU$559 / CA$469

Students save: $20 / £20 / AU$40 / CA$30

iPad mini (6th gen, 2021): Best for Note-Taking and Reading

Small and light
Centre Stage for FaceTime calls
64GB storage may be too limiting

If the most important factor to you is portability there’s one iPad in particular that you might want to consider.

The iPad mini, last updated in September 2021 with an A15 Bionic and a brand-new design, is the smallest and lightest iPad you can buy, weighing in at 293g. Of course, the low weight is a result of the iPad itself being smaller, thanks to the 8.3-inch display (which is bigger than it used to be since Apple got rid of the Home button and relocated Touch ID to the power button on the top edge). The result is a compact but powerful device that doesn’t feel too small. We think this screen size is perfect for reading books or taking notes (especially with an Apple Pencil), so it may well be ideal if that’s how you intend to use your iPad.

And don’t let the diminutive form fool you: the A15 Bionic chip is the same as that found in the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so there’s no shortage of power on tap. Connectivity is top-notch too, with support for Wi-Fi 6 and LTE 5G networks available, depending on the model you choose.

The front-facing camera is an Ultra-Wide lens, so it can track you and keep you in the center of the frame on video calls thanks to Center Stage, while the 12MP Wide camera on the back can capture great photos and videos that could be used in presentations or for media-based assignments.

There are two storage options available (64GB and 256GB) and, as with the 10.9in (10th gen) iPad, we’d recommend the larger of the two as it allows you to store more apps, music, movies, photos, and videos.

One disadvantage is that the mini only works with Bluetooth keyboards, rather than Apple’s range of iPad-specific keyboard, but whether that’s a significant disadvantage is debatable. It will definitely save you money.

Prices start at $499/£499 for the 64GB model, with the 256GB option raising the cost to $649/£649. The good news is that in May 2024 Apple reduced the price of the mini outside the U.S., having increased it a couple of years back.

We hope to see a new iPad mini at some point in 2024, more here: iPad mini 7, what’s next?

How much can students save on the iPad mini?

MSRP: $499 / £499 / AU$829 / CA$679 Students: $449 / £449 / AU$749 / CA $609

Get the best deal on a new iPad mini .

11-inch iPad Pro (2024): Best for Power and Performance

M4 Processor
OLED display
Stupidly light and thin
Probably overkill for students

The Pro iPads are the pinnacle of Apple’s tablet range, and as such they feel like the power and price are probably overkill for your average student. That being said, if you want the best, then this is where you’ll find it.

The 11-inch iPad Pro (M4), was introduced in May 2024, boasting incredibly light and thin construction, but with a stupid amount of power inside. In an unprecedented step, Apple introduced the new M4 processor in the iPad before the Mac, making the 11-inch iPad Pro and 13-inch iPad Pro the most up-to-date devices in the Apple catalog.

The question really, is do you need all that grunt? If you’re after an iPad for taking notes, writing essays, watching Netflix, playing some games and using it for video calls home, then the iPad Air is a better balance of power and price. But, for those with money burning a hole in their pockets, and those planning to do a lot of gaming when they should be studying, the 11-inch iPad Pro comes with a new Ultra Retina XDR OLED display that has two layers (Apple calls this Tandem OLED) to produce the brightest panel they’re ever made, kicking out up to 1600 nits. It’s also ProMotion, with an ultra-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

Cameras are 12Mp sensors, with the rear unit a Wide lens that can record video up to 4K/60fps, plus ProRes capabilities which would be of interest to video content creators. The front-facing lens also has the TrueDepth array, allowing Face ID, which remains a Pro-only features on iPads. You get Centre Stage for video calls, and the placement of the camera on the longer edge means you get landscape view.

The two size variants offer the same capabilities, with 256GB of storage the baseline, and prices starting at $999/£999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299/£1,299 for the 13-inch variant.

As we’ve said, the iPad Pros are probably too much for your typical student, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t excellent products for those who can afford them and take advantage of all the power on offer.

How much can students save on the 11-inch iPad Pro?

MSRP: $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 / CA$1,399 Students: $899 / £899 / AU$1,529 / CA$1,249

Students save: $100 / £100 / AU$170 / CA$150

Get the best deal on a new iPad Pro .

iPad 10.2in (9th gen, 2021): Best Bargain Hunt iPad

Centre Stage support for FaceTime
Compatible with any Bluetooth keyboard
No longer in production
64GB storage may be too little

Since we expect that students are likely to be looking to save money where they can, we’d suggest that the 10.2in iPad (9th gen) is the closest you can get to a bargain iPad. True, it is no longer in production, being discontinued in 2024 by Apple, but there should still be stock available from third-party sellers out there, and refurbished models could make the ticket price even lower.

If you want an iPad to cover the basics, it offers enough performance and features to make it an excellent choice for many students. The final 2021 model featured the more than adequate A13 that previously powered the iPhone 11 range, plus the FaceTime cameras has an Ultra-Wide lens and support for Center Stage, making video calls home a lot better looking than on previous iPads.

It can happily run the Microsoft Office apps for iPad if that is what you want to use, but there are free productivity apps from Apple and others that will make note-taking and working on assignments a doddle. Add a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and you have a very workable laptop that should cope with most coursework demands. Support for Apple Pencil (gen 1) means you can annotate documents, sketch, and of course practice your handwriting.

The iPad 10.2-inch is still a great pick if you can find one and your demands aren’t too onerous. It will handle academic life with ease, and provide plenty of entertainment when lessons are over. One word of caution, though. The base model comes with only 64GB of storage, which in this day and age seems pretty mean. With that in mind, we’d recommend opting for the 256GB version as it would be more practical, albeit more expensive.

As a rough guide, here’s the prices for the iPad (9th Gen) when it was still available from Apple – $329 / £369 / AU$549 / CA$449.

Get the best deal on a new 10.2-inch iPad

Should students buy an iPad or a laptop?

Before you go ahead and buy your iPad you may want to consider its suitability for your purpose.

As a student you probably have a few requirements:

Great apps for things like note-taking, recording lectures and revision
Light enough to carry around all day
Keyboard and stylus support
Suitable for making video calls home

You might be wondering whether a tablet or a laptop would be better for those needs, and if you lean towards the latter, take a look at our guide to the best Macs for students .

We think, however, that an iPad is a great choice. It runs many of the apps you’ll find on a laptop, including Office apps like Word and PowerPoint and the Apple equivalents, and in some cases, an iPad is actually more powerful than a laptop thanks to the super-fast processors Apple uses.

Another benefit is that you can have all the books you need for your course on your iPad and carry them with you to lectures and tutorials. You could even photograph pages from books in the library and use optical character recognition to save the text to your iPad.

Not only do you not need to lug all your books around with you, but an iPad is also far lighter than even the lightest laptop, so you won’t get backache from carrying it to lectures and the library.

With battery life of 10 hours–plenty for a day on campus–you aren’t going to need to find a space beside a plug socket in order to get through a day at uni.

Think that having an iPad will mean you have to type on an on-screen keyboard. No! You could sync any Bluetooth keyboard or plug in one of Apple’s own iPad keyboards and effectively turn your iPad into a laptop. There’s also the Apple Pencil, which could come in useful if you wanted to jot down some notes on your iPad screen in a lecture. See Best stylus for iPad.

And when you’ve finished studying there are loads of games, and apps for video calling your parents.

Still not sure? We have more information comparing a MacBook laptop and an iPad .

Are iPads good for students?

The next question you might want some reassurance on is whether the iPad is the best option for a student. There are a lot of other tablets available, many of which are cheaper than an iPad. So you might be thinking of saving some money.

We think if you do so you will regret it. There are many reasons why Apple’s iPads are so popular:

The App Store is heaving with great apps designed specifically for the iPad.
Many of those apps will be ideal for students: note-taking apps, apps for converting handwriting to text, apps for recording lectures, timetable management, and of course video calling (so you can stay in touch with mum and dad).
There is an ecosystem of great accessories designed to work with the iPad.
Apple’s iPadOS is stable and easy to use, especially if you already have an iPhone.
If you’ve got a Mac you can use an iPad as a second screen, provided you’re running Big Sur or later.

Author: Karen Haslam , Managing Editor, Macworld

Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.

Best iPad Apps for College & University Students | 2024 Edition

We recommend you some of the best iPad apps for your studies. These apps will help you stay organized, being productive, and also keep calm.

Last updated on

Published on

Let’s be honest: when your parents philosophize about your university life, they think you’re living a carefree existence filled with sex, drugs, and skipped lectures. They imagine you partying in shared apartments and primarily using your student loans to consume high-quality grass from the Netherlands. In reality, you are struggling quite a bit, dealing with nearly impossible deadlines, too many assignments, and the next presentation you haven’t prepared for at all.

To make your university life a bit easier and bring more ease into your life, we recommend what we believe are the best iPad apps for students in university. These apps help you better organize your day, meet deadlines, achieve your study goals, expand your German and English vocabulary, and save time.

In our list, we do not claim to be comprehensive but rather recommend the apps we have thoroughly tested and use in our daily lives.

Download these apps quickly and prove to your parents that you can handle the tricky juggling act of university stress, stocking the fridge, and paying bills surprisingly well.

Structured – Daily Planner

A well-structured daily routine is essential if you want to efficiently accomplish as many tasks as possible in a short amount of time. For students looking to add more structure to their daily lives, we recommend Structured.

The app helps you manage your personal life, work, and university commitments. An organized daily plan assists you in the hectic university life, allowing you to gradually complete your to-do list and ensuring you don’t forget important lectures and appointments.

Structured not only looks sleek and is easy to use but also offers a range of practical features. For example, you can import calendar events, sync the app with the Reminders app, use iCloud synchronization, and activate notifications to avoid missing tasks and appointments. You can also set up recurring tasks and add notes and subtasks. In addition, Structured offers widgets for the home screen and VoiceOver support.

The app typically costs 4.99 euros, but you might occasionally get it for free with some luck.

Structured is available for iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch, ensuring you never lose track, no matter which device you’re using.

Apple App Store: Structured – Daily Planner

DeepL Translator

English proficiency is crucial for students due to exchange programs, international literature, and the globally interconnected job market.

Many students have a good but not perfect command of English. A good translation app can help expand your vocabulary and understand complex phrases.

With DeepL, you can translate texts, voice recordings, images, and files in 29 languages.

The app offers useful features such as “Speech-to-Text,” allowing you to speak into your microphone and have it instantly translated. This also works in reverse (“Text-to-Speech”). It’s also cool that you can translate text from images by pointing the camera at them. Moreover, you can save translations to expand your own vocabulary.

The basic functions of DeepL are available for free. The Pro subscription starts at 89.88 euros annually, allowing you to translate longer texts without character limits and even whole documents.

DeepL is available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

Apple App Store: DeepL Translator

Duden Dictionary

The Duden app is considered the ultimate reference for the German language and its spelling and grammar.

With the Duden app, you have access to the extensive dictionary of the Duden publishing house, which has been the leading reference work for the German language for over 130 years.

The app is user-friendly and offers numerous features that facilitate word lookups and learning or improving the German language.

You can search for words, check your spelling, find synonyms, and much more.

Another plus of the app is that you can use it offline. We also like the “Flashcard Quiz,” allowing you to practice the meaning and spelling of words in a playful manner.

You can create your own vocabulary lists or choose from pre-made lists to focus on specific topics.

You have the option to purchase individual Duden editions for 21.99 euros or acquire all Duden dictionaries for 129.99 euros.

Apple App Store: Duden Dictionary German

If the capabilities of Apple’s standard Notes app aren’t sufficient for you, we recommend taking a look at Evernote.

In Evernote, you can create notes and to-do lists, add PDF files, photos, audio, web clips, and much more to your notes. Additionally, with the app’s camera function, you can scan and organize paper documents, business cards, whiteboard presentations, handwritten notes, and drawings.

You can also manage your to-do lists with tasks. This allows you to set deadlines and reminders to never miss a deadline again. You can even integrate Google Calendar into Evernote to combine your scheduling and notes.

What’s also cool is that Evernote’s search function can recognize text in images and handwritten notes, making it easy to find the content you’re looking for.

Thanks to the synchronization feature, you have your notes readily available on your iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

We find Evernote particularly useful for studying, helping you keep track of lecture notes, exams, and assignments.

We recommend creating notebooks for each of your courses to maintain consistent organization.

The basic version of Evernote is free.

The premium version costs either 7.99 euros per month or 69.99 euros annually. Evernote Premium offers features like full-text search in PDF documents, a monthly upload limit of 10 GB with a maximum of 200 MB per note, more options for information sharing, and a presentation mode.

Apple App Store: Evernote – Notes Organizer

Studydrive definitely belongs on the list of the best apps for students. The app offers Europe’s largest student community with over two million users.

Studydrive provides access to over 800,000 verified study materials from fellow students at over 6,000 universities worldwide.

The platform helps you organize your university documents and materials, quickly and easily use study materials from other students for free, connect with others, study together, and clarify open questions.

You can create study groups in the app, receive study tips, create flashcards for learning, and much more. Additionally, you can even earn money as a course expert with little extra effort.

The brains behind Studydrive are from Berlin and aim to help you navigate your studies with a broad smile.

The app is completely free.

Apple App Store: Studydrive – Study Simplified

Studo: The App for Your Studies

Studo also aims to make your university life easier.

In simple terms, Studo is a web browser app that optimizes and enhances university systems for mobile use.

The app offers many cool features. The lecture overview displays your lectures and courses in a clear format and directs you to your course materials and schedule with just a tap.

Additionally, you can create a timetable to ensure you never miss a lecture. There’s even a chat function for exchanging information with fellow students and answering important questions about your studies.

Furthermore, you can find student jobs in the app and receive push notifications about your exam results. With the integrated mail client, you won’t miss any emails from professors and fellow students. There’s also a news section to keep you informed about the latest updates on campus life.

Studo supports almost all universities and colleges in Germany and Austria.

The subscription costs 2.99 euros per month or 19.99 euros annually.

Apple App Store: Studo: The App for Your Studies

Pennies – Budget and Expense

I don’t know about you, but at least during my time in university, I didn’t always have the most optimal cash flow, to put it mildly. An app that helps me keep an eye on my finances and manage my expenses would have been a great help. That’s precisely what Pennies offers.

The app provides an intuitive user interface that allows you to quickly and easily input and track your daily expenses.

One of the useful features of Pennies is the ability to set budgets for various categories. For instance, you can create a budget for groceries, transportation, entertainment, or other categories and inform the app how much you want to spend on each category. The app then monitors your expenses and provides feedback on how much you can still spend before exceeding your budget.

Pennies also allows you to manage multiple currencies. If you often travel abroad or have expenses in different currencies, you can easily input your expenses in the relevant currency, and the app automatically converts them to Euros.

Additionally, Pennies provides stylish visual representations of your expenses in the form of charts and graphs. You can filter your expenses by category, date, or other parameters and present the results in a clear and easy-to-understand graphic.

Thanks to iCloud integration, you can access Pennies on your iPad, MacBook, and iPhone.

For students looking to better manage their finances, we highly recommend Pennies.

The app is available for a one-time cost of 5.99 euros, and it’s worth every penny—pun intended.

Apple App Store: Pennies – Budget and Expense

Forest – Stay Focused

Forest is a smart app for students who have difficulty concentrating for extended periods. In the app, you can plant a digital forest that grows and thrives as you work.

When you open the app, you can set a time interval from 10 to 120 minutes during which you want to focus on your work. During this time, you cannot open other apps or access your iPad, as the app prevents distractions.

If you successfully complete the set time, your digital tree grows, and you can earn points to unlock other tree species or donate to real trees in the physical world. However, if you leave the app before the time is up, your tree dies, and your progress is lost.

The idea may sound simple but actually helps you stay on track while studying or writing assignments!

Forest also offers a statistics feature that allows you to track your progress over time. You can see how often you successfully manage your defined time and how many trees you’ve planted.

Forest is an innovative way to support you in completing your study tasks without distractions.

The app is available for a one-time cost of 4.99 euros.

Apple App Store: Forest – Stay Focused

Microsoft 365 (Office)

Even students who prefer Apple devices are unlikely to escape Microsoft 365 (Office) during their studies. This suite includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint all in one app.

Whether you’re writing a paper in Word, performing calculations in Excel, or creating a presentation for university in PowerPoint, Microsoft’s classic office applications are used daily by many students. Furthermore, you can scan and sign documents, create PDF files, and much more.

Conveniently, Microsoft 365 (Office) offers seamless integration with other Microsoft products like Outlook or OneDrive. This means you can easily access emails, documents, and files without switching between different apps.

Moreover, you can easily store Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files in the cloud, allowing you to access them from any device at any time. This is particularly useful if you’re frequently on the go.

Microsoft 365 (Office) also provides useful features such as a QR scanner and the ability to create short notes.

Microsoft 365 (Office) for iPad costs 6.99 euros per month for a single person or 9.99 euros per month for two to six people.

With the premium subscription, you get access to 1 TB of cloud storage, AI-powered features for slides and Excel, an encrypted mailbox to protect against scams, and more.

You can try Microsoft 365 (Office) for free.

Apple App Store: Microsoft 365 (Office)

StudySmarter: Better Learning

StudySmarter is a cool app that helps you achieve your learning goals during your studies.

The app offers a variety of features to make learning more effective and efficient. It’s especially ideal for exam preparation, allowing you to systematically build and deepen your knowledge with StudySmarter.

One cool feature is the learning planner. You can set your learning goals, and the app automatically creates a personalized learning plan for you. This way, you always know what to study when and can optimize your study time. You can also view helpful statistics and graphics about your learning progress and add notes and reminders to stay on track.

Another useful feature is the ability to create your own flashcards. With these, you can prepare specifically for exams or quizzes. The app also provides a wide range of pre-made flashcards for different subjects and topics that you can use. Moreover, the app can generate personalized questions from your flashcards via “Exam AI” and provide detailed feedback on your answers.

The integrated question mode is another cool feature. Here, you can test your knowledge by asking yourself questions and answering them. This helps you assess how well you’ve internalized what you’ve learned and further deepen your knowledge.

StudySmarter also allows you to study and collaborate with other app users. You can connect with other users and study together, providing mutual support and motivation.

If you’re looking for a motivating app to prepare for upcoming exams and deepen your knowledge, you should definitely take a look at StudySmarter.

The app is free for students and school students. There’s also a premium version available at a cost of 3.50 euros per month (for an annual subscription of StudySmarter Premium) or 5.99 euros per month (for one month of StudySmarter Premium usage). With the premium version, you can access all learning content offline and get rid of ads.

Apple App Store: StudySmarter: Better Learning

Dictate – Speech to Text

If you’ve ever written a lengthy research paper or bachelor’s thesis, you know how your fingers can gradually cramp up after extended periods of typing. With the “Dictate Pro – Speech to Text” app, you have the option to dictate your text instead of painstakingly typing it. There’s no time limit, and it can even transcribe voice memos. This works in over 40 languages.

The app also offers iCloud synchronization, allowing you to use the app on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch simultaneously.

It’s worth noting that the app provides support for individuals with disabilities. You can change the system font size within the app, and even adjust the button size. There’s also an optimized VoiceOver feature.

If you plan to use the app frequently, you’ll need to unlock the Pro version. It costs 18.99 euros for a one-time purchase or 13.99 euros annually. There’s also the option to subscribe to the Pro version on a monthly basis for 7.49 euros or 4.99 euros. With the more expensive option, you can also transcribe on your Mac, get rid of ads, dictate texts without limitations, and upload audio files for text conversion.

Apple App Store: Dictate – Speech to Text

With Pocket, you can save articles, news, videos, and more to read or watch later. The app also allows you to access these contents offline.

