For most college students, Todoist is the best planner app for college students because its free plan covers 5 personal projects, and Pro costs $5 per user per month when billed annually, with a calendar layout and custom reminders. MyStudyLife is the best choice for a class timetable, because it was built around rotating Week A and Week B schedules, terms, classes, homework, and exam dates in one place. Notion is the best choice for students who want notes, readings, and tasks in one workspace, while Google Calendar is the best free calendar for shared class times and events.
A college planner has to hold the class timetable, track homework and exam dates, and show what is due today. The apps below cover at least two of those jobs, have a real free plan or a free trial, and publish a clear price for the first subscription plan. TickTick offers 25 percent off its annual plan for students and educators after verification with a school email. Start with the free plan, test it through one full week of classes, and only move to a subscription plan when a stated limit blocks real work.
On this page
Best planner apps for college students: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notion | Notes, databases, and class pages in one place | $10 per member/month | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | Todoist | Task lists, deadlines, and recurring coursework | $5 per user/month | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | TickTick | Tasks, calendar, habits, and focus timers in one app | $49.99 per year | Yes | Visit |
| 4 | MyStudyLife | Class timetables, homework, and exam dates | $6.99 per month | Yes | Visit |
| 5 | Google Calendar | Shared class times, events, and reminders | $0 for personal use | Yes | Visit |
| 6 | Structured | Hour by hour day plans with a visual timeline | $29.99 per year | Yes | Visit |
| 7 | Things | Apple only task lists with a clean Today view | $9.99 one-time for iPhone | Free trial (15 days) | Visit |
| 8 | Any.do | Simple lists, reminders, and a daily planner | $4.99 per month | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best best planner apps for college students, in detail
Notion
Best for: Notes, databases, and class pages in one place
Notion works as a class hub where lecture notes, reading lists, assignment trackers, and revision pages live in one workspace. The free plan costs $0 and covers solo pages and databases, which is enough for many students who want one place for notes and tasks. Plus costs $10 per member per month when billed annually, or $12 when billed monthly, and it adds unlimited collaborative blocks, unlimited guests, custom sites, and 30-day page history.
- The limit to watch is the file upload size on the free plan, which is 5 MB per file, while Plus allows files up to 5 GB.
- That matters for large slide decks, lab files, or recorded lectures.
- Notion Calendar is included, so class times can sit beside task lists and notes.
- Choose Notion for a flexible workspace for notes and coursework, and choose a simpler task app when you only need a due date list and a calendar.
Pros
- Free plan covers solo use with pages and databases
- Plus adds 30-day page history and 5 GB file uploads
Cons
- Full AI features sit in the $20 Business plan, not in Plus
- free plan file uploads are limited to 5 MB
Todoist
Best for: Task lists, deadlines, and recurring coursework
Todoist is a focused task manager that suits weekly coursework, reading deadlines, and revision schedules. The free Beginner plan includes 5 personal projects, 3 filter views, and one week of activity history. Pro costs $5 per user per month when