You can save relevant articles and web pages that you may need later in your studies. Of course, you can also use the app to stay updated by saving interesting articles and news to read during your free time.

Pocket’s layout is clear and customizable, allowing you to focus on the essentials while reading. There’s also a “dark” mode and a “sepia” mode to reduce visual stimulation before bedtime.

Additionally, the app allows you to listen to articles, enabling you to do tasks like household chores, cooking, or exercising while listening.

You can use Pocket for free. Opting for the premium version for 4.99 euros per month or 44.99 euros annually unlocks practical features like full-text search, premium fonts, automatic article backups, and disabled ads.

Apple App Store: Pocket

Calm: Meditation and Sleep

As mentioned earlier, studying isn’t all about partying and fun; it can also be quite stressful. That’s why we recommend the meditation and mindfulness app, Calm.

The app is designed to reduce your stress and anxiety symptoms by offering various relaxation and meditation methods.

Calm provides a wide range of relaxation techniques, including guided meditations, breathing exercises, sleep stories, and soothing music.

Meditations can range from just a few minutes to an hour, depending on how much time you have and how deeply you want to relax.

Calm also offers personalized meditations tailored to your needs and daily schedule.

You can set a daily reminder to ensure you find time for your meditations and make them a part of your daily routine, as establishing routines is the best way to make something a regular and non-obligatory part of your life.

The app also features “Calm Kids,” targeting younger users with simple breathing and relaxation exercises and bedtime stories.

Calm has many tracking and statistical features for monitoring your progress.

You can also connect with other Calm users for inspiration and sharing.

If you want to reduce stress or alleviate exam anxiety, Calm is a wonderful way to support yourself. Regular use of the app can ideally lead to long-term relaxation and balance.

You can try Calm for free for seven days. Afterward, you can subscribe to the app for the regular annual price of 49.99 euros. Keep an eye out for offers; from time to time, you can get the annual subscription for as low as 23.49 euros.

Apple App Store: Calm: Meditation and Sleep

Google Calendar: Planner

A good calendar app is crucial for coordinating lecture schedules, meetings, and personal appointments.

Google Calendar offers various calendar views, allowing you to switch quickly between a monthly, weekly, and daily view.

You can create, manage, and access various tasks in the calendar. It’s also possible to add video conferences to calendar events.

Additionally, Google Calendar offers the feature of quickly creating events by providing smart suggestions for titles, locations, and guests. This saves you time in scheduling.

Of course, Google Calendar also integrates with the cloud, providing you access to your schedule on all your devices.

Google Calendar is also part of Google Workspace, allowing you to view the availability of classmates and colleagues and check their schedules.

Overall, Google Calendar is one of the best calendar apps for iPad and has become an indispensable tool for us to plan our schedules and stay organized.

Apple App Store: Google Calendar: Planner

Grammarly – Keyboard & Editor

If you write a lot in English, you should definitely use Grammarly.

The app is like your personal writing assistant.

Grammarly allows you to check your texts for grammar and spelling errors and provides style and writing suggestions.

The app also suggests synonyms and, in general, helps you write better.

Granting the app full access provides you with a dedicated digital keyboard and integration into Safari, making it available whenever you’re working in Microsoft Word, browsing the web, or writing an email.

The free version already corrects your grammar and spelling errors. The premium version, available for 149.99 euros annually, 62.99 euros quarterly, or 31.99 euros monthly, offers additional features to enhance your writing skills.

Apple App Store: Grammarly – Keyboard & Editor

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Notability is a versatile note-taking app for iPad that offers features like handwriting recognition and synced recordings, making it essential for college classes.
Goodnotes 6 is a great digital notebook and PDF viewer that excels in file organization and customization, making it the best choice for text editing and studying.
Google Calendar is a useful app for time management and assignment tracking, allowing you to enter class times and tasks, color code them, and sync them across devices.

With school starting up again for high school and college students, it's time to start thinking about what back-to-school tech can aid your studies. The iPad is one of the best tablets for students thanks to its great user interface and the fantastic Apple Pencil, among other features. However, just going out and buying an iPad doesn't automatically make you a better student. There are key apps and services that can take your studies to the next level, if you know where to find them.

So, what can you do with an iPad in high school or college? These days, iPads are capable enough to be laptop replacements for some students, thanks to the maturity of iPadOS as an operating system. With an iPad, you can complete assignments, take notes, and even enjoy some downtime with games and videos. Even though the desktop-class browser on models like the iPad Air can hold its own against desktop clients, iPads work best with apps. As a recent graduate, I've compiled eight iPad apps that I couldn't have gotten through college without, and they might just help you too.

1 Notability

A must-have notes app for high school and college.

You'll need a note-taking app for your iPad in school, and the best one we've found for the iPad is Notability. It's a versatile app that makes use of the Apple Pencil, with features like palm rejection and handwriting recognition available. If you're someone who likes to draw in their notebooks, you'll be happy to know that Notability can help you with that as well, automatically snapping shapes or lines into place perfectly. You have the option to create new documents using a community-designed template, edit existing documents, or scan PDFs with your iPad's camera. Yes, that means you can draw right over your physical textbook.

But there's one Notability feature that is essential to any college class: synced recordings. This lets you record a class or lecture right from the Notability app, and the audio is synced to your handwritten or typed notes. When it's time to review, tapping a word or drawing will play the audio that was recorded at the exact moment you made your notes. This is a killer feature that comes in handy when you're doing homework or studying for a test, and you can't decipher your notes. Part of the Notability app is free, but some features are behind a $3 per month or $15 per year paywall. It's definitely a worthy investment to help you ace your classes.

Notability on the App Store

2 Goodnotes 6

A versatile digital notebook and pdf viewer.

The question of which one is better depends on personal preference, but there's no doubt that either Notability or Goodnotes 6 is the best note-taking app on iPadOS. The latter excels as a file organizer and a PDF viewer, so if you care about that functionality, you should choose Goodnotes 6. While Notability does have a file and folder system, it is relegated to the app's sidebar and isn't very user-friendly. However, Goodnotes lets you fully customize folders and files, and you can organize them however you want. This is great for high school and college, where you'll want to sort files based on the class or school year they're needed for.

I think Notability is the better app for handwriting and drawing, but Goodnotes 6 is way better as a text editor. The user-interface looks like something out of the Microsoft 365 suite, and that's a compliment. You can have drawings and text in the same document, but the controls in the toolbar conveniently switch to match the type of input you're creating. Plus, when it's time to study, Goodnotes 6 has an artificial intelligence study tool that will create practice questions based on your notes. There are some other AI-based tools available too, like spellcheck for your handwritten notes. It's a free app to download, but you'll want to get the $10 per year subscription to unlock all the best features.

Goodnotes 6 on the App Store

3 Google Calendar

Great for time management and assignment tracking.

After trying a handful of planning apps, the best one to use is Google Calendar. While you might see how Google Calendar would be great for life planning, you'd be right to point out that it isn't tailored for school use. However, there are a few features that work great for planning your schedule. You can enter your class times as recurring events for the school year and semester and set reminders beforehand, so you'll never be late. Plus, you can enter the classroom number or building as the location of the event, which can save you from heading to the wrong room.

When it comes to tracking assignments, you can add upcoming projects and tests as tasks in your calendar. Then, you can color code each task to match the color of the class you're taking. After a bit of setup time at the beginning of the semester, you can easily see everything you've got coming up in either day, week, or month views. Marking tasks as completed strikes a line through them, so you get that feeling of accomplishment when you finish something. Since Google Calendar is connected to your Google account, your calendar will sync with any device that you are signed in to.

Google Calendar on the App Store

A great way to save big on college textbooks

Outside of tuition, textbooks are one of the biggest education expenses you'll likely incur. You'll probably need at least one per class, and they can cost hundreds of dollars to buy from the bookstore. Instead, look to the Kindle Store on Amazon. In a lot of cases, you can rent or buy the e-book version of a textbook for a fraction of the cost it would be to get your hands on a hard copy. The Kindle App itself is free, so you can access textbooks you've snagged at a discount straight from your iPad. Plus, by going this route, you can make your backpack much lighter since you won't be carrying heavy textbooks.

If you're an avid reader, you can also access your full Kindle library straight from your iPad with this app. There are over 1,000 books included with Amazon Prime, and even more are available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. If you like audiobooks, there's built-in Audible narration for select titles. So, whether you're trying to save big on textbooks or just trying to relax with a book, the Kindle app for iPad is a must for school.

Kindle on the App Store

The best way to study terms and languages

Notes are great for taking in new information, but you'll want a separate app to study your material. Quizlet is the best way to do this, and it's the most advanced flashcard app available for the iPad. Quizlet now boasts a ton of new AI features, with one called Magic Notes that can automatically turn your notes into flashcards. However, this app is best used the old-fashioned way, as just the process of typing out flashcards in a study set can help improve your memory. After you make a digital flashcard set, there are different ways to learn the information, including game-style activities that make cramming feel fun.

The best part of Quizlet is that you can work together with current and past students to help each other study. Most sets are public, and Quizlet says there are over 700 million flashcard sets available on the platform. Chances are if you're using terms from a textbook, there's already a study set made for your chapter. This can save you time in various ways, from finding existing study sets to autofilling definitions that are already stored on Quizlet. If you need to study for something in school, Quizlet should be the first app you launch when you reach for your iPad.

Quizlet on the App Store

6 Google Drive

A workspace great for collaboration and group projects.

Regardless of what your favorite word processor is, there will certainly be a time in school when you need to use Google Workspace. The platform is unmatched in terms of collaboration, as you and your team can work on the same documents at the same time. More importantly, you'll be able to view these changes in real-time and leave comments with your collaborators right in the document. As such, Google Drive and the apps it includes are must-haves for group projects and team exercises in school.

Another great use for Google Drive is for editing. Instead of simply changing content in a document, spreadsheet, or presentation, you can "suggest" edits. When you're in suggesting mode, edits you make will appear in a different colored font, and someone will need to accept the edits before changes are finalized. This is perfect for editing other people's work since both parties can clearly see the changes proposed before they're actually made. Of the apps on this list, Google Drive is the least optimized for iPadOS. However, if you find yourself struggling with the iPad app, loading Google Workspace apps in Safari will launch the unabridged desktop client automatically.

Google Drive on the App Store

7 Microsoft 365

Many schools use microsoft 365, and the whole suite is on ipad.

School systems will either use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 as their email and productivity hubs, but the latter is more common at the collegiate level. Though Microsoft 365 can be a pricey subscription if it's purchased separately, it's often included with tuition. With the single Microsoft 365 app, you can open any Microsoft file on your iPad without missing a beat. There are a ton of reasons you might need to do this in school, from reading syllabuses to reviewing lecture PowerPoints.

Microsoft 365 offers some iPad-specific features that make it a must-have for students with a subscription. For example, there's a scan feature in Excel that can transform your handwritten notes into a digital spreadsheet. The Microsoft 365 app for iPad also features Apple Pencil support in a few ways, and you can easily annotate documents with your stylus. Overall, the Microsoft 365 experience on iPad is comparable to that of a desktop computer, which is high praise for the company's productivity suite.

Microsoft 365 on the App Store

8 Chegg Study

Great for finding the answers to tricky homework problems.

If you're taking a higher-level math or science class, you'll probably want to download the Chegg app. The service provides expert solutions to textbook questions that will either be used as homework questions or practice for a test. Plus, there are experts on the platform that can directly respond to student questions and learning videos available. Chegg doesn't replace actually doing your homework, but it can help you when you find yourself stuck and confused with a deadline fast approaching.

Similar to Quizlet, the Chegg app is successful because it has a lot of supported textbooks. All you have to do is enter the name and edition of your textbook in the app to find a full list of problems and solutions. Unlike just using Google to find the answer, the Chegg app actually shows you how to find the answer with periodic steps. If the problem you're struggling with isn't saved to Chegg, you can open the camera to scan the problem and search for a solution that way. It can be a pain to pay the $16 per month subscription to Chegg Study, but there's truly no app or service like it to help you study.

Chegg Study on the App Store

9 MyScript Calculator

A fun calculator that makes use of the ipad and apple pencil.

MyScript-Calculator-App-iPad-Screenshot-1

A calculator is a necessary download because even in 2023, the iPad still doesn't ship with an official calculator app. While you could choose one of the hundreds of calculator apps on the App Store, one that differentiates itself is the MyScript Calculator. Essentially, this app functions as a blank notebook that you can write on with your finger or Apple Pencil. As you write math problems or equations, the app recognizes your handwriting and completes the operation for you.

While you might be skeptical about how well this works, we've tried it, and this app is a capable calculator for school. If you make a mistake, scribbling the number out with your Apple Pencil serves as an eraser. Best of all, the problems you've completed are saved in the app's history, so you can go back and see your past computations. If you're looking for a clever calculator that is specifically designed for the iPad, the MyScript Calculator is the way to go.

MyScript Calculator on the App Store

Plenty of more apps where those came from

Depending on your program of study, there might be specific and more niche apps that help you out. For example, there are a ton of health and science apps for medical students. If you're studying law, there are apps that will help you ace the LSATs and complete your undergraduate degree. However, the eight picks on this list should be useful to all students, as they're simply designed to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Some of these services and apps are completely free, while others come with a one-time or subscription fee. But, the paid options on this list are only recommended because they really do add that much value to your learning experience. All the apps will work with recent iPad models, but if you still need a tablet for school, the iPad Air 5 is a great choice. It's right in the middle of the iPad lineup and features a desktop-class chip, a modern design language, and second-generation Apple Pencil support.

Apple iPad Air (2022)

The 2022 5th-generation iPad Air is powered by the Apple M1 processor, it supports 5G for the first time, and it comes in an array of beautiful colors.

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Best iPad for students in 2024: Get more done at school with a brand new Apple tablet

Tried, tested, and ranked: The best iPads for college.

Best overall

Best for drawing, best for taking notes, best for engineering students, best for editing students, how we test.

iPad (2022) with Notes app open to a cocktail recipe sitting next to a cocktail glass

Quick list 1. Best overall 2. Best for drawing 3. Best for taking notes 4. Best for engineering students 5. Best for editing students 6. Q&A 7. How we test

The best iPad for students is the one that fits your budget and provides as much power as possible. Where some might want something super small to take down notes on the go, others may need something capable of running the best drawing apps with no complications. The best iPad choice for students is very different from the best iPad overall so you need to look at different factors.

If you don't have a very specific function or feature in mind when picking out your device, we recommend getting the iPad 10th generation as it is still powerful and recently had a good price cut. However, if you're looking for something a little different, we have picked out the five best iPads you can buy right now, and why you should consider adding them to your current setup.

After you have finally gone through the list and picked the best iPad for you, make sure to check out the best iPad keyboards if you plan on writing on your brand-new device.

These are the best iPads for students right now, why you should look around the whole market and what each one does best.

iPad 10th gen product shot on a white background

The tenth generation iPad hits the happiest medium in the whole iPad line. It's more powerful and modern than the 9th gen iPad and priced lower than the iPad Air. It's perfect for students with all the smart accessories that you'll need as well.

1. iPad (2022)

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Should you upgrade or buy an iPad 10th generation now?

The 2022 iPad 10th generation is starting to show its age now and we could see the 11th generation launching over the next year or so but a recent price reduction still makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking for an iPad.

This is the latest iPad model, and our review makes it clear how much we love this colorful tablet. We also reckon that it's going to be the best iPad for students, with all the features you could ever need for a great price. For $250 less than the iPad Air, the only thing you’re really going to miss out on is the M2 chip and perhaps Apple Pencil Pro support. For $349, however, you’re going to get everything you need out of an iPad, wanting for nothing.

The screen is a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina piece with a healthy 2360x1640 resolution. It’ll make pretty much everything you do with it look great, and it's fantastic for reading digital texts for school, taking notes during class, and watching prerecorded lectures. It features true tone too, making everything look warm and rich, and there’s a nice oleophobic coating over the top to stop fingerprints from making the surface of the screen an oily mess.

On the inside, there’s now the A14 Bionic — which may not be the M2, but is plenty powerful enough for pretty much everything a student could be doing. There’s a new Magic keyboard accessory, and you can hook up an Apple Pencil first-generation or USB-C Apple Pencil to take those handwritten notes. It charges over USB-C now, which also means you can hook in dongles to get more ports and even plug in external drives. Helpfully, the front camera has been shifted to the side of the device to make those weekly Facetime calls to home in landscape mode a lot easier to hold.

There have been some cost-cutting measures here — there’s no lamination to the screen, so it can sound a little hollow when you’re tapping around, and there’s only Touch ID instead of Face ID. No matter what, however, you’re getting an experience close to the iPad Air for a lot less money.

iPad Air 6 at Apple's Battersea London press showcase

2. iPad Air (2024)

Should you upgrade or buy an iPad Air now?

Given this has just recently replaced the older iPad Air, this is the perfect time to get one if you're looking to buy one new as it will likely last you a few years before the next upgrade.

It’s undeniable that the iPad Air 2024 is one of the best iPads of all time. It continued the bezel-less, edge-to-edge display found in the previous iPad Air and has a beefy M2 chip to go alongside it. If it wasn't for the price, it would be the absolute best iPad for students. It has been dethroned by the iPad 2022, but that doesn’t mean that it's still not a great option for students who might need a little extra from their tablet.

The 2732x2048 display is very similar to the display on the new iPad 10th-gen, with great color reproduction and stellar display angles. It is glossy, so it will suffer in direct sunlight, but it is still great for work, research, and relaxation. It also features P3 and True Tone, so everything will look vibrant and colorful, while the oleophobic coating negates finger smudges.

The biggest thing is going to be that M2 chip. It’s the same as you’ll find in the far more expensive (and now outdated) iPad Pro from 2022, and it’ll power everything more than you could ever need in a student tablet. That will mean that with the latest version of iPadOS, you’ll be able to make use of stage manager, making the iPad a little more laptop-like. You’ll also be able to use Apple Pencil Pro , as well as the associated Magic Keyboard accessory that you can get separately. Opt for the 5G model, and you’ll be able to use the internet on the go — but you’ll also have to pay a fairly hefty premium.

The main differences between the Air and the new Pro are the lack of ProMotion on the display, no Face ID, and the M4 chip, which is a decent bit more powerful than the M2. These are by no means completely necessary for students, and you’ll still be getting more power than the standard iPad 2022, so it's great for students who need something a little beefier.

3. iPad mini 6

Should you upgrade or buy an iPad mini now?

The iPad mini is ready for an upgrade, and we might see it this year — worth holding out on this one for now.

If the rest of the iPad line is a little too big for you, then you should take a look at the iPad Mini 6 . It looks an awful lot like a smaller iPad Air and shares a good few similarities and features with the new iPad 10th gen. If you need an iPad that will fit easily in any bag, then this is the one for you. It's perfect for taking notes too — you don't need a massive screen to jot down some comments while in a lecture, and it will fit in small bags for the ultimate portable companion.

The iPad Mini features an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with a body that looks like a smaller version of the iPad Air or the iPad 10th generation. There’s no home button, instead relying on the touch screen for home screen navigation. This also means no Touch ID on the front — but worry not, for Apple has simply shifted it to the top edge on the power/lock button. There’s also a USB-C charging port on the bottom, so if you’ve got a MacBook or you have an iPhone 15 , then you’ll never have to worry about not having a cable. The data speeds offered by that port aren’t quite as speedy as those on the iPad Air, but they’ll be plenty speedy enough for most people.

The A15 Bionic in the iPad Mini 6 is a very powerful little chip, capable of some impressive performance. It's one thing to look at Apple’s claims of "40% faster than the last model" with "80% more graphics performance", but it's also important to think about what this means for students and their workloads. Whatever happens, the iPad Mini is going to smash through pretty much all but the heaviest workloads, dealing with paper writing, video watching, and even some light photo editing.

Those photos you’ll be editing could well be from the little 12MP rear camera, which is more than capable of taking some fantastic shots. The front camera is also 12MP and has a larger field of view for Center Stage, making those class meetings a little more visually appealing for everyone you’re talking to. There’s also support for Apple Pencil 2, so art students rejoice, and there are some really solid landscape speakers for when you fancy listening to some tunes or watching a spot of Severance.

The biggest issue with the iPad Mini 6 is the price — it now sits just between the iPad 10th-gen and the iPad Air, costing around $499 full price. It is frequently reduced, though, so make sure you check out the best iPad deals to find the best price for you.

iPad Pro with M4 at Apple's Battersea headquarters

4. iPad Pro (2024) — 11-inch

Should you upgrade or buy an iPad Pro 11-inch now?

Given the new iPad Pro has just recently launched, now is the perfect time to make that upgrade. It comes with a beefy new M4 chip, and is the first iPad to be created with an OLED screen.

If you have money to spare, then you can’t go wrong with the iPad Pro. It’s available in two large sizes, in the form of an 11-inch version and the 13-inch option, so you can pick a size that's good for you. If you want the cheapest way to get an OLED iPad then the 11-inch version is the option you want. If it's a full laptop replacement, then the much larger 13-inch is the one you wanna go with. Either way, you’re going to get Apple's new Ultra Liquid XDR OLED display with ProMotion, which not only looks excellent but ups the response to 120HZ, smoothening your experience even further.

The iPad Pro has also got a pretty cool upgrade up its sleeve — an M4 chip. That chip is super duper impressive in testing, and for students, it's mostly going to be overkill — unless you’re going to be doing loads and loads of video editing, or other strenuous tasks. There are loads of storage options, too, going all the way up to 2TB. For doing normal, everyday college or school work, this is a lot, but it's also going to last a long time, so you might not have to upgrade quite as much — spending more now may save you some money in the future.

The rear cameras remain the same as from the previous model, with wide and ultrawide options, so you can take photos of all your documents, presentations, and other school work. The camera on the front of the device features Center Stage, so you’ll always be in the picture when you’re chatting with coursemates or watching online lectures and remotely joining study groups, but has lost the UltraWide front camera of the previous iPad Pro.

The M4 chip will also let you play with one of the coolest of iPadOS 16 from last year — Stage Manager. Stage manager only works on M-chip-equipped iPads, and organizes your apps and windows as tiny screenshots along the left side of the screen, becoming more like a Mac or laptop than ever.

You’re also going to want some of the best iPad Pro accessories to with it, such as the Apple Pencil Pro or Magic keyboard. The biggest drawback of the iPad Pro (2024) is the price — the iPad Pro (2024) 11-inch starts at $999, and the iPad Pro (2024) 13-inch will cost you upwards of $1299 — that’s a lot to ask from any student.

5. iPad Pro 13-inch

Should you upgrade or buy an iPad Pro 13-inch now?

Not only is the M4 iPad Pro 13-inch model very new but it's so powerful that you likely won't want to replace it when the next model launches anyway. This is an expensive commitment but well worth the money in the long run.

The iPad Pro 13-inch is the no-holds-barred iPad. It's big, with the largest screen of the whole range, powerful, with the laptop grade M4 chip, and portable with a very slim chassis. For those looking for the best of the best, then the iPad Pro 13-inch is, in essence, the last word in tablet computing. Not much comes close to what many might consider a very solid laptop replacement when you equip it with a magic keyboard accessory.

The main upgrade from the previous version is the M4 chip on the inside and that fantastic new OLED screen, which looks even better in the 13-inch model.

Q&A — The best student iPad

What is the best ipad for students.

You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.

Every single iPad has something for a student, but our pick is the iPad (2022). It’s got almost all of the best features of the line for a great price, such as the new screen and form factor, along with some great colors. It may not be the powerhouse of the iPad Pro or the iPad Air, but you’ll get everything you need.

The new design and edge-to-edge display gives you tonnes of room for reading and taking notes, and the storage options give you plenty of room for all your work. Support for Apple Pencil lets you take handwritten notes, and the smart connector will let you hook up a keyboard case. The chip may not be cutting-edge, but it is plenty for almost everyone.

The rest of the range has highlights for students too. Space savers will find plenty to love with the iPad Mini 6. Those who want a little more power will find exactly what they want in the iPad Air, while students who need the most power will be very happy with the iPad Pro. There really is an iPad for everyone.

We test iPads with loads of different use cases in mind, taking them to task and running them through their paces to make sure that we feel good about telling you to buy one. In the case of student use cases, we look at a couple of different things to make sure we know who to recommend it to, but also how good it will be.

The simplest part is testing the power of the iPad — that can tell us what tasks it's going to be good at. We do benchmarks of iPads we test so that we can compare them with the other models in the line, as well as stack them up against the competition from outside the Apple camp. This gives us an idea of what you'll be able to do with the iPad, from taking notes and writing papers to doing more complex computational tasks like programming and media editing.

We test the screens as well, checking them in differing light levels. This tells us where you're going to be able to use the iPad with outside lighting taken into account, but also whether the screen is up to tasks that an art student might want.

We also thoroughly check the battery life of the iPad so that we know whether it's going to last you through the day. You want something that you're not going to be constantly reaching for a charger for, after all.

There are other testing criteria that we use when testing iPads, but these are the most relevant to those looking for the best iPad for students.

Now is the perfect time to buy... for some

If you have settled on picking up an iPad Air or iPad Pro, now is the perfect time to pick one up as you will get the longest life out of it before the next upgrade but it may be worth waiting if you want to pick up an iPad mini as that's due a refresh. Though the iPad 10 will likely be refreshed this year too, a new price makes it worth picking up regardless.

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As iMore's Senior Staff writer, Tammy uses her background in audio and Masters in screenwriting to pen engaging product reviews and informative buying guides. The resident audiophile (or audio weirdo), she's got an eye for detail and a love of top-quality sound. Apple is her bread and butter, with attention on HomeKit and Apple iPhone and Mac hardware. You won't find her far away from a keyboard even outside of working at iMore – in her spare time, she spends her free time writing feature-length and TV screenplays. Also known to enjoy driving digital cars around virtual circuits, to varying degrees of success. Just don't ask her about AirPods Max - you probably won't like her answer.

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Back to School: The 9 Best iPad Apps for College Students

By Danny Maiorca 0 comments Last updated November 16, 2023

Relaxing over the summer break is crucial, but using this break from your studies is also a good opportunity to think ahead to the upcoming academic year. If you want to optimize your productivity once your break has ended, you might want to consider using an iPad.

2. Evernote

3. calendar, 4. google drive, 6. shortform, your ipad can be your best tool when you go to college.

Notion is an excellent companion for long-term planners. The app lets you create notes, lists, and workflows – with plenty of templates available. You can use Notion for setting specific course-related goals, and it’s also helpful if you want to create reading lists.

As a student, you can also use Notion to journal and track your process throughout the year. Syncing your pages across devices is easy; all you need to do is sign into your account somewhere else, and everything will appear. If you plan to do that, you’ll find a Notion app for your smartphone – and you can also sign in via your computer’s browser.

Notion is free to download and use; the free plan lets you create as many pages as you want. You can join a paid subscription if you need additional features, but you probably won’t.

Download Notion for iPad

Screenshot of the Evernote app interface

Sure, you can buy a notepad and write your lecture and reading notes with a pen. But once you’ve written a significant amount, keeping everything organized becomes a huge challenge – regardless of how much color coding you use. Storing your notes digitally makes referring to them later much simpler, and Evernote is an excellent iPad app in this respect.

You can use Evernote to create notes for each of your lectures and any books you read. To keep everything even more organized, you can also make notebooks for different modules, chapters, and so on.

Evernote’s free version lets you write notes, clip web pages, and more. If you need a more complex plan, you can purchase one of the paid subscriptions.

Download Evernote for iPad

From lectures to deadlines and social events, you can quickly find student life overwhelming if you don’t manage your time. Putting everything in a calendar is the easiest way to ensure that you meet all of your obligations.

While you will find several calendar apps for your iPad, the native Calendar app is one of the easiest to use. You can create alerts, add attachments, and adjust times. If you’ve got a deadline and you have to submit your assignment online, you can even add the submission URL.

Your Calendar will sync across other devices you’ve logged into with your Apple ID. The app is pre-installed, but you can redownload it from the App Store if you previously deleted it.

Download Calendar for iPad

Screenshot of the Google Drive app on the App Store

Google Drive is one of the best apps for keeping your assignments organized. You can access your documents from other devices by logging into your Google account, including your iPad.

Using Google Drive on your iPad lets you edit documents on the go, and granting access to other users is also straightforward. To continue working on your projects, you will need to download Google Sheets, Docs, or Slides.

Google Drive is free to use; all you need to do is create a Google account.

Download Google Drive for iPad

Screenshot of the Slack app on the App Store

Slack is one of the world’s most popular communication tools. You might find yourself using it in one of your postgraduate jobs, but it’s also a great way for classes to keep in touch with one another.

You can create channels on Slack that allow you to quickly share information with your classmates, making it an excellent choice when working on group projects. Your professor or university might also announce important updates via the platform.

Slack is free to use, and you can see up to 10,000 recent messages with this plan. The free version of Slack also lets you have up to one channel. Paid editions are available, and the pricing is relatively affordable.

Download Slack for iPad

When putting together your assignments, you will probably need to read hundreds – if not thousands – of sources. Absorbing all of that information is tricky; luckily, you will find several apps that help the information stick.

Shortform is an app that lets you read book summaries for thousands of titles. The app allows you to segment based on several categories, and you can also add your own notes for books that you’re reading.

Shortform costs $24 per month if you purchase a month-to-month subscription. You can save a bit of money by getting the annual plan, which costs $16.42 per month.

Download Shortform for iPad

Screenshot of the Zoom app on the App Store

While many universities have returned to in-person lectures and seminars, you might still want to hold meetings with your classmates for projects. You can use Zoom if that sounds like you, and you’ll probably also use it if you’re studying a course remotely.

Zoom lets you easily set up and hold group discussions, and you can – if you’re feeling adventurous – customize your background. The app has plenty of extra features, including chat functions.

The free version of Zoom lets you host meetings up to 40 minutes long and invite a maximum of 100 guests. Those limits will be more than enough for most people, but you can get a paid subscription if your needs are larger.

Download Zoom for iPad

If you’re looking for an alternative to the Evernote iPad app, OneNote might take your fancy. Developed by Microsoft, the app lets you create notebooks and divide your notes into different pages. You can also use OneNote for making checklists and more.

When looking for notes, you can use the app’s search feature. OneNote also lets you create tags that will help you find everything you need more efficiently.

OneNote is free to use; you’ll need to sign up for a Microsoft account beforehand. In addition to your iPad, you can download OneNote on your Mac and iPhone – along with other devices.

Download OneNote for iPad

If we look at project management apps with extensive free features, Trello is one of the best. The app lets you create boards and cards, making it easy for you to track the progress of your assignments and other university projects.

With your projects in Trello, you can make checklists and add labels – along with altering deadlines. Once you’re finished in one section, you can move the card to the next. Repeat this process until you’re finished, after which you can mark it as complete.

The free version of Trello lets you add up to 10 boards for each of your workspaces. Paid plans start at $5 per month, but you probably won’t need one if you’re tracking individual projects.

Download Trello for iPad

Keeping your workflow organized is one of the best ways to ensure that you remain productive during the college year. Digitizing as much as possible will reduce clutter in your bag and workspace, allowing you to focus on completing your assignments to a high standard.

The apps mentioned in this article cover a broad range of needs you might encounter as a student. Once you start using them, you should find managing your tasks much simpler.

Danny has been a professional writer since graduating from university in 2016, but he’s been writing online for over a decade. He has been intrigued by Apple products ever since getting an iPod Shuffle in 2008 and particularly enjoys writing about iPhones and iPads. Danny prides himself on making complex topics easy to understand. In his spare time, he’s a keen photographer.

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The best apps to help with homework on iPhone and iPad

Back in the day, the only way for kids to get help with homework was with a parent, guardian, or sibling. And while this was well and good for elementary school, middle school and especially high school aged kids had to hope the person helping had the knowledge in all subjects for that assistance.

But now, children of all ages can receive the help they need with their computer or mobile device. There’s nothing wrong with apps that explain concepts to kids in a way for them to not just complete their homework but understand what they’re learning too.

If you have a child in your life that could use a little help with their assignments this school year, this list is for you. These are some of the best iPhone and iPad apps to help kids with homework.

Apps for homework help

‎brainly – homework help app.

For help with everything from math to physics to law, Brainly is a homework helper worth checking out. Type your questions or snap a photo and then browse through search results or ask your specific question.

Brainly notable features:

Search the community base for answers to questions just like yours. Remember, you’re probably not the first student to get stuck.
Type in your question or capture a photo of it. This makes getting help with math homework that much easier.
Help others with answers to their questions. This is a great way to get help and give it at the same time.

Brainly is a terrific app to start with for help in a variety of subjects. You can use it for free, set up a profile to join the community, and use it across devices and the web.

Availability : iPhone, iPad, Android, and the web
Cost : Free with an option for Brainly Plus which lets you remove the ads, get help faster, and more

Chegg Study – Homework Help

Similar to Brainly, Chegg Study can help you with many subjects like calculus, business, chemistry, and more. Type in your question and then review the Expert Q&A or Textbook Solutions tabs for answers.

Chegg Study notable features:

Get step-by-step answers to your questions straight from textbooks that you can reference. This helps to understand the concepts better.
Receive personalized answers to those questions you cannot find in the Expert Q&A section. Sometimes expert help is exactly what you need.
Purchase books related to topics you need help with direct from Chegg Books. You can browse a huge selection of helpful books.

Many features are available on Chegg Study without a subscription. But for help throughout your student career, take a look at the monthly plan.

Cost : Free with an option for a monthly subscription which lets you ask the experts for help and see all homework answers in the knowledge base

Course Hero | Homework Help

With Course Hero, you can enter your school for a personalized experience and see assignments and references. Ask five tutor questions to get started, upload documents, and view your library of questions and materials.

Course Hero notable features:

Use the search to find relevant resources, study questions, and notes. Start typing and you’ll see suggestions immediately.
Add courses you’re taking to see assignments direct from your school. You’ll see details, instructors, and more.
Visit your courses in the library for Q&A and check out study materials in a convenient spot.

Course Hero is a good app to look at for connecting directly to your school, college, or university. It simply makes the process of getting help with assignments and finding resources easy.

Cost : Free with an option for a subscription which lets download 30 study materials per month, ask up to 40 tutor questions, get 24/7 homework help, and more

Study tools and references

For additional aids in completing assignments, understanding concepts, and studying for exams, review these free tools.

Quizlet : Create, study, and share flash cards, practice for exams, and play learning games.
Chemistry & Periodic Table : Discover chemical reactions, reference the periodic table, and get information on chemical elements.
Chemical Equation Dictionary : Review chemical substances with images, check chemical equations with full details, and use chemistry tools.
Chegg Math Solver : Scan or snap a photo of a math equation, review steps and sub-steps to solve the problem, and get help with algebra and calculus.
GeoGebra Graphing Calculator : Graph functions and equations, get special points of functions like roots and interactions, and save your results with friends and teachers.

Wrapping it up

Nothing beats getting the help you need with your homework and assignments. Hopefully one or more of these apps will do just that for you!

If you have a different homework helper that you’d like to recommend for iPhone and iPad, please share it in the comments below so other students can give it a try!

For more help, take a look at these student planners for iPhone or these Apple Watch apps to play your school schedule .

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The 6 Best Homework Apps to Help Students (and Parents)

These apps won't do all the work for them

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Getting homework done can be difficult. While the information might make sense in the classroom , some students don't retain that knowledge. When your child needs extra help, there are apps to help with homework. These solutions help both students and parents succeed.

The apps in this article are free to download, and some may include in-app purchases .

Easy to use with over 30 languages to learn.

ESL courses to strengthen English skills.

The interface can be clunky at times.

It has a limited vocabulary.

This popular language-learning app sits at the top of both the iOS and Android app stores as an excellent solution to strengthen foreign language skills. Whether your child wants to learn outside of their curriculum or wishes to practice what they learned in class, Duolingo is an excellent addition to any digital device.

With over thirty languages to choose, your child can practice German, Italian, Spanish, French, or dozens of other languages. If your student is currently enrolled in ESL courses, they can strengthen their English skills from the bottom-up.

Unlike other language learning solutions that focus on memorizing vocabulary, Duolingo uses a combination of reading, writing, and speaking exercises to create a more natural learning experience.

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It's great for helping math students who fall behind.

The built-in calculator allows for smart, on-the-fly calculations and 2D graph plotting.

It's somewhat limited depth. Wrong answers don't provide much room for learning why an answer is incorrect.

Mathematics can be one of the most challenging courses for students, with complicated steps that are quickly forgotten after a long school day. Especially challenging is that many parents struggle to help their children with subject matter that they haven't been acquainted with for years. Photomath is an excellent solution for struggling mathematicians.

Children can scan complex or simple math problems, learning how to solve them with step-by-step instructions. A built-in calculator improves the experience, allowing for smart, on-the-fly calculations and 2D graph plotting abilities. Linear equations, logarithms, trigonometry, functions, and basic algebraic expressions are only a few of Photomath's vast capabilities.

Great music learning app with tools for learning and practicing guitar, bass, piano, and more.

Voice-overs and instructional design lack the human touch that helps when learning an instrument.

One school subject that is sadly overlooked is music. Music is an area of study that has been proven to increase a child's language and reasoning skills, fine-tune their motor skills, and decrease stress levels. So, if your child is trying to learn a musical instrument and struggling, consider investing in Yousician. This app allows students to practice guitar, bass, piano, or ukulele.

Students can practice their instruments along with the charts and diagrams that display on the screen. They'll receive real-time feedback when they miss a note or fall out of tune. Included step-by-step video tutorials are available to show your child how to be proficient in a specific skill set. Practicing an instrument has never seemed so natural. With different genres of music available, your child can quickly sort out their favorites.

Khan Academy

A range of subjects, from kindergarten mathematics to advanced placement physics.

More than 150,000 interactive exercises.

There's not much room for creativity, collaboration, or alternative teaching styles.

Ready to increase your knowledge in math, science, computing, history, economics, and more? Whether as an educational tool for your child, or an extra app for a parent to enjoy in their free time, everyone can use Khan Academy to unlock a world of education. Children can practice anything from kindergarten mathematics to advanced placement physics. Quickly access a collection of portable courses on-the-go or on your computer.

The Khan Academy app offers over 150,000 interactive exercises to strengthen old or new skills. Additionally, you can download content for offline study so that you have access to it no matter where you are. Parents wishing to learn something new can jump into advanced high school courses or enjoy courses on entrepreneurship and career-building. Khan Academy offers solutions for all ages and skill ranges.

Quizlet Flashcards

A digital flashcard mobile platform that's suitable for all ages.

The focus on memorization is ideal for studying.

The ad-supported platform may be distracting.

User-generated content means some content may be inaccurate.

Do you remember studying for exams and creating piles of flashcards to memorize facts and details? While flashcards can be an excellent method for analyzing new material, they use a large amount of paper that is eventually thrown in the trash. Learn new topics while also saving trees with the Quizlet Flashcards application. Study from existing flashcard sets or create your own.

Quizlet digital flashcards allow students of all ages to practice and excel at various topics using their smartphones. In addition to basic flashcards, Quizlet offers multiple modes to encourage different methods of memorization. If your child attends the same class as another student using Quizlet, the two can share flashcards. Those who use the app to study foreign languages can hear keywords spoken to them in over 18 languages.

PowerSchool

Allows parents and guardians to keep tabs on their child's education.

Access classroom handouts, attendance records, school bulletins, and more.

The complicated interface makes for a rather steep learning curve.

Here's an app that both children and parents can enjoy: PowerSchool Mobile. Many school districts use the PowerSchool system to manage grades and reports. If your child's school is a participant, you can use the mobile app to keep a close eye on your child's educational progress. Depending on how a teacher chooses to use the tool in their classroom, you may also have access to handouts, attendance records, school bulletins, and more.

While not every school offers support for the PowerSchool Mobile application, it is worth checking with your child's teacher to see if the option is available. Sorry kids, but it isn't possible to hide report cards with the PowerSchool app. Parents can manage what push and email notifications they receive from the child's school. You'll become more involved and aware of your child's school performance with this simple mobile app.

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Manage Work or Personal Workflows With This Excellent Project Organizer App

When does facebook messenger notify others about screenshots, these features make the chatgpt desktop app better than the website.

Between classes, assignments, and exams, staying on top of your workload at school isn't easy. You need to put in a lot of effort and dedication if you want to excel at it all. While it's certainly quite the challenge, the good news is that your iPad can be an incredible tool for easing the burden a little bit.

With the right apps, you can transform your iPad into a powerful productivity and organization machine that keeps you engaged during your study sessions. From jotting down notes to getting help with homework, these are some of the most useful iPad apps for students of any age.

1. Apple Books

Apple Books is a native app for iPhones, iPads, and Macs that saves a good bit of money by finding textbooks on sale, some even free. Once you've downloaded these books, you can read them anytime, anywhere, regardless of Wi-Fi, using your Apple device.

With Apple Books, you can annotate and highlight important passages, jot down notes, and bookmark individual pages for easy reference. If you're studying while commuting or in a dimly lit room, you can easily adjust the text size, font, and screen brightness to your liking.

All your notes and bookmarks will sync across your iCloud devices, so you can pick up where you left off on your iPhone or Mac. The best part about Apple Books is that you can ditch the heavy backpacks as there's no need to carry gigantic textbooks everywhere you go.

Download: Apple Books (Free, in-app purchases available)

Zoom is by far one of the best video conferencing apps to host and join meetings . The app took the world by storm at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced classrooms around the world with virtual remote meetings. In most institutions, Zoom is more of a requirement than an app that's nice to have on hand.

Whenever classes are impossible to teach on campus, your teachers or professors will likely ask you to join an online class in the form of a Zoom meeting. It's currently the platform of choice for video conferencing because of its cross-platform support, recording features, and support for up to 100 participants with the free plan.

Besides attending lectures, you can also ask your friends to join a Zoom call, so you can all study together with ease. The app lets you share your screen, stay on schedule with meeting reminders, and features a whiteboard for on-the-fly diagrams.

Download: Zoom (Free, subscription available)

3. GoodNotes 5

There are a lot of great note-taking apps for the iPad , but GoodNotes 5 is the one that delivers the best experience. The app allows you to create interactive digital notebooks that are more customizable and flexible than paper ones. You can easily add types of text, handwriting, drawings, audio recordings, and anything else you can think of.

It's like a blank canvas that allows you to dump all your thoughts and ideas into one place. You can then organize those ideas by dragging and dropping any item on the page. The best part is that you can use the Apple Pencil to create handwritten notes that look incredibly realistic. Writing or drawing with this app feels utterly natural and fluid.

GoodNotes 5 offers a lot more, such as annotation for PDFs, collaboration features, and the ability to turn handwriting into regular text.

Download: GoodNotes 5 (Free, subscription available)

4. Google Calendar

Google Calendar is great for organizing your class schedule and studying sessions, as it syncs all your classes, assignments, exams, and other events in one place, so you never miss a beat. Once you've added your class schedule, you'll get notifications 15 minutes before each class starts. You can even add the location of each class so you know exactly where to go.

For assignments and exams, you can add them to your calendar as soon as they are announced. Set reminders for the day before and the day of the due date so that you don't forget about anything. The app is also great for organizing study groups and project meetings.

Download: Google Calendar (Free)

5. Sketchbook

When paired with an Apple Pencil, iPads are just as capable as full-fledged drawing tablets . This is mainly thanks to the dozens of versatile drawing and designing apps available on the App Store, and Sketchbook is one of the best out there.

Thanks to a wide range of brushes, colors, and customizable tools, you can experiment with different techniques and styles effortlessly. It also features a layering system similar to Photoshop, letting you work on multiple elements simultaneously.

While the app is great for art school and expressing yourself, it offers a lot of utility in other areas as well. For example, architecture students can use measuring tools to create detailed floor plans or 3D models. Those who're into fashion design can use it to sketch clothing designs with accurate proportions.

This versatility makes the app an excellent tool to try, even if you're into drawing or sketching. It's good enough that you might end up getting addicted to using the Apple Pencil.

Download: Sketchbook (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. Google Docs

If you're still using offline word-processing apps for typing, whether that's for term papers, essays, or applications, you need to switch to Google Docs. It's a must-have as all your documents are backed up and stored in your Google Drive, where you can view them at any time.

It's also great for collaborating with other students on group projects. You can just share a link that gives your friend editing access to the document and let them pick up where you left off. If you have some thoughts to share, you can highlight certain sections of the document and leave comments.

Google Docs saves automatically as you type, so you'll never lose work if your iPad crashes or loses power. It also has cross-platform support since it's a web-based app, meaning you won't lose access to your documents no matter what device you're using.

Download: Google Docs (Free)

7. Chegg Study

If you ever feel like you can't figure out a math equation or are stumped on the themes to cover in your English paper, you need to download Chegg. It's an app that helps you do your homework with resources that include textbook solutions, Q&A sections, and videos. You can also find flashcards for just about any course you can think of.

Chegg also gives you 24/7 support thanks to help from expert tutors. You can ask any question or snap a photo of your homework to receive answers from verified Chegg experts. However, there's a good chance your question has already been answered in the library of 60 million fully solved homework questions.

Download: Chegg Study (Free, subscription available)

Ace Your Classes With These Must-Have iPad Apps

All these apps help you improve your learning experience in some way and allow you to stay ahead of the curve in your classes. It's surprising just how good the iPad is as a learning tool for students of all ages. The fact that so many note-taking and drawing apps work flawlessly with the Apple Pencil makes the experience even better.

On top of that, modern-day iPads are powered by excellent processors. Some of them even feature the same Apple Silicon chips found in MacBooks. However, iPads are still not a proper replacement for MacBooks, mainly because of some of the limitations of iPadOS.

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13 Best Notetaking Apps for iPad for 2024

Feb 15, 2024

By Lindsay Armstrong

13 Best Notetaking Apps for iPad for 2024

If you’re a serious notetaker, you know that just having an iPad and an Apple Pencil isn’t enough.

The app you use for notetaking can have a huge impact on the quality of your notes.

But there are hundreds of apps to choose from, and not all apps are created equal.

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at 13 of the best notetaking apps in the App Store.

Let’s dive in.

Notetaking: Handwritten or typed?

While there’s no “correct” way to write your notes, one of the things you’ll have to decide early on is whether you should handwrite or type them.

Based on the research we’ve seen, data suggest that taking notes by hand is better than using a laptop . As with pen and paper, handwriting is slower, but it gives your mind more time to absorb what you’re writing. While keyboarding is more efficient, for many notetakers, notes created in this way simply lack the sticking power that comes with using traditional methods.

With that in mind, most of the apps below are designed for handwriting your digital notes using your iPad and your Apple Pencil .

While some apps on our list have some keyboard-based functionality — like Nebo and Apple Notes — we’re looking at these apps through the lens of notetakers planning to handwrite their notes.

But however you choose to do it, keep in mind that taking notes is essential when you’re trying to learn something. Creating effective notes has been proven to enhance recall and improve study sessions, resulting in greater academic success.

Find the best app and notetaking system that works for you and stick to it!

#caption#Image: Deniz Kurtoglu / Paperlike

#alt#A title card for the Notability app.

With thousands of positive reviews, Notability has certainly proven its worth to notetakers over the years.

This app is most well-known for its audio syncing feature, which allows you to record audio and sync it with handwritten notes while you write, but other apps like Goodnotes have caught on and added this feature, too. However, Notability also recently introduced audio transcripts, which include time-stamped text of your recordings.

#caption# The Notability interface makes navigation simple and easy. Switch between folders/sections using the left sidebar. Select a note by tapping on it. Create a new note by tapping on the + New button in the top right. (Image: Notability / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt# A screenshot picturing the Notability user interface featuring a selection of folders on the left sidebar and a collection of notes on the right selection interface.

To set itself apart, Notability also boasts some unique features. Multi-note support gives users the ability to open two notes and arrange them in the app for comparison or multitasking. The new Pencil tool provides the app with added versatility, allowing users to draw and sketch.

By combining multitasking tools and technologies like handwriting recognition and math conversion, Notability makes it easier than ever to take notes during classes, meetings, conferences, and everything in between.

In late 2021, Notability switched from a one-time purchase app to a free plan with a premium subscription option called Notability Plus. If you’re looking for an awesome app that doesn’t require an up-front cash investment, Notability is a great option to consider.

Coolest features

Multi-note support allows you to easily compare and work on multiple documents at one time.
Favorite presets make it simple to create and save your favorite tool colors for fast and easy reuse.
Math conversion (premium only) allows you to convert handwritten calculations into common mathematical expressions.
Pencil tool allows for drawing and sketching, with pressure sensitivity and tilt-activated shading.

Main limitations

No iCloud syncing or backups on the free plan creates some risk for notetakers who don’t upgrade.
Limited note edits on the free plan (resets monthly) means that hardcore notetakers could find themselves unable to continue taking notes without an upgrade.
Limited organizational tools force users into a style of note-keeping that may feel restricted or insufficient.

Important details

Pricing: Free plan available; $14.99 per year for the premium plan.
Reviews: Notability is currently rated 4.7 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 286,000+ reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac.
Links: Download app / View website .

#alt#A title card for the Goodnotes 6 app.

Goodnotes 6

Goodnotes is a powerhouse for notetakers everywhere. The app comes with everything you need to take notes, write music, mark up PDFs, and more.

One of the biggest differentiators between Goodnotes and other competitors is its abundance of organizational tools. By default, Goodnotes allows you to create Notebooks and store everything within them. This is a fundamental difference from a tool like Notability or Apple Notes, where your ability to organize is somewhat constrained by the software.

#alt# A screenshot picturing the Goodnotes interface, featuring various folders and notebooks.

Of course, Goodnotes doesn’t stop there. The app offers a powerful search function, onboard handwriting recognition , AI-powered tools, and much more. You can use these features to annotate and mark up your imported documents. The app also syncs with iCloud and third-party storage so that you can keep your notes with you at all times.

So, what’s the downside?

While there aren’t a ton of cons to Goodnotes, the lack of a favorites toolbar is a common feature that is (sadly) missing here.

Notebook creation tools provide an unparalleled level of customization for notebooks and notes.
Infinite, nested storage enables users to store folders within folders and create an organizational structure that suits their needs.
Favorites section allows you to locate any note, document, or page in seconds from a single location.
Text conversion is clunky and difficult to deal with. It works well, but converting handwritten text to typed text is a tedious process.
Lack of a favorites toolbar means that you’ll need to reformat your tools each time you select or change them. While the app saves some settings, like pen width and color, resetting your tools still feels more involved than it should be.
Pricing: Limited free plan available; $9.99/year subscription or $29.99 one-time purchase from the App Store for the full version.
Reviews: Goodnotes 6 app currently has 4.7 stars derived from a total of 238,000+ reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Beta version for Windows and Android.

Goodnotes is most often compared against Notability, and the two apps have had a friendly rivalry for years. Read our in-depth comparison of both apps.

#alt#A title card for the Apple Notes app.

Apple Notes

Believe it or not, Apple Notes has been around since the early days of digital notetaking. The app launched with the first version of iOS, way back in 2007. Originally, it was a mobile version of the Notes app that has been (and continues to be) a staple on the Mac operating system.

Why does all that matter? Because the Notes app is older than any other app on our list, and its longevity makes it clear that it isn’t going anywhere.

As a notetaking app, Apple Notes has come a long way. Like most of the other notetaking apps, it comes with the usual tools (pens, highlighters, etc.), and they’re all arranged in a toolbar that can be moved around on the screen for added workspace customization.

But, while Apple Notes might seem a bit bland, it has a few unique features that will surprise you.

#caption#While text and handwriting can coexist in Apple Notes, they’re given distinct sections on the note. Notice how the lines separating the handwriting from the text runs the entire length of the note. (Image: Apple Notes / Screenshot by Scott Summers / Paperlike)

#alt#A screenshot picturing a note created in Apple Notes. The top and bottom parts of the typed text are separated by a handwritten sentence.

You can open a Quick Note on your iPhone or iPad without even opening the Notes app. This allows you to quickly jot down a thought, save content from the web or another app, and more.

Once you’re done, Quick Notes will appear in their own folder in the app so that they’re easy to find later.

Apple Notes is also one of the few notetaking apps that is set up to create tables and interactive checklists .

But even though this app has a lot of things going for it, Apple Notes isn’t as robust as some of the other apps. The app lacks audio recording features (but you can dictate your notes). It also treats PDFs and other imported files as attachments instead of integrating them into your notes, meaning that editing is limited to annotation and markup.

On the other hand, as part of the Apple ecosystem, you can trust that Apple Notes works on any version of iOS, and on any iOS device, whether you have an iPad Pro or iPad mini. You’ll also find native software for Apple Notes on macOS and watchOS, so you can get notes on your Mac and Apple Watch.

Overall, Apple Notes lacks the flexibility that you’ll see with most of the other notetaking apps listed here, but it’s still a formidable tool, especially for occasional notetakers.

Natively supports handwriting and typing on the same page using various inputs, including fingers, on-screen keyboard, Apple Pencil, and Apple Keyboard.
Allows shading when drawing with the Apple Pencil. Tilt your Apple Pencil to enable shading. You can also press more firmly to create a more intense shading effect.
Recognizes handwritten phone numbers, dates, addresses, and other data. Will enable other options for recognized text, like scheduling events or calling phone numbers directly from the Notes app.
Native iCloud syncing across all Apple devices.
Lacks many customization features, including the ability to create templates or create deeply nested organizational structures.
No onboard syncing for non-iCloud storage. While it’s possible to do this with a little work if you want to back up your notes to Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box, it’s not as simple as flipping a switch.
Limited PDF annotation and markup capabilities force you to conduct these tasks elsewhere — typically using the Markup tool inside the file or image itself.
Pricing: Free!
Reviews: Apple Notes is currently rated at 4.8 stars with 214,000+ reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac.

#alt#A title card for the LiquidText app.

Unlike traditional notetaking apps, which offer a blank page for you to jot down notes, LiquidText is more of a study and research tool designed to help you parse PDFs and other documents.

It works like this: When you open a file in LiquidText, the document is imported into a digital workspace. In the workspace, your document takes up half of the screen, and the workspace takes the other half.

#caption#With LiquidText, you’ll be able to draw connections between nodes on your mindmap, access multiple documents simultaneously, and compile research in a free-form workspace. (Image: LiquidText / Screenshot by Scott Summers / Paperlike)

#alt#A screenshot picturing the LiquidText interface, including a written article on the left, along with a window allowing for the selection of multiple documents. A mind map of notes and excerpts is located on the right side of the screen.

As you read your document, you can highlight and mark up your text as you would in any other notetaking app.

You can also grab snippets of text and pull them to the opposite side of the screen. As you do this, LiquidText will transform these excerpts into small cards that you can move around the workspace.

As you gather data from your document, you can consolidate it into groups, draw lines and make connections between those details, and much more.

While this approach to notetaking is more research-based, it’s definitely a game-changer for anyone looking to parse documents for key details and insights, as LiquidText offers a battery of tools that you won’t find in most other apps.

Infinite workspace allows for a tidy collection of excerpts, comments, and handwritten notes.
Adding multiple documents to a single workspace allows users to create projects centered around a theme or idea and assists in consolidating associated research.
Importing web pages as PDFs is quick and easy thanks to the built-in web browser.
Ability to squeeze and expand documents during research makes critical details much easier to parse and compare.
Snippets and text can easily be lost inside the workspace. Because the workspace is infinite, it’s possible to misplace or forget your snippets if you don’t stay organized.
Workspace often feels cramped, no matter how you choose to set it up.
Not a great fit for everyone. If you aren’t doing major research projects, this app probably isn’t for you.
Pricing: Free plan available; $29.99 for Pro (one-time purchase per platform); $9.99/month for LIVE; $174.99/year for LIVE Unlimited.
Note: LIVE & LIVE Unlimited are both cloud-based subscriptions, and the subscription covers LiquidText on all devices.
Reviews: LiquidText is currently rated at 4.6 out of 5 stars based on 6,000 reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad, Mac, and Windows 10.
Links: Download app / View website .

#alt#A title card for the MarginNote 3 app.

MarginNote 3

The second of the two research tools on our list, MarginNote is similar to LiquidText (featured above) in how it functions and operates.

MarginNote opens your document into a digital workspace where you can highlight and annotate PDFs or select excerpts from the text.

However, where LiquidText focuses on taking handwritten notes and marking up the document (all of which is possible in MarginNote), this software also allows for clipping notes, creating flashcards or mindmaps, and building study outlines.

#caption#MarginNote provides clean, clear connection lines for your mind map, allows for handwritten notes, and much more. (Image: MarginNote 3 / Screenshot by Scott Summers / Paperlike)

#alt#A screenshot picturing the MarginNote 3 interface, including a written article on the right and a mind map of notes and excerpts on the left.

One of the key differentiators in MarginNotes is that much of the mind-mapping generation can be done in a way that looks clean and crisp, with straight lines and blocks that feel sharp and organized.

MarginNote also allows you to compile a single set of notes from multiple sources or files, so if you have several books in a series or several documents where you should combine notes, MarginNote makes it easy to simplify that process.

While this app probably isn’t a replacement for an outright notetaking app like Notability or Goodnotes, it’s a great study tool for students who need to comb through a large number of documents and keep everything organized at the same time.

All notes can be edited and annotated, so you can add context to excerpts as you set them aside.
Flashcard review helps you quickly review notes and study for exams.
Auto Add to MindMap tool allows you to organize excerpts without a ton of dragging and dropping.
Different viewing modes and setups can get confusing. Though useful, it’s easy to get lost during navigation and find yourself struggling to pick up where you left off.
Overabundance of features makes for a steep learning curve.
Auto mind mapping tool can be difficult to set up. The mind map is based on the table of contents, so some forethought is required in how you structure your notes.
Pricing: Free (reader-only) version available; $12.99 for full version.
Upgrades: OCR Pro for $1/month or $9.50/year.
Reviews: MarginNote 3 is currently rated at 4.7 of 5 stars with 4,800 reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac.
Links: Download app / View website

LiquidText and MarginNote 3 are the top PDF annotation and research apps. Check out our comparison of the two here .

#alt#A title card for the Nebo app.

Where apps like Goodnotes and Notability emphasize (and mostly stick to) the idea of handwritten notes, Nebo tries to marry the concept of handwriting and text together within its notebooks.

As with other apps on the market, you can draw freely using Note pages (formerly Freeform), but the app’s Document pages (formerly Regular) are where it really begins to shine.

All Document pages are lined sheets, and users have the option to write using an Apple Pencil or a keyboard. If you choose to handwrite your content, Nebo shows how it’s interpreting your handwriting to text in real time.

#caption#Note how the handwritten text has already been pre-converted in the upper left corner of the text box. While you can keep the text in a handwritten format, Nebo gives you a clear indication that it understood what you wrote. (Image: Nebo / Screenshot by Scott Summers / Paperlike)

#alt#A screenshot of the Nebo interface featuring handwritten and typed text.

You can also mix and match your handwriting and typed text or just convert your handwriting to text. This adds an extra layer of flexibility to Nebo that you won’t really see in other apps.

With the free version, you’ll just have access to the basics, including a limited number of notebooks that you can create. However, you can get a dictionary, convert PDFs, and share your content out in various formats by purchasing the appropriate upgrade pack for a relatively low cost.

It’s also worth pointing out that Nebo is cross-platform compatible, which makes it unique for users who are looking for one of the best iPad note apps that can exist outside of the Apple ecosystem.

Combining handwriting and typed text is an interesting concept that is hinted at in other apps, but Nebo really takes ownership of this feature.
Handwriting and math conversions are second to none, and both features are included at no additional charge.
Having both freeform and lined pages allow you to work in a way that suits you best.
The ability to edit typed text using a stylus adds extra flexibility when editing, revising, or reformatting your text.
Lack of templates, layouts, and other custom formats that you see in apps like Goodnotes, Notability, or Noteshelf .
Formatting can be a pain. While you can adjust text placement by dragging boxes around, fiddling with the indent tools to position text correctly inside the box (or on the page) can be tedious.
Note pages feel subpar compared to competitors. If you’re focused purely on handwriting, this app falls a little short in its feature set.
Pricing: Free version available; $4.99 for Essentials Pack; $4.99 for Connect Pack; $4.99 for PDF Pack.
Note: Packs are sold individually or can be purchased as a bundle for $8.99.
Reviews: Nebo is currently rated at 4.7 of 5 stars with 29,000+ reviews.
Platform: Available on iPad, Mac, Windows, and Android.

#alt#A title card for the CollaNote app.

In many respects, CollaNote is still a work in progress that has gained a massive following in recent years. The app provides a rock-solid notetaking experience with simple and intuitive tools that look good and feel great to use.

Inside the notetaking interface, you’ll find a vast array of pen types and brushes, as well as a few extra goodies.

#caption#In CollaNote, pressure sensitivity is enabled by default, so your text will shrink and grow as you write based on how hard you press your Apple Pencil against the screen. Converted text is framed within a text box and can be adjusted to taste. (Image: CollaNote / Screenshot by Scott Summers / Paperlike)

#alt#A screenshot of the CollaNote interface featuring a combination of handwritten and typed text.

Just like Apple Notes and Notability, CollaNote actively distinguishes between a pen and a pencil, both of which provide a completely different writing experience.

Interestingly, this app provides the largest and most varied selection of unique pens and brushes when compared to other notetaking apps — including major players like Goodnotes and Notability. From vector pens to art and 3D brushes, you’ll have every tool you need to make your notes come to life.

This app also offers tools like the color fill tool to add color quickly and the curve tool to help when creating curved lines (great for charts and graphs).

For text boxes, the app makes it easy to add text and provides layering options that allow you to place your text over other objects.

You can even create flashcards to help you study.

And did we mention that you can collaborate with other CollaNote users by creating an account? It’s that simple.

Even though CollaNote currently lacks some of the features you’d see in more mature apps, it’s well on its way to becoming a major player in the notetaking space.

Robust notetaking toolkit gives you everything you’ll need to take great notes, including a pencil, a vast array of pens and brushes, a color fill tool, a curved line tool, and more.
Collaboration features make it easy to work with other notetakers to generate a group or shared note. An account is required, and notes are stored in your account, not with CollaNote’s servers.
Importing PDFs, images, and other multimedia is fast and easy. With the exception of PDFs, media files reside within a note and are not imported as standalone objects.
Limited to iPadOS and iOS only. While this app does back up to iCloud, it currently offers no platform compatibility with Mac, Windows, or Android.
User interface is an acquired taste. The blocky windows and multiple toggles give the app a unique feel, but it may not be for everyone.
Folders and notes lack customization features and fine-tuning that you see in apps like Goodnotes.
Rigid organizational structure limits how you can format and organize your content.
Pricing: Free version available; $11.90 one-time purchase from the App Store for Premium.
Reviews: CollaNote is currently rated at 4.8 stars with 12,000+ reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad and iPhone only.

#alt#A title card for the Noteshelf app.

Noteshelf is a great compromise between Goodnotes and Notability. You’ll find all the tools you need to take great notes on your Apple, Android, or Windows devices.

The interface provides a streamlined experience that’s easy to navigate, with plenty of customization features — from page templates and notebook covers to different pen types and the colors and sizing of your tools.

It even has a customizable toolbar that allows you to add or remove tools so that it only displays the ones that you like to use.

Noteshelf also offers one of the best interfaces when it comes to magnification. When you need to write smaller text or you want a closeup of your existing notes, the Zoom Box makes it easy to do. It’s highly customizable, and it loads the tool interface on the magnification bar, so you can quickly switch to what you need.

#alt#A screenshot picturing the pen interface and three example lines at varying thicknesses of the ball, fountain, felt, and pencil styles.

Like Notability, Noteshelf features audio recording that you can attach to your notes. While it doesn’t sync with your text, being able to listen to a playback of a lecture or presentation can be extremely helpful.

The sheer amount of organizational capabilities, Focus mode, Noteshelf AI, and advanced customization all make this app perfect for users who take massive amounts of notes.

Advanced customization options, such as a variety of page templates, notebook covers, and tools, allow you to get creative with your notes.
Zoom Box has the tool interface in the magnification bar so that switching between tools is quick and easy while working in this mode.
Customizable Toolbar allows you to pick and choose what tools you want to see on your toolbar and leaves the rest out, so it’s exactly what you need.
Multi-device compatibility allows you to use this app on all Mac devices (including Apple Watch), Windows, and Android devices.
Free version limits how many notes you can take. You only get three notebooks to use on the free version, which likely isn’t enough for serious notetakers. Also, Noteshelf doesn’t offer any free trial on Android or Windows, so you can’t try it before buying it.
Moving notes isn’t a simple process, making reorganizing your notes a bit of a pain.
Not cross-platform compatible. While there are Android, Windows, and iOS versions of this app, the three don’t talk to one another. You can hand off your notes between various Apple products (iPad, iPhone, Watch), but you won’t be able to send your notes from your iPad over to your Android tablet or PC.
Pricing: One-time fee of $9.99.
Reviews: Noteshelf 3 currently has 4.1 out of 5 stars on the App Store, but is relatively new with only 196 reviews .
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch, Windows, and Android.

#alt#A title card for the Evernote app.

If you’re a productivity geek, Evernote is the perfect notetaking app for you. Not only does it have a dedicated section for taking notes, but it also incorporates different sections that’ll help you be more productive, such as a Tasks section for to-do lists and more.

The home dashboard is fully customizable (with an Evernote Premium Plan), so you can organize all your information in a way that makes the most sense for you.

When you’re taking notes, you can choose from more than fifty templates . You’ll find a range of options for work, school, and personal categories.

#caption#Evernote’s structure keeps your notes neat and organized, separating text and handwritten notes. (Image: Evernote / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Image of a typed note with a handwritten section separated into its own box below in Evernote.

Evernote offers a rigid notetaking structure that makes it easy to get your thoughts on the page. Formatting is similar to Word or Google Docs, which doesn’t offer a lot of flexibility, but it does keep your notes neat and tidy.

Unfortunately, this means that you can’t really mix handwriting and text. Like Apple Notes, it’ll keep these sections separate from each other. That’s because it’s not really meant for handwriting in general. You’ll have to enter Sketch Mode to draw or write, and once you’re finished, Evernote converts your work into an image to add to your note.

The app also has plenty of great features that’ll help you be more efficient, including an excellent web clipper (desktop only), audio recording features , and PDF markup tools .

With cross-platform compatibility and the ability to sync across devices in real time, Evernote can help you create the ultimate task management and productivity system.

Dedicated task section helps you keep on top of your to-do lists.
Structured formatting feels familiar thanks to its similarity to word-processing programs and also keeps your notes neat and organized.
Robust web clipper allows you to capture information from your desktop for later use.
Cross-platform compatibility and real-time syncing allow you to work anywhere, anytime.
Sketch mode is the only place you can handwrite, which can be annoying if you don’t like typing out your notes.
Ability to connect to Calendar and add reminders to your task lists is locked behind a subscription.
Only being able to sync two devices on the free plan means you’ll have to pick what platforms you prefer if you don’t want to pay for a subscription.
Pricing: Limited free plan; $14.99/month or $129.99/year for the Personal plan; Professional plans available.
Reviews: Evernote currently has 4.4 out of 5 stars on the App Store with 54,000+ reviews.
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC, and Android.

#alt#A title card for the Microsoft OneNote app.

Microsoft OneNote

Wildly popular and completely free, OneNote is the go-to app for tens of thousands of users interested in taking effective notes.

Like Evernote, this app is geared more toward keyboard-based notetaking, but its handwriting component works beautifully and doesn’t make you switch modes or move to a different section to write. You’ll just hit the Draw tab at the top of the screen to access your writing tools.

OneNote only has one pen type, but you can change the size and color to fit your needs.

And this is what makes OneNote truly unique.

This app’s Ink Color Selector is one of a kind, offering both solid and specialty options, like galaxy, marble, and glitter colors.

#caption#OneNote’s ink colors are completely unique, with options like glitter, marble, and galaxy colors. (Image: OneNote / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Image of the OneNote Ink Color Selector to showcase the unique color options.

OneNote also includes features like a Math Assistant and audio recording that are great for students and a web clipper to capture content from the internet and video recording, which is completely unique to this app (Desktop or Windows app only).

Its onboard organization tools make it a great option for storage, especially for users already integrated with other Microsoft products like OneDrive, Word, Excel, etc.

Ink Color Selector unlike any other app allows you to really get creative by choosing from options like galaxy, marble, and glitter colors.
Math Assistant can solve equations for you, making it great for students or anyone who works with a lot of math equations.
Free version with complete access to all its features. Subscriptions only necessary for storage purposes.
Automatically opens to the last screen used, which can be annoying if you’d like to start a new note or find a different note.
Only backs up to its own servers. You can’t create a backup to any other cloud service.
Only 5GB of storage included on the free plan, which might not be enough if you plan to take a lot of notes.
Pricing : Free! (Note: You can get 100GB of storage for $1.99/month or purchase Microsoft 365 Personal with 1TB of storage and all integrations for $6.99/month.)
Reviews : OneNote currently has 4.7 out of 5 stars with over 851,000 reviews.
Platform : Available for iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC, and Android.
Links : Download app / View website.

Evernote and Microsoft OneNote are the leading apps for productivity. Take a look at our comparison article here .

#alt#A title card for the Zoho Notebook app.

Zoho Notebook

Similar to both Evernote and OneNote, Zoho Notebook is available on a variety of platforms and seamlessly syncs across your devices using its own cloud service. It was awarded Best App of the Year in the App Store in 2016 and has risen in popularity since then.

But as a notetaking app, it takes a different approach than most of the other available apps in this space. It has an aesthetically pleasing UI, and the available covers for your Notebooks are works of art.

Individual notes inside the Notebooks are called Cards, and they look like little (brightly colored) sticky notes. You can change the background color on every note, making it easier to visually differentiate between topics.

#caption#Zoho Notebook turns your notes into different types of cards that look a bit like Post-it Notes. (Image: Zoho Notebook / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Image of the All Notes section in the Zoho Notebook app, which shows all the notes on little cards that look like Post-it Notes.

On top of that, Zoho Notebook offers different Card types (Checklist, Audio, Sketch, and more) to match your notetaking needs.

Most of these are pretty self-explanatory, but the Smart Card is a really neat feature worth mentioning. When you want to save content from the internet or another app, Smart Cards automatically take that information and format it into a beautifully designed Card.

Unfortunately, this is another app that’s geared towards typed text, and you can really only handwrite or draw when you open a Sketch Card. Even the Text Card isn’t super customizable - you can’t even change the font or text size.

But, you can password protect your notes, share, and collaborate with others in real time, which are excellent features in any notetaking app.

Beautiful UI and artwork make this app one of the most aesthetically pleasing.
Post-it Note appearance and colors allow users to easily differentiate between individual notes.
Smart Cards automatically format saved content, keeping these notes nice and neat.
Lack of search capabilities in the free version can make it difficult to find your notes, especially if you have a lot of them.
Limited notecard sizes and storage on the free version mean that if you plan to take a lot of notes, you’ll need to upgrade.
Limited tools for handwriting and customization for typed text make it more difficult to get creative with your notes.
Pricing: Limited free version; $2.49/month or $24.99/year for the full version .
Reviews: Zoho Notebook currently has 4.7 out of 5 stars with 22,000+ ratings.
Platform: Available on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Windows, Android, and Linux.

#alt#A title card for the Pencil Paper Notebook: Penbook app.

Pencil Paper Notebook: Penbook

If you’re looking for a notetaking app that’ll really let you get creative and customize your notes, Penbook might be the answer.

Like Zoho Notebook, this app offers a variety of beautiful Notebook covers, but it doesn’t stop there. With Penbook, you can choose from over 1,000 customization options!

There are page templates for every category, even super niche options for chemists, developers, and musicians. Once you’ve chosen a template, you can change the font, the background and accent colors, and decide how many pages to add to your notebook (don’t worry, you can always add more later!).

#caption#Penbook has over 1,000 customization options for your notes, including page templates for any topic. (Image: Penbook / Screenshot by Lindsay Armstrong / Paperlike)

#alt#Image of the note creation page in the Penbook app showcasing all the different customization options.

The best part?

You can mix and match templates throughout your notebooks, and each page could be something completely different.

If you’re too overwhelmed with all the options, you can choose from a variety of pre-made “Editions” that Penbook has already put together for you.

While the tools are pretty basic (Pen, Pencil, Highlighter), you can change the line thickness and color on each, and you can even customize or use hex codes to get the perfect shade. Once you have what you need, you can add up to six custom tools to your toolbar for easy access in the future.

Unfortunately, navigation throughout the app isn’t as intuitive as we’d like, and there’s a bit of a learning curve when you get started. While the app does offer a user manual, it’s pretty long and involved, and there aren’t any video tutorials or quick guides to help you get going.

Highly customizable, with thousands of different ways to set up and personalize your notes.
Pre-made “Editions” help you skip the Notebook creation process so you can get right to taking notes.
Live Paper automatically fills in the date and time when you create new pages, which can be handy for schedules, journals, and more.
Free version is basically just a free trial, as you only get a single Notebook.
Navigation isn’t intuitive, so it takes some time to learn how to use the app.
Lack of organizational features makes it more difficult to find and keep track of your notes.
Pricing: Free version available; $14.99/yr or $49.99/lifetime for the full version.
Reviews: Penbook currently has 4.6 out of 5 stars with 30,000+ ratings.
Platform: Available for iPhone and iPad.

#alt#A title card for the ZoomNotes app.

ZoomNotes provides an infinite whiteboard, making it a great choice for visual notetakers.

As you might expect from the name, ZoomNotes offers the most impressive zoom range. It’s practically endless, making it easy to sketch out your thoughts and ideas without worrying about running out of room.

When you zoom in to get a better look or make adjustments or additions to your notes, the full view stays on your screen off to the right, allowing you to see the bigger picture while you work.

#caption#ZoomNotes allows you to create a page within a page as a sticky note, PDF document, and more. (Image: ZoomNotes)

#alt#A screenshot from ZoomNotes showing the different types of sub-documents available, such as a sticky note.

Another feature that sets this app apart is the ability to create a page within a page. These sub-pages can be separate notes, like a mind map of your full notes, a sticky note with key concepts or reminders, or even a full PDF document that relates to your notes.

ZoomNotes goes the extra mile by adding linked sound recording, unlimited paper sizes/styles, Bookmarks, and more. It’s easy to completely customize your notes, especially with eight different pen types and unlimited color options.

It syncs to iCloud and even integrates with your Apple Calendar and Apple Reminders, so you can easily manage your checklists and schedule. Importing, exporting, and sharing features round out this app, making it competitive with apps like Notability and Goodnotes.

Infinite canvas provides endless room to write, draw, or sketch your notes and ideas.
Incredible zoom range makes taking visual notes like mind mapping or sketchnoting super easy.
Sub-pages allow you to create a page within a page. You can add PDFs, sticky notes, and more.
Integrates with other apps like Apple Reminders & Apple Calendar .
UI is a bit clunky and not as user-friendly as most of the other apps.
Limited tools on the free version make it hard to customize your notes the way you’d like.
Too many features make it overwhelming and difficult to learn.
Pricing: ZoomNotes Lite is free; $7.99 one-time purchase for the full version on the App Store.
Reviews: ZoomNotes is currently rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on the App Store with just 762 reviews .
Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac.

Other cool apps

Even though we’ve mostly covered handwriting applications for notetakers, there are some other cool apps out there that you might want to consider.

Many of these apps incorporate handwriting in some way, even if it's not their primary function.

Agenda . This is a notetaking tool that uses your calendar as a way to tie your note to a fixed point in time. Notes are attached to projects and can be assigned to a specific date so that you regularly refer back to them. As you use the app and tag notes with data, those notes become recurring tasks on your agenda until you mark them as complete. It’s an innovative way to combine notetaking and task management.
Freeform . Apple recently added this app to its extensive list of apps that come pre-installed on all Apple devices. It’s a digital whiteboard where you can add images, text, handwriting, and more. Whether you’re sitting down for a brainstorming session or you’ve got some ideas to map out, this app can help you do it. It's even fun for practicing digital hand lettering and calligraphy . While Freeform is the perfect app to get creative and express yourself visually, you may want to stick to Apple Notes or one of the others mentioned for serious notetaking.
Penultimate . If you’re an Evernote user, you might already know about this app. Penultimate is Evernote’s writing application. Notes you create here can be moved directly into Evernote and stored with other notes that you take inside the app. Compared to other apps on our list, Penultimate lacks several major features, but its connection to Evernote makes it worth a mention.
PDF Expert . Need to annotate or edit a PDF? As a PDF editor, PDF Expert gives you total control over your PDF documents. You can mark them up, edit them, convert files, take notes, and much more. The app requires a subscription and can be a bit pricey, but it’s one of the most capable PDF tools out there.
ThinkSpace . While you can use other notetaking apps to create mind maps, ThinkSpace is specifically designed to help you manage this task. Create quick notes, organize them in a spatial way, add visuals, and more. If you’re more of a visual notetaker, ThinkSpace is a great addition to your toolkit.

#caption#Image: Paperlike

#alt#Image of an iPad with a drawing of the word “hello” on it, laying on a lined sheet of paper with an Apple Pencil.

Use Paperlike to make the best notetaking apps for iPad even better

Without a doubt, having the right app can make the difference between success and failure when studying for the next exam or jotting down quick notes in a meeting.

Most of the apps on our list are free apps, so you can try them out and create simple notes and docs (handwritten or otherwise) with absolutely no risk.

If you’re planning to use the Apple Pencil or a similar stylus to take notes on your iPad, don’t forget to pick up a Paperlike so that you can improve your notetaking experience.

Paperlike transforms your screen from slippery glass into something that feels just like a real notepad or notebook so that you can scribble and jot notes with ease.

You can also make your iPad look and feel like your favorite notebook with our Folio Case and reduce hand cramping by using our Pencil Grips .

Download an awesome app, pick up one of our Screen Protectors , and set yourself up for notetaking success.

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Best iPad for students 2024: which iPad to buy for school, college or university?

The best student iPad and the Apple accessories you’ll need in 2024, rated and ranked

Finding the best iPad for students in 2024 can be a bit of a quest. Is the most expensive iPad always the best one? Do you need all of the accessories too? And, most importantly, do you need all the official Apple add-ons or will cheaper third-party accessories do just as well?

The flexibility of an iPad is truly where its benefits lie when considering the student lifestyle. Sliding an iPad in and out of a rucksack is significantly easier than lugging around a heavy laptop, it’s an instant-on affair instead of waiting for things to load up, and you can handwrite notes just as easily as type them. There's a reason they're so popular in back-to-school season.

We've also got a larger guide to the best student tablets – not just limited to iPads, but Android and PC tablets too – if you want to cast a wider net. If you're looking for a laptop instead, check out our guide to the best student laptops and if you know it's an Apple you're after, we've got the best MacBooks for students too.

Best iPad for students in 2024: Top 3

Why you can trust T3 Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

The best iPad for most students is the iPad Air (2022) . It's almost as powerful as the much more expensive iPad Pro, it has second-generation Apple Pencil compatibility for taking notes or doing artwork and the colour reproduction is superb.

The best small iPad is the iPad mini . It's quite expensive compared to the standard iPad but inside that smaller case is a very powerful processor that's even better than the one in the iPad Air.

The best budget iPad is the 9th generation iPad 10.2-inch . It supports the first rather than second-generation Apple Pencil but otherwise it's a good and more affordable alternative to the iPad Air.

iPad Air 2022 on wooden table with blue background

1. iPad Air (2022)

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

As we said in our iPad Air 2022 review : this fifth-gen slate "delivers the power of a MacBook Pro in a stylish frame and with user-friendly software". That's thanks to the addition of Apple's M1 processor being inside the latest slate.

The Air works with the 2nd Generation of Apple Pencil, too, meaning that note-taking is just a matter of clipping the stylus satisfyingly on and off when needed – well, if you buy the accessory anyway (we list the best accessories towards the bottom of this page).

The screen is pleasantly bright, and while it doesn't include a 120Hz refresh rate (the iPad Pro has this though), its LCD is exceptionally easy on the eyes, with a pro-level of colour reproduction.

Battery wise it will depend how you’re using it, but we got up to 10 hours of browsing and general tasks. Of course, if you’re playing games then it'll run down faster. Not that you'll be doing that as a student, of course.

2. iPad Mini (6th Gen)

If you don’t fancy the sprawling real estate of the rest of the iPad lineup, the iPad Mini is a perfect alternative for those just looking for something small to slide into a bag, perhaps along with a laptop, or instead of one just for lectures. The Apple Pencil 2nd Gen attaches to the side magnetically, meaning it's always ready to go when you want to take notes, draw diagrams, knock up sketches, or anything else.

We wouldn't recommend the iPad Mini as a laptop replacement, but as a way to read, highlight and take notes all on one device – and at the same time – it's an ideal student buy. But it's not just about notes – if you're taking a creative course and you want to be able to make music or create illustrations or anything else whenever inspiration strikes, it's fantastic. Bear in mind, it's smaller than an A5 notepad, so you need never be without it. And it's great for streaming and gaming fun, and all that good stuff, as our full iPad Mini (6th Gen) review attests.

3. iPad 10.2-inch (9th Gen)

Just because it doesn’t have square edges, and isn't the latest model in this range ( here's that review ), doesn’t mean you should write off the 10.2-inch base iPad. As a work tool, it’s perfect for using Apple’s Pages software for documents or hooking up to your various Google Docs, though it can run music-making software, video editing and just about anything really – it's very fast and really quite capable, even though its processor is older than any other iPad listed in this guide.

This option has more of a classic iPad look with a home button and larger bezels compared to the latest offerings, but the screen is attractive enough with a brightness that makes visuals pop. Also useful is the compatibility with the 1st Gen Apple Pencil, so if you want to take notes or make the most of the gamut of excellent art apps, this is a great way to get creative. The original Apple Pencil has a more awkward plug-in charging system and doesn't attach to the iPad, so we much, much prefer the 2nd Gen overall with the iPad Air – but in terms of actually drawing and writing, the 1st Gen works perfectly.

While the cameras, like most iPad snappers, are nothing to write home about, the battery life here really is. It'll provide 10 hours of light browsing and activity – so you won’t need to worry about constantly finding a plug point. It's a great machine for the price, as our full Apple iPad 10.2-inch (9th Gen) review explains.

Best iPad for students 2024: The best of the rest

4. iPad Pro-12.9 inch (2022)

If money is no object and you’re looking for the very best student iPad, then you’ll find it in the iPad Pro. This was the first of Apple’s iPad line up to use Apple’s M2 chip (now being included across its laptop and desktop range).

And it is powerful –probably so much so that you’ll rarely, if ever, be able to push it to capacity, even if editing 4K footage. Of course it's therefore more expensive than anything else in the iPad lineup, but this investment gets you a glorious 120Hz refresh rate mini-LED HDR screen. It's also compatible with the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil for scrawling on that luscious screen.

The iPad Pro 2022 is a monster of a tablet and the only reason it’s not on top of this best list is because most term-time needs just won’t require a CPU this beefy. But thought of as a laptop replacement, the Pro with a bunch of accessories might well be the best iPad for your needs.

Apple iPad 10th Gen (2022) in yellow finish

5. Apple iPad 10.9 (10th Gen, 2022)

The newer 'classic' iPad is much pricier than the outgoing 9th Gen model, which is why for now it doesn't feature higher up our list. Sure, it's been worth the wait (as said in our iPad 10th Gen review ), as the 2022 model brings a design overhaul that means a larger screen, complete with a host of vibrant colour options (as you can see from the yellow finish, pictured).

The newer iPad also squashes those screen bezels, which is a great thing, but with a more up-to-date design comes a higher price point. And given that the iPad Air isn't a huge amount of extra cash compared to this entry-level iPad, you may want to weigh up your options if more power appeals (or, if budget dictates, then the 9th Gen model is still a great buy).

6. iPad Pro 11-inch (2022)

This is just like the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but the screen is smaller and doesn't have the mini-LED technology with HDR performance – it's just a great screen instead of an amazing next-gen one.

Otherwise, it's the same, including the ridiculously powerful M2 chip, impressive cameras, 120Hz refresh rate display, Apple Pencil 2nd Gen compatibility, option for huge amounts of storage, and so on.

Well, nearly the same – it is also cheaper. So if you do think you need huge power but don't need the larger scale, it's a good option. But we think that makes it a bit niche for students – the iPad Air is pretty much the same size, offers most of the same features, and is plenty powerful anyway, while being cheaper again.

Is there a student offer for iPads?

There is indeed! Apple offers lower prices on a whole range of its products for students, though the exact amount of discount differs depending on the price. But Apple also does special student offers on iPads that tend to appear before term time on Apple’s website. These are usually around free items and discounted Apple Care. Student iPad offers for 2021 include a free set of AirPods when buying an eligible Mac or iPad through Apple's specific Education Store Online.

In the UK, you'll need to be verified using the UNiDays system before you can browse the discounts.

• Visit the Apple Education Store UK

In the US, things are much more straightforward and you can browse and buy without having to show proof of student status.

• Visit the Apple Education Store US

Again, in Australia, you can just browse the prices at the link below.

• Visit the Apple Education Store Australia

Other than Apple’s website, though, other retailers are particularly competitive before term time with deals on iPads and accessories so it pays to shop around to see what you can get. As ever, we have gathered some of the best prices across the web for each item below.

Best iPads for students: The add-ons you need

With the right accessories your iPad can be as good as a laptop. Apple’s official keyboards aren’t cheap, but they have really evolved over the past few years. The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro and iPad Air incorporates a case, keyboard, stand. Using what Apple calls a ‘floating cantilever design,’ this means you can adjust the iPad screen to a perfect viewing angle. The Magic Keyboard RRPs for £279 in the UK and $299 in the US in its smaller size – very steep, but it's a quality product that's built to last.

If you'd rather not pay quite so much, Apple also offers the Smart Keyboard Folio and the Smart Keyboard. The Smart Keyboard Folio is suitable for iPad Pro and iPad Air and includes a folding cover and keyboard, but doesn’t have the floating design of the Magic Keyboard or trackpad. It merely props up the iPad in a regular stand set up and protects the front and back so you don’t need to worry about sliding it into a bag. The Smart Keyboard Folio is £179 in the UK and $179 in the US. The Smart Keyboard which is for the 10-inch iPad only includes the front cover as well as the keyboard and not the back, and costs £159 in the UK and $159 in the US.

Of course, you don't have to use Apple accessories. iPads work with all Bluetooth keyboards from the cheapest to the most premium, but if you're going to be doing a lot of typing at college or uni we'd strongly advise buying on comfort, not cost. You'll thank us at the end of the year when your hands remain happy and strain-free.

We'd also recommend an Apple Pencil for note-taking, illustration or just doodling during more tedious lectures. Both generations deliver paper-like writing and drawing but different iPads support different ones, so make sure you get the right one for your iPad. One of the iPad's best features now is that you can handwrite notes, then copy the text and paste it into word documents just like regular text on a computer – you can even copy and insert any diagrams you draw too. It's really great for turning notes into something shareable, or for adding them into wider research documents.

There are two generations of Apple Pencil available and we’ve highlighted which iPad works with which below. The biggest difference is that the 2nd Generation Apple Pencil charges wirelessly when you magnetically attach it to the side of your iPad, which is a much better and more useful setup. The first generation charges by sticking out from the Lightning port, which is odd and potentially disastrous if it gets bent. The 2nd Generation also comes with a handy double tap to change tools ability which means you can quickly switch between a pen and an eraser as you’re writing. Otherwise, both have pressure sensitivity and impressively little lag.

iPad for students limitations

iPads without doubt lean more toward creative disciplines and general study, rather than heavy duty number crunching or processing tasks. As such, engineering students for example will almost certainly be better with a powerful MacBook Pro than an iPad.

iPads, and specifically the new iPad Pros, are very powerful, but their is still a limitation to their abilities. It's also about screen real estate, too, as while you can hook up an iPad with attached keyboard to an external monitor, that adds expense to the setup.

For most creative or general use students, though, iPads are just as good as laptops for work and play, so are well worth considering as your primary student lifestyle computer.

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Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in technology, gaming, and entertainment. She has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland and is the presenter of BBC Radio 3's monthly Sound of Gaming show. She can also regularly be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, and The Evolution of Horror podcast as well as writing for GamesRadar and NME . Louise loves finding ways that tech can make our lives better every day and no, she doesn't have enough smart lighting yet.

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Best iPad for Students [2024 Guide]

Which Is the Best iPad for Students?

iPad Model	Why You Should Choose
11-inch iPad Air (6th gen, 2024)	Overall best iPad for students
11-inch iPad Pro (7th gen, 2024)	Best iPad for coding
iPad mini (6th gen, 2021)	Best iPad for note-taking
13-inch iPad Pro (7th gen, 2024)	Best iPad for Video Editing
iPad (10th gen, 2022)	Best budget iPad for students

1. 11-inch iPad Air (6th gen, 2024): Best Overall iPad for Students


	11-inch Liquid Retina Display
	462 grams
	Apple M2
	128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
	12MP wide Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide
	USB-C
	1o Hours
	Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB‑C), Apple Pencil hover
	Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Grey
(Education pricing)	Starts at $549

You may find this student iPad a bit on the pricey side, but it also comes with a 128GB storage space, which is double the base storage on the older iPad Air (2022, M1) it replaces . Starting at $549 (with Eduction pricing), the M2 iPad Air is the best iPad for artists and offers the best value for money. If you need a bigger display, Apple also offers a 13-inch variant of the M2 iPad Air.


Highly capable M2 processor	No Face ID
Front camera supports Center Stage
The base model offers 128GB of storage
Nice color options

2. 11-inch iPad Pro (7th gen, 2024): Best iPad for Engineering & IT Students


	11-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED
	444 grams
	Apple M4
	256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
	Landscape 12MP Wide 12MP TrueDepth
	Thunderbolt / USB 4 port
	10 Hours
	Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil USB-C, Apple Pencil hover
	Silver, Space Balck
(Education pricing)	Starts at $899


Stunning OLED display	Available only in two colors
A powerful M4 chipset	Expensive
Thin and lightweight
Nano-texture option for 1TB and 2TB variants

3. iPad mini (6th gen, 2021): Best iPad for Note-taking and Reading


	8.3-inch Liquid Retina display
	0.65 pound (293 grams)
	A15 Bionic chip
	64GB, 256GB
	12MP wide camera 12MP ultrawide camera with Center Stage
	USB-C
	10 Hours
	Apple Pencil (2nd generation), Apple Pencil (USB-C)
	Space Gray, Pink, Purple, Starlight

For students looking for the best portable iPad for college, the iPad mini 6 makes a superb choice. With a smaller 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display with an overall design that looks like a smaller version of the 10th-gen iPad or iPad Air models. Don’t let the small design fool you. The iPad mini 6 has an A15 Bionic chipset, that’s found on the iPhone 13 Pro Max, so you get enough power in a small package.


Sleek and lightweight	Too small for some
Easily fits into a backpack or a handbag	Not compatible with Magic keyboard or Smart Keyboard Folio
Center Stage for FaceTime calls
Better display and more power than standard iPad models

4. 13-inch iPad Pro (7th gen, 2024): Best iPad for Creatives and Editing


	13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED
	579 grams
	Apple M4
	256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
	12MP Wide 12MP TrueDepth
	Thunderbolt / USB 4 port
	10 Hours
	Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil USB-C, Apple Pencil hover
	Silver, Space Balck
(Education pricing)	$1199

Sure the 13-inch iPad Pro M4 is an expensive commitment, but it’s a worthy investment in the long run. The 2024 Pro is crazy powerful that you won’t even think about replacing it when the next model launches. You can choose to spend more now, you can save some nice money in the future. To put it simply, the M4 iPad Pro is the best iPad for editing and graphics design students who want the best of the best experience.


A big and beautiful display	Expensive
Powerful M4 chipset	Overkill for most students
Works as a laptop replacement
Future-proof specs

5. iPad (10th gen, 2022): Best Budget iPad for Students


	10.9-inch Liquid Retina display
	477 grams
	A14 Bionic
	64GB, 128GB
	12MP Wide Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide
	USB-C
	10 Hours
	Apple Pencil (1st gen), Apple Pencil (USB-C)
	Silver, Blue, Pink, Yellow


Affordable	No Apple Pencil 2 support
Air-inspired design	The storage tops out at 256GB
Available in several color options
Price reduced in May 2024

Factors to Consider Before Buying an iPad for College

1. screen size.

An iPad comes in different sizes, ranging from the portable 8.3-inch screen on iPad mini to a laptop-like 13-inch display on iPad Pro, and even iPad Air now. Each screen size serves different purposes and over several benefits. If you’re looking for the best iPad for reading, taking notes, or on-the-go usage, you might want to go for a smaller model. In case you wish to replace your laptop with an iPad or crave a laptop-like experience, it’s worth going for a bigger model.

4. Accessories

Inevitably, price is an important factor to consider. You must have an idea about how much you are willing to spend. Apple provides a diverse array of iPad models across different price points. You can get an iPad for as little as $350 or can splurge over $1000 on the top-of-the-line model. Students can find the best iPad for college from $349 to $1199, depending upon the model.

Do Students Get Discount on iPads?

Kanika Gogia

Kanika has been a loyal iPhone user since 2014 and loves everything Apple. With a Master’s in Computer Applications, passion for technology, and over five years of experience in writing, she landed at Beebom as an Apple Ecosystem Writer. She specializes in writing How To’s, troubleshooting guides, App features, and roundups for Apple users to help them make the best use of their gadgets. When not writing, she loves to try out new recipes and enjoy some family time.

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What Is the Keyboard Shortcut for Full Screen on Windows and Mac?

The standard iPad is best for school and education

Keyboard options, mouse options, apple pencil, using an external monitor, lots of common programs have been optimized for ipad, but compatibility can still be an issue, the bottom line, how to make the most of your ipad for school.

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Students and teachers have embraced digital learning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Apple's iPad is better equipped than ever to handle the classroom, but you can do even more to prepare it for school.
For more tablet recommendations, check out our guides to the best tablets and the best iPads .

Schools across America have embraced digital learning in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with students and teachers turning to laptops and tablets as their portals into the classroom.

Laptops have long been a must-have back-to-school item for college students leaving home for the first time, but tablets, like Apple's iPad or Microsoft's Surface, also make quality classroom companions.

With expanded support for mouse and keyboard devices, the iPad has become increasingly effective as a portable workstation, and the gap is closing between apps built for macOS and what's available in the App Store.

Laptops and netbooks are still superior in terms of multitasking and the overall utility they provide as work tools, but the iPad offers unique flexibility with its top-notch display, touch controls, easy to use software, two quality webcams, and access to Apple's highly touted app ecosystem.

Apple's cheapest MacBook starts at $999, while the cheapest iPad is $329. Using your iPad for class offers a more affordable way to work within Apple's app ecosystem, a benefit that Android tablets can't match at the moment.

Android tablets include features for setting up a workstation, but it's probably better to opt for a Chromebook than an Android tablet for school. Chromebooks are compatible with many of the same Android apps and offer more consistent working value than a tablet, with prices starting below $200.

Whether you're looking to give your iPad to a child for school, or just don't want to buy and manage another device alongside your tablet, it doesn't take much to turn your iPad into a quality workstation. But before that, it's important to lay out the iPad's native benefits and drawbacks that are ahead of you regardless of the additional gear you buy.

More portable and accessible than a laptop or Chromebook
Long battery life
5G and 4G LTE options for mobile internet connection
Easy to install apps can streamline your workflow and work is easily shared with macOS computers
Incompatible with some common USB devices
Multitasking with different apps is more difficult than using a computer
Support for external displays is less than ideal
Cost for extra internal storage space drives price higher than a laptop and can't be increased after purchase

Personally, I wouldn't recommend buying a new iPad in place of a laptop or Chromebook for school, simply based on the price of Apple's tablets compared to a basic computer. However, schools have been adopting Apple's iPad system into their curriculum at an increasing rate for years to varying results , so I have some ideas for how to make the best of its three iterations.

The cheapest iPad ($329) does offer lots of potential and is most commonly used in schools, thanks to its fast processing, easy to use software, and built-in webcams. The iPad Air offers a slightly larger screen and slimmer form factor but none of the Air's features warrant paying $270 more if you plan on using your iPad primarily for work.

The iPad Pro's USB-C connector and Magic Keyboard support are appealing features for a work setup, but once you start spending on peripherals the final cost is nearly the same as Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro ($1,299) despite the iPad being significantly less powerful.

Read more: Apple's newest iPad Pro has all of the makings of a great computer, but it's still not ready to replace my laptop

Additional iPad storage space can quickly drive up the tablet's price, so you might be better off investing that money in extra iCloud storage or a USB dongle so you can connect thumb drives, or connect other USB devices.

If you plan to use your iPad to write essays and other assignments, it's important to invest in a quality keyboard. While Bluetooth keyboards are available for as cheap as $15, you'll want to invest in something with a strong enough build quality to survive a lot of travel.

Keyboard cases are another option if you plan to use your iPad primarily as a workstation, but can grow cumbersome if you frequently use the iPad as a casual reading device or video display. Just remember, only newer iPads can connect directly to Smart Keyboard and Magic Keyboard cases using a magnetic connection, so be sure to check if your model is compatible.

iPadOS has an option for "Full Keyboard Control" that makes it easier to navigate between different apps without using the touchscreen or a mouse. Like macOS, the iPad has it's own set of special shortcuts to help make keyboard control as simple as possible; you can find a short list on Apple's website.

You can check out our full Bluetooth keyboard buying guide to find one that best fits your needs and budget. Personally I use the Logitech Craft because it has a full number pad, FN media keys, and it can save up to three Bluetooth profiles. This means you can use the Craft with different devices without having to constantly put the keyboard in pairing mode. If you're planning to travel with your keyboard, you may prefer a more portable choice like the Arteck HB030B Universal.

You can connect a mouse to your iPad via Bluetooth or with a USB to Lightning dongle. Rather than the traditional mouse arrow of a Mac device, the iPad cursor shows a circular touch zone on the screen. The mouse shouldn't require any setup to use, but there are a few settings to control the scrolling speed and buttons on your mouse. You can still use touch controls interchangeably with your mouse as well.

Just about any mouse will do, though my preference goes to the Logitech Triathlon for its ability to quickly swap Bluetooth profiles for use with different devices; the MX Master is a rechargeable Logitech mouse that's a bit more expensive. You can see more mouse recommendations in our buying guide.

iPadOS include support for the Apple Pencil , a digital stylus that can be used to draw, edit, and take notes within iPadOS apps. Apple Pencil is an incredibly flexible tool for artists and useful for general productivity, but the pencil probably won't add much to your workflow during class or when using your iPad for writing reports, essays, and emails for school.

Apple Pencil is only compatible with newer iPads so be sure to see if your model is compatible before picking one up.

You can use an Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter ($49) or use AirPlay to connect your iPad to an external monitor. However, the iPad is only capable of mirroring its native screen, so you can't expand your iPad workspace with an extra monitor. That also means that your iPad won't automatically fill displays with a 16:9 ratio, even when outputting with an HDMI cable.

Setting up an external display might be nice if you've got an extra monitor around, but buying another screen specifically for use with your iPad isn't a sound investment. If you already have a MacBook, you can use your iPad as a wireless second screen using a new feature called Sidecar that Apple introduced in 2019.

With mouse and keyboard support, a built-in webcam, a special version of Safari, and a host of other features, the iPad is well equipped for most tasks, but your success using the tablet for school may come down to the websites and programs your school uses, and whether the iPad is compatible.

The upcoming iPadOS 15 update will improve iPad's multitasking features, making it easier for users to organize their home screen as a work station and split the display between multiple apps. Google's G Suite, Adobe Photoshop, and many other commonly used computer applications have also been optimized for iPad, but not every school is using the latest technology.

Parents planning to give their child an iPad for school should be sure to complete a thorough check of the device's parental control settings to ensure that only age-appropriate apps are available – not to mention the iPad's compatibility with your student's school's systems and policies.

Apple's time management app, Screen Time, can also monitor and limit time with specific apps on the iPad — a useful tool for kids and adults alike.

As a school workstation, Apple's iPad doesn't offer too many advantages over the wide selection of laptops and Chromebooks on the market. But with the right add-ons, the iPad does have the versatility to stand-in for a laptop in the classroom while bringing all the benefits of Apple's popular app ecosystem and quality hardware.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

Watch: Watch Apple's October 2018 event in 8 minutes

Main content

myHomework Student Planner 4+

Rodrigo neri, designed for ipad.

4.4 • 125 Ratings
Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

What makes myHomework the best student planner? * Beauty, Simplicity, and Reliability - myHomework has a gorgeous appearance and simple interface making it easy for anyone to use. Our apps fill their role as a planner without network connectivity. * Amazing Anywhere - With highly rated cross-platform apps, and a wonderful website, it's the most complete on the go planner experience anywhere. * Price - The account is FREE everywhere and an ads-free premium experience is available. * Experience - myHomework has been around since 2009 and continually improving the experience based on the feedback of our users. But don't listen to us, check out just some of the coverage we've received: 2014: USA Today Best Back to School Apps 2013: Edudemic The 16 Apps And Tools Worth Trying This Year 2012: HLNTV Top 4 Back to School Apps 2012: Yahoo News 10 Helpful Apps for Students 2012: The Street 10 Best Back-to-School Apps 2011: Main Street Back-to-School: The Best Smartphone Apps 2010: Mashable Top 10 Back to School Apps 2009: Time's Top 10 Back To School Apps 2009: Business Insider The Top 10 Back-To-School iPhone Apps The free app includes: - Track your classes, homework, tests and assignments - Beautiful calendar display - Supports time, block and period-based schedules - Universal (both iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) - Compatibility for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus With the optional myHomework account, you also get: - Sync across other platforms - Access to our website - Receive homework reminders - Facebook Single Sign-On - Join your teacher's Teachers.io class and automatically download their class information, assignments, files and announcements Are you looking for a replacement to that paper student planner, school diary, or academic agenda? myHomework is just what you're looking for. The clean interface and design make this app great for college, high school, or middle school. This homework helper contains additional features that make it easy to use for high school students with a block class schedule. Keeping track of assignments has never been better! The myHomework student agenda is today's students favorite way to focus and reduce anxiety. With this school tracker, the information normally hidden in the academic planner is now available everywhere. Using myHomework as a school organizer makes keeping track of what assignments to do easier than ever before. Download Today!

Version 6.8.12

General improvements and minor bug fixes.

Ratings and Reviews

125 Ratings

Good but time-consuming and fiddly to get right ...

This app has a lot to recommend it, but it does require a little setup that is not that intuitive, especially if your school does not use this as their system. If your school is not listed, that does not mean that you cannot use it. The one I deal with uses another (frankly useless) system that is for ever out of date and irrelevant. It uses A and B weeks which this app handles well (just make sure you set the start date as the week that school actually commences, and put the end date as the week that the year ends in July). If you have five periods per day, then use periods rather than times or you will get messed up really quickly. Once that is done, just bung in the lessons and you’re good to go. Where this falls down is the cost of the upgrade and the difficulty that inexperienced users will have in sorting out their child's timetable. It would also benefit from having a “parental” overview, but that's just my idea!

i have been looking for an app like this for probably 2 years, it has options to make homework count as tests essays and more, i fully recommend!!!!! the one issue i have with this app is that it has a very square look about it, i would prefer if the layout didn’t push out fully to the edges with more curved theme to make it less constricted… but if you are a student, i recommend, if your just starting, then defo!! please please please try!

Great and really useful

This is a great app and is really useful. You can put in class times, homework times and if a teacher is signed in to myHomework, they can send you homework via it. My only complaint is that it will only send you notifications if you are signed in. This takes only a little while but I would prefer it if you could just turn notifications on. Other than that it is perfect. I haven’t missed any homework science I got it. I would definitely recommend it. 👍😀

App Privacy

The developer, Rodrigo Neri , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

Contact Info

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Identifiers
Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

myHomework Premium £4.99
Blue & Pink Theme £0.99
Aqua Theme £0.99
City Theme £0.99
Beach Theme £0.99
Sunset Theme £0.99
Puppy Theme £0.99
Graffiti Theme £0.99
Flower Theme £0.99
Purple Theme £0.99
Developer Website
App Support
Privacy Policy

My Study Life - School Planner

School Assistant – Planner

B4Grad: Homework Planner

Power Planner

Class Timetable

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For all things iPad & iPad Pro. Information, discussion, news, iPadOS, hardware, and more about the company out of Cupertino and its great tablet.

Good planner app for school (homework, exams, etc)

anyone know of any good apps that can replace like a daily planner for school? I converted from textbooks to ebooks and take all my notes on my iPad pro but the last thing I am missing is a replacement for my daily planner to keep track of my HW please help.

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Which iPad Pro should you get in 2024?

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Comments (49)

Ivan 22 June 2024

Apple iOS Featured

Saying that Apple's iPad is the best tablet around is an perhaps an understatement - it's more than that. It has been the most popular tablet for years, making the majority of Android tablets it goes up against look amateurish.

And lately the iPad has also become a portable computer that can easily outpace the Microsoft Surface Pro - a full-fledged Windows PC - thanks to the power of Apple's M processor.

But Apple truly knocked it out of the park with the latest iPad Pros for 2024. These are the first OLED tablets by Apple, and they have the latest M4 processor and a new fancy Apple Pencil Pro to push productivity to the next level.

Is the OLED display a must-have?

The new Ultra Retina Tandem OLED display is the single most important reason why you should get the iPad Pro instead of the new Air. The tandem in the name means that Apple put two OLED panels on top of each other to achieve the impressive 1,600 nits of peak brightness.

And, unlike the previous iPad Pro generation, where only the 12.9-inch Pro got the mini-LED display (which wasn't nearly as great to begin with), in 2024 the 11-inch iPad Pro has the same OLED display as its bigger counterpart.

The iPad Pro 11 is Apple's best tablet to buy right now, here's why

The OLED panel is light-years ahead of any LCD out there and you'll immediately notice a big difference when you pick up the new iPad Pro.

Which display size - 11-inch or 13-inch?

We think the 11-inch iPad Pro is the better option for the vast majority of people out there. It's way easier to hold in hand, which is crucial for a tablet - handling the behemoth that is the iPad Pro 13 is a chore if you have to do it for more than thirty minutes.

And since the iPad is an amazing gaming device, and the 11-inch display is perfectly suited for those corner controls in most modern shooters or racing games.

Should I get the Nanotextured glass?

No - just get the Standard Glass version. It's more legible and generally sharper. And we feel the higher reflectivity is more than made up for by the superior contrast and more vibrant colors.

Not to mention that the Nanotextured glass is a €130 add-on that's only available if you upgrade to the 1TB or 2TB storage option in the first place - it's not available on the 256GB or the 512GB models.

Should I upgrade the storage? How about the M4 processor?

Just like with the Mac, you can upgrade the M4 in the iPad Pro. It's not quite straightforward, though as it's tied to the storage you pick. The base model 256GB and 512GB Pros get a 9-core CPU with 3 performance cores, and 8GB of RAM, while the 1TB and 2TB Pros get a 10-core CPU with 1 more performance core, and 16GB of RAM.

The smart way to go about things is get the base 256GB model - it has the same 120GB/s memory bandwidth, the same 16-core Neural Engine, and the same 10-core GPU with ray tracing.

256GB is more than enough for the majority of apps and games you'll use on the iPad. Not to mention that with network speeds these days, you'll likely stream all your music and videos, while your personal Photo and Video library is in the cloud anyway.

The usage patterns of an iPad are normally different from those on an iPhone, so getting the least available storage makes sense here. Whereas getting the base iPhone will quickly see you run out of storage space you are very unlikely to capture as many photos and videos on the iPad.

Should you get the Cellular model?

That's another largely unneeded, but expensive upgrade. Sharing your iPhone's mobile network with your iPad is as easy as pie, just like you would with your MacBook. And it's almost certain you'll have your phone nearby whenever you'd use your iPad, so you might as well save some money and get the Wi-Fi-only model.

Do you need an Apple Pencil? Should you go for the Apple Pencil Pro?

The iPad is probably the best note-taking device in the world right now. Many students get the tablet for that specific reason. If you plan to take notes or you are an artist and plan on drawing on your iPad - get the Apple Pencil USB-C. But then you probably already knew you needed it before we told you so.

You can also get the new Pencil Pro if money's no object and you really need the enhanced functionality. In all other cases you probably will leave the Pencil idling somewhere so you might as well do without it.

The Pencil Pro is €149 on Apple's website, the USB-C is €89.

Do you need the keyboard?

Apple's Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro is wonderful. It converts the tablet to a productivity machine, allowing it to stand on its own and giving it a full, backlit keyboard with 14 function keys, and a glass trackpad with haptic feedback.

The €349 price is steep, but the free-floating design is lovely, the keyboard is robust, and made of quality materials, and it adds a whole new productivity element to what is otherwise mostly a media consumption device.

If you plan on doing any sort of typing on the iPad, you should get the Magic Keyboard. Yes, it's expensive, but it's the best keyboard for the iPad Pro and is miles better than any third-party design out there. And if you're getting an Apple Pencil, you'll benefit greatly from the keyboard.

Money's no object? Buy the iPad Pro 13.

We think the iPad Pro 11 WiFi 256GB is the best value for money tablet in 2024 for most of the users. However, if you are a creator and you have the budget for it, you should definitely go for the bigger 13-inch model with more storage.

And if you kit out the bigger tablet with a keyboard, it's now a MacBook Air 13 rival with a faster M4 processor (versus the Air's M3) and a better display.

What about the iPad Air?

The 2024 iPad Air starts at €699 and does all the tablet tasks the €1,199 iPad Pro 11 does. You can use the Apple Pencil with it, there's a Magic Keyboard for it as well, and while it lacks the M4 processor, its M2 chip is fast enough for apps and games, and possibly even serious video editing.

The Liquid Retina IPS LCD of the iPad Air is also plenty sharp, decently bright, and perfectly fine on its own.

But the base model Air only has 128GB storage, and the iPad Pro 11's OLED panel is the best you can find on an Apple-made tablet. We definitely feel those upgrades are worth the price difference.

We truly live in wonderful times, when the iPad has a MacBook-rivaling M4 processor, the brightest OLED display on a tablet, and a set of high-quality accessories that can elevate it from a Netflix binge-watching device to a serious productivity tool.

The 11-inch iPad Pro is the Goldilocks tablet in Apple's lineup that's both fun, but also capable of some real work. We valued it highly in our full review, which you can read here or watch below and we truly believe it's the smartest choice in Apple's current lineup.

Reader comments

25 Jun 2024

PWM flickering affects a lot of people including myself, If you are one of those who's not affected, consider yourself lucky. It is the sole reason why many people like me use IPS panels for productivity and try hard to avoid buying OLED display...

24 Jun 2024

The deal-breaker for me is iOS as when you have an M2 or M4 chip and a great screen you should be able to have Apple install whichever flavour of OSX YOU fancy, like Monterey or Ventura or Sonoma or Sequoia because without OSX you CANNOTsuccessfully ...

I own iPad Air 2020 since release. New iPad spec is good but I skip it because current iPad I have still good for longer until it’s iOS no longer support until last security update.

Read all comments

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'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best iPad models compared: Expert tested

Why you can trust ZDNET

ZDNET's reviewers and editors have been testing and using tablets for years. When we test a new iPad, we spend at least two weeks (and often several months) using the device in our everyday lives -- doing everything from working to browsing to video editing to streaming shows to gaming. We seek to get a feel for how you'd actually use the device day to day, and any pros and cons related to performance, display, battery life, cameras, and other features.

What to Consider

Form factor

Ultimately, Apple only has four iPad models, so there is little selection. However, each iPad is different enough by design to suit different needs.

Compatibility

Even though each iPad is an Apple product, we considered which iPads are compatible with accessories such as the second-generation Apple Pencil and which have the latest OS.

The different iPad models will vary in cost since they focus on different things. For example, the iPad Mini's focus is portability, so it is small and costs less, while the iPad Pro is a powerhouse meant to replace a laptop, so you'll see a higher price tag.

The iPad remains the gold standard for tablets because of its wide array of quality apps and content, as well as its integration with other products within the Apple ecosystem. And Apple recently announced two upgraded iPad models : the sixth-generation iPad Air and the seventh-generation iPad Pro .

Also: The best iPad stylus

Whether you're looking for the best iPad for you, or you're buying one for a kid, a parent, or another friend or relative, there are now essentially five options to choose from -- two variations of the standard iPad , the iPad Mini , and the new iPad Air , iPad Pro models (both in two sizes).

Also: iPad Pro (2024) vs. iPad Air (2024): Which Apple tablet should you buy?

What is the best iPad right now?

I've been using an iPad nearly every day since the product first launched in April 2010, and I've tried all the various models over the years and used them for many different things. My current pick for the best iPad for most people is the iPad Air , because it includes nearly all of the best features the iPad has to offer at a price that's more approachable than the iPad Pro. Below is my full breakdown of the current iPad lineup -- based on my hands-on experience and product testing -- as well as my buying recommendations for each model to help you pick the best one for various needs and budgets. (You can also check out some great iPad Memorial Day deals right now.)

The best iPads of 2024

Has 80% of the Pro features
Five color options
Supports 2nd-gen Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard case
Has speedy M1 chip inside
64GB storage in base model is not great
Battery life struggles to get through a full day if using like a laptop
Touch ID is less convenient than Face ID
Configured with accessories, it gets expensive quickly

iPad Air (5th generation)

Best ipad overall.

The iPad Air looks and feels a lot like the iPad Pro, especially if it's in the Magic Keyboard case and it has the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) magnetically attached. It's truly a slightly less expensive iPad Pro that's only missing a few features (primarily an upgraded processor, an even better display, and more powerful cameras for AR and pro video capture).

This is the iPad to get if you want to use your iPad nearly every day and do more than just read and watch videos. You want to use it to answer emails, write up documents, take notes, draw a little bit, and maybe play games, for example. The iPad Air is much more powerful device than the base-level iPad, and it's meant for doing more. That's why it has a nicer display and cameras (back and front) than the standard 9th- and 10th-gen iPad models.

Review: iPad Air (2022): So good I almost regret buying my iPad Pro

My biggest complaint with the iPad Air is that if you're stepping up to this model, then you'll want to get the most out of it and include the add-ons to it -- upgrade from the base 64GB of storage to 256GB, include the cellular connectivity option, and add the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and the Magic Keyboard. By the time you do all that, it's going to cost you $1,300. That's only $200 less than a similarly configured 11-inch iPad Pro. It's also about the same price as an M2 MacBook Air .

Overall, 98% customers who have purchased the iPad Air at Best Buy said they would recommend this model, and gave it an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.

Centered camera for landscape video calls
Four color options
USB-C charging
Similar design to iPad Air and iPad Pro
Nearly as expensive as iPad Air
Doesn't support 2nd-gen Apple Pencil

iPad (10th generation)

Best ipad for facetime and zoom.

When Apple upgraded its 10th generation base-level iPad with a new design to match the iPad Pro and iPad Air, it added a surprising number of features that had been limited to the high-end models, including USB-C, 5G, 4K video capture, and Wi-Fi 6.

Review: iPad 2022 (10th Gen): Better than the Pro in two ways

But Apple also gave the 10th-gen iPad something no other iPad has: a front-facing camera that is centered horizontally and optimized for video calls when the iPad is docking in its keyboard case -- which has now become the preferred position for many iPad users. This unequivocally makes the iPad 10th-gen the best iPad for FaceTime calls, Zoom meetings, and other types of video calls. And, based on customer reviews, this iPad would be a good option for those new to Apple as well as those looking for something easy to use for kids or seniors.

The biggest drawback to this model is the price. Starting at $450, it's $130 more expensive than the iPad 9th generation, which Apple still sells and remains the best budget iPad.

iPad ( 10th generation) specs: Display : 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone | Processor : A14 Bionic chip with 16-core Neural Engine | Storage : 64GB or 256GB | Biometrics : Touch ID | Colors : Silver, Pink, Blue, Yellow | Cameras : 12MP f/1.8 wide, 12MP Landscape f/2.4 front | Weight : 1.05 pounds | Dimensions : 9.79 x 7.07 x .28 inches | Connections : USB-C, Smart Connector | Battery life: Up to 10 hours of video playback with USB-C charging

Great price
Solid display
Traditional Touch ID home button
Supports Apple Pencil (1st generation)
Filled with last-generation tech
Very large bezels
Uses Lightning port for charging

iPad (9th generation)

Best budget ipad.

If you just need a basic, full-screen iPad to watch videos, play games, answer messages, and do an occasional video call, for example, then the base-level iPad (9th generation) will suit plenty of people just fine. And it starts at $329, which makes it very accessible. It's a great first iPad for kids. It's also a good one to give elderly relatives and friends who are still a little uncomfortable with technology and just need a device to do a few simple things.

The 9th-gen iPad is filled with last-generation technology such as the Lightning connector for charging, a Touch ID home button, 4G LTE connectivity, the A13 chip, and the 1st-gen Apple Pencil. But it does have a 12MP front-facing camera and so it's still a good video call device. And overall, these older technologies are still good enough to handle the basics for most people -- and will be for several years to come.

Review: Apple iPad (2021) review: If it's not broke, don't fix it

And the customer reviews speak for themselves: 98% of customers who have purchased this generation iPad at Best Buy would recommend it to a friend, and gave it a rating of 4.9 stars out of 5.

Gorgeous display with Retina XDR and ProMotion
Has M2, most powerful chip in an iPad
Wi-Fi 6E for faster connectivity
Advanced camera system for AR and pro video capture
Costs as much as a powerful laptop
Camera placement is awkward for video calls
Heavy when combined with Magic Keyboard

iPad Pro (6th generation)

Best ipad money can buy.

The iPad Pro is the ultimate iPad, where Apple has pushed the boundaries of what's possible for a tablet and even tempted people to make this their only computing device. Customers who have bought it praise this processor upgrade, saying it makes the iPad Pro "future-proof" and worth the cost in the long run. But I would argue that most people shouldn't buy the iPad Pro thinking it's a replacement for your laptop, because many of you would be disappointed and frustrated.

Instead, you should buy the iPad Pro for the things it does well that you can't do with a laptop. The three big ones are:

Built-in 5G for simplified, always-on connectivity
Digital drawing capabilities with the Apple Pencil (2nd generation)
Advanced camera system for capturing augmented reality and ProRes video

The always-on 5G is its best feature because it always beats having to use your phone as a hotspot -- or worse, public Wi-Fi from your laptop. Being able fire up the iPad Pro with its excellent keyboard, beautiful screen, and faster processor and power through messages and documents from anywhere is truly a treat. And for professionals who want the flexibility of drawing with a digital device or working with AR for viewing and capturing high-quality video without a heavy, bulky rig, the iPad Pro is a purpose-built device that works great.

Review: iPad Pro (2022): I'm cautiously optimistic. Or foolish

Where the iPad Pro falls down is when you want to start multitasking and doing more complicated tasks that you'd normally do on your laptop. There almost always ends up being a task that's more frustrating or takes extra steps or simply doesn't have all of the functionality you get when you perform the task from a Mac or a Windows PC. And for now, I'd also recommend waiting until Apple announces the next iPad Pro in the spring before making an investment this big -- unless you have an urgent need and won't have FOMO about the latest new features.

iPad Pro (6th generation ) specs: Display : 11-inch Liquid Retina display or 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion and True Tone | Processor : Apple Silicon M2 | Storage : 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB or 2TB | Biometrics : Face ID | Colors : Silver, space gray | Cameras : 12MP wide, 10MP ultrawide rear and 12MP TrueDepth FaceTime front | Weight : 11-inch: 1.03 pounds, 12.9-inch: 1.5 pounds | Dimensions : 11-inch: 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.23 inches, 12.9-inch: 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.25-inches | Connections : USB-C Thunderbolt/USB-4 | Battery life: 10 hours

Light and compact
Supports 2nd-gen Apple Pencil
Comes in four colors
No official keyboard case
Expensive for the feature set
Has the 64GB storage limitation for the base model

iPad Mini (6th generation)

Best ipad for specific use cases.

The design of the iPad Mini (6th generation) makes it look a lot like a smaller iPad Air, and the technology inside the product is very consistent with that impression. The 8.3-inch tablet is nearly identical in specs to the 10.9-inch iPad Air. It's essentially the smaller sibling, but it's only $100 less expensive, starting at $499.

The iPad Mini feels more like a big smartphone than a small tablet at times. It can easily slip into bags, purses, and even the pockets of some cargo pants and vests. Compared to a phone, it's better for reading ebooks, PDFs, documents, news apps, and other digital content -- especially when leaning back in a chair or a couch. But it's not quite as nice as reading on a full-size iPad propped up horizontally in a case when reading at a desk or table. The portability of the iPad Mini along with its support for the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil make note-taking a popular use case -- although I consider the a better note-taking tablet, if that's the primary function you're looking for.

Review: Why the iPad Mini 6 is Apple's most exciting new product in years

The main audience for the iPad Mini might be businesses with specific use cases such as retail customer service, point-of-sale, and logistics apps such as delivery. It's also good to give to young kids as a first iPad since it's smaller, lighter, and easier to handle. And there are rugged cases for it -- which is critical for both little kids and many business use cases.

Customers who bought the iPad Mini reported in reviews that they were impressed by its battery life, durability, and its display, also noting its portability to fit in purses and bags, particularly for entertainment purposes.

What is the best iPad?

The best iPad overall is the iPad Air since it has many of the high-end features of the iPad Pro but isn't quite as expensive. However, if you're going to add all of the accessories like the Apple Pencil, the Magic Keyboard, cellular connectivity, and extra storage then you're still going to spend over $1,000 with the iPad Air and will only save a couple hundred dollars off the price of the iPad Pro. In that case, you should strongly consider opting for the iPad Pro.


iPad Air	$599	10.9-inch Retina display	Apple Silicon M1	1.02 pounds
iPad (10th gen)	$449	10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone	A14 Bionic	1.05 pounds
iPad (9th gen)	$329	10.2-inch Retina display	A13 Bionic	1.07 pounds
iPad Pro (6th gen)	$799	11-inch Liquid Retina display or 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display	Apple Silicon M2	1.03-1.5 pounds
iPad Mini	$499	8.3-inch Liquid Retina display	A15 Bionic	0.65 pound

*MSRP at the time of writing. Please note that actual prices may vary depending on available sales, deals, discounts, and coupons.

Which is the best iPad for you?

Whether you're buying a new iPad or upgrading an old iPad, the first thing to do before you buy is to get really clear about what you're planning to use it for the most.


iPad Air	The best overall option. It can be used for both work and play, and at just over a pound, the Air is compatible with the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil.
iPad (10th gen)	The portability of a tablet but don't want to replace your computer. The new 12MP ultra-wide camera even beats out the Pro, especially for video calls.
iPad (9th gen)	A budget-friendly iPad. It's a great first-iPad for kids, and can also handle basics like watching videos, playing games, quick video calls, and more.
iPad Pro (6th gen)	A high-performance tablet. It has built-in 5G for simplified, always-on connectivity, the workhorse M2 chip, and a gorgeous, high-quality display for watching videos.
iPad Mini	A smaller, more manageable iPad model with an 8.3-inch display and many of the same specs as the iPad Air.

Factors to consider when choosing the best iPad:

If you're looking to buy an iPad, here are the top factors you should consider before making a purchase:

Mobility: The iPad lineup now ranges from the very small and light iPad Mini to the iPad Pro 13-inch, which can be heavier and more bulky than a laptop (once you attach the Magic Keyboard Case or another third-party case). In between these two you have the rest of the iPad lineup that comes in slight variations of the traditional 10-inch iPad form factor. Think about how much you want to use the iPad on the go and the bag you want to carry it in. Will you be carrying just the iPad or will you also be carrying a laptop?
Accessories: Think about which iPads are compatible with the accessories you'd like to use such as the Magic Keyboard Case and the three different versions of the Apple Pencil.
Price: There are now iPads for nearly every budget, especially when you include the last-generation models we've highlighted below in the Alternatives section. You can get a standard iPad for around $300 and it will be fine for watching videos, doing light web surfing, and answering messages. This is a great choice for a first iPad or to upgrade an older one used for the same tasks. The premium iPad Pro models are loaded with features, have incredible displays, and cost the same as a premium laptop. However, they are best for creative professionals, artists, and those who want to use the device as their full laptop replacement, which can still be a frustrating endeavor if you're a power user with a long history on a laptop and you have a lot of work to do.

How do we test iPads?

I have been using an iPad since the day the first Apple tablet was released in 2010, and I have tried out nearly every iPad model at one point or another since then. I've tested the modern iPad models in real-world situations to evaluate their features, design, performance, and overall value.

For example, I've used the iPad Mini to take notes and read documents on the road. I've used the standard iPad for web browsing and watching YouTube. I've used the iPad Pro models for lots of Zoom calls, Slack, web apps, creating Google Docs, reading during lunch using the Kindle app and the Magic Keyboard case since it props up the iPad quite nicely, and downloading and watching videos while traveling. I've recently tried using the iPad Air for all the things I typically do with an iPad Pro and found that it works great with only two exceptions: the battery life isn't as good and the fingerprint sensor isn't as convenient as Face ID for all day use during a long day of meetings or work.

What are the newest iPad models?

Apple announced the 6th-generation iPad Air and the 7th-generation iPad Pro models on May 7. You can preorder the tablets now at Apple's website, and they are officially available on May 17.

Also: How to preorder the new iPad Air, iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil Pro

The new iPad Air comes in two sizes for the first time (11 inches and 13 inches) and features the M2 chip. In addition, the iPad Air now starts at 128GB instead of the mere 64GB that Apple previous included in the base model.

The iPad Pro now comes with the new M4 chip which Apple says delivers up to 4x faster GPU rendering and a 50% faster CPU performance than the M2 in the previous iPad Pro. The Pro tablets also feature an Ultra Retina XDR display, which Apple called "the world's most advanced display."

What is the best iPad for kids?

The base model iPad is the best tablet for kids since it's easy to use, lightweight, and can grow with your child as they need it for different purposes. The iPad Mini would also be a good choice since it's the smallest iPad in the lineup, perfect for little hands.

What is the best iPad for drawing?

The best iPad for drawing is definitely the iPad Pro, thanks to its mini LED display that Apple calls Liquid Retina XDR, which is brighter and offers more color contrast when you're drawing. The Pro is also great for drawing since it supports the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, with a magnetic spot on the side to charge it.

All that said, the iPad Air also supports the Apple Pencil and is solid drawing tablet as well -- just a step down from the Pro because of the screen quality.

What is the best iPad for students?

The best iPad for students is the 5th-generation iPad Air. It has many of the same features as the powerful iPad Pro but costs less for students' budgets.

Also: The best note-taking apps for iPad

It's also compatible with the Magic Keyboard and the 2nd-generation Apple Pencil, so students can utilize it for different forms of note-taking.

Should I get the iPad Pro or the iPad Air?

Where the iPad Pro is the model for those who want the upgraded cameras, AR features, and the high-quality display, the iPad Air is the model for those who want to use the tablet for work and play, without big sacrifices in performance or features.

Also: iPad Air (2022) vs iPad Pro (2022): How to choose

What are the differences between an iPad, Amazon Fire, and a Samsung tablet?

It's easy to see the price difference between one of Amazon's Fire tablets and an iPad. However, you have to remember that Amazon designs and builds its tablets as entry-level tablets that do the bare minimum.

Performance is going to be slower and app selection is going to be worse on Amazon's Fire tablet lineup. The iPad has access to the same App Store as the iPhone, with many apps optimized to take advantage of the larger display on the iPad.

As far as Samsung tablets go, these devices will run on Android and are closer to iPads in terms of performance, design, and features. The Galaxy Tab S series is ideal for users who need power, such as creators and professionals. The tablets in this series have larger screens and more processing power, comparable to the iPad Pro.

On the other hand, Samsung also makes a Galaxy Tab A series, which comes at a lower price point with smaller screens for those who need a simple tablet for everyday tasks and entertainment.

Are there alternative iPad models to consider?

If you still want an iPad but want to pay less and don't mind older versions, you can buy a renewed iPad through Amazon's Renewed Store , which sells high-quality, like-new products that are refurbished and pre-owned.

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The Best Homework Apps For iPhone and iPad
The best apps to help with homework on iPhone and iPad
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The Best Homework Apps For iPhone and iPad

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COMMENTS

Best Homework And Assignments Apps For iPad / iPhone
5. myHomework Student Planner. "myHomework" is one of the most appreciable back-to-school apps for iOS. With this app, you can effortlessly keep an eye on your classes, homework, assignments, and tests. There is a smart calendar display to let you instantly find out the required information.
Top 20 Best iPad Apps for Students [2024]
Publisher: GoodNotes Limited. Best for: Note-taking, journaling, PDF annotation, studying, etc. Download link: GoodNotes 5. GoodNotes 5 is one of the top iPad apps for schools, thanks to how useful it is for notetaking, PDF annotation, organization, and more.
The Best Homework Apps For iPhone and iPad
It's by far one of the best homework apps for iPad, and it's only $2.99. 5. Stack Exchange: Get answers in advanced subjects. When I started college, I was surprised to find for the first time that I had questions Google couldn't answer. The further you get into a particular study, especially if that study is complex, the harder it's ...
Best iPad for students 2024
It's not cheap. Price When Reviewed: $599 (128GB, Wi-Fi only) Best Prices Today: $569 at Amazon $599 at Apple $599 at B&H. The 11-inch iPad Air (M2), with its 11-inch display, modern design, low ...
Best iPad Apps for University Students
Studydrive. Studydrive definitely belongs on the list of the best apps for students. The app offers Europe's largest student community with over two million users. Studydrive provides access to over 800,000 verified study materials from fellow students at over 6,000 universities worldwide.
Best iPad apps for school in 2023
Key Takeaways. Notability is a versatile note-taking app for iPad that offers features like handwriting recognition and synced recordings, making it essential for college classes. Goodnotes 6 is a ...
Best iPad for students in 2024: Get more done at school with a brand
Best for editing students. 5. iPad Pro 13-inch. View at Best Buy. View at Best Buy. Check Amazon. The iPad Pro 13-inch is the top of the iPad tree, featuring the most powerful internals, and the biggest, shiniest screen. Students who need to edit videos and other media will love this powerful, big-screen tablet.
15 Best iPad Apps for Students—Boost Productivity & Learning
As a student, I know how important it is to have the right tools to stay organized and productive. Fortunately, the App Store offers a wide range of apps that can help you with everything from note-taking to studying for exams. However, you may also feel overwhelmed by the large selection.
The Best iPad Apps for College Students
8. OneNote. 9. Trello. Your iPad Can Be Your Best Tool When You Go to College. 1. Notion. Notion is an excellent companion for long-term planners. The app lets you create notes, lists, and workflows - with plenty of templates available.
The best apps to help with homework on iPhone and iPad
1) ‎Brainly - Homework Help App. 2) Chegg Study - Homework Help. 3) Course Hero | Homework Help. 4) Study tools and references. Brainly - Homework Help App. For help with everything from math to physics to law, Brainly is a homework helper worth checking out.
The 6 Best Homework Apps to Help Students (and Parents)
In addition to basic flashcards, Quizlet offers multiple modes to encourage different methods of memorization. If your child attends the same class as another student using Quizlet, the two can share flashcards. Those who use the app to study foreign languages can hear keywords spoken to them in over 18 languages. Download For : iOS.
EduTech: The best iOS apps for keeping track of assignments ...
One of the most popular scheduling apps on iOS is simply called "The Homework App." Available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, this app features a minimalistic design that offers support for ...
The 7 Best iPad Apps to Help Students Excel at School
The app lets you share your screen, stay on schedule with meeting reminders, and features a whiteboard for on-the-fly diagrams. Download: Zoom (Free, subscription available) 3. GoodNotes 5. There are a lot of great note-taking apps for the iPad, but GoodNotes 5 is the one that delivers the best experience.
Best student tablet in 2024
It's one of the best Chrome tablets you can buy, and the fact that Lenovo includes the keyboard cover at no extra cost helps it double as a surprisingly effective 2-in-1 Chromebook. Read our full ...
13 Best Notetaking Apps for iPad for 2024
Reviews: MarginNote 3 is currently rated at 4.7 of 5 stars with 4,800 reviews. Platform: Available for iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Links: Download app / View website. LiquidText and MarginNote 3 are the top PDF annotation and research apps. Check out our comparison of the two here. Image: Deniz Kurtoglu / Paperlike.
Best iPad for students 2024: which iPad to buy for school, college or
Find out more about how we test. The best iPad for most students is the iPad Air (2022). It's almost as powerful as the much more expensive iPad Pro, it has second-generation Apple Pencil ...
Best iPad for Students [2024 Guide]
Starts at $549. iPad Air M2 Tech Specs. We think the 2024 iPad Air M2 is the best student iPad that strikes a perfect balance between power and value. With an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, modern aesthetics, lightweight design, and an upgraded M2 processor, this is a fabulous choice for students.
How to make the most of your iPad for school
Using an external monitor. AirPlay is a long running iPad feature, but it's still not perfect. Apple. You can use an Apple Lightning to Digital AV Adapter ($49) or use AirPlay to connect your iPad ...
10 Best Homework Planner Apps
7. Chegg. (Android, iPhone, iPad) Chegg Study is among the best homework apps free to use across the globe. This best student homework app helps students get personalized support for every course-from school homework to exams. The app is used by millions of students to study their courses inside out.
‎myHomework Student Planner on the App Store
The free app includes: - Track your classes, homework, tests and assignments. - Beautiful calendar display. - Supports time, block and period-based schedules. - Universal (both iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) - Compatibility for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. With the optional myHomework account, you also get: - Sync across other platforms.
The Best iPad Apps for 2024
4.5. Procreate is an excellent option for digital artists who want to make the most of the iPad Pro's capabilities, including the Apple Pencil. Procreate gives you all the tools you need to create ...
r/ipad on Reddit: Students who use iPads in college: what are the best
For all things iPad & iPad Pro. Information, discussion, news, iPadOS, hardware, and more about the company out of Cupertino and its great tablet. Members Online • clairemct. ADMIN MOD Students who use iPads in college: what are the best PDF reader apps that also allow you to highlight and make notes? Apps I'm trying to complete my degree ...
Good planner app for school (homework, exams, etc) : r/ipad
Here's a great app for students. Check out Time Block. It helps students limit distractions by blocking out time for them to study effectively and gain more free time afterwards. It has a timer to help you focus and study. It can help you organize by: "Priority, Weekly, or Monthly" goals, tasks, plans, meetings, etc.
Try these 7 iPad Pro apps to enhance your productivity
The best part is that it's a one-time purchase; some in-app add-ons can be purchased but are not needed. If you are looking for a pro-level video editor for your iPad or even your iPhone, I ...
Which iPad Pro should you get in 2024?
And, unlike the previous iPad Pro generation, where only the 12.9-inch Pro got the mini-LED display (which wasn't nearly as great to begin with), in 2024 the 11-inch iPad Pro has the same OLED ...
My Best Buy member deals
12.9" iPad Pro 2022 (WiFi/128GB): was $1,099 now $849 @ Best Buy It's no longer the top tablet, but the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is still a force to be reckoned with.
What Are The Best New iPad Features Set To Be Available Soon?
Apple recently announced new features and changes that you will be able to experience on your iPad soon. Here's a few of the best. Helpful new features including Math Notes, Smart Script, and the ...
The best iPads of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed
When Apple upgraded its 10th generation base-level iPad with a new design to match the iPad Pro and iPad Air, it added a surprising number of features that had been limited to the high-end models ...
Quick! Best Buy cut the price of the 5th Gen iPad by $220 today only
Best Buy offers some of the best markdowns on Apple's mobile tech, and right now you can purchase the 10.9-inch iPad Air (5th Gen) with Apple's M1 chip for $530. That's a $220 discount ...
The best iPads of 2024
The best iPad for most people is the iPad Air 2024. It has the latest tech and solid performance, but is also in the middle of the range in both price and capability. You can find iPads that are ...

Best Homework And Assignments Apps For iPad / iPhone

1. Documents by Readdle

2. Power Planner

3. Socratic Math & Homework Help

4. Pocket Schedule Planner

5. myHomework Student Planner

6. OmniFocus 3

7. The Homework App

8. iStudiez Pro Legendary Planner

9. Class Manager– My Homework App

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Author: Karen Haslam , Managing Editor, Macworld

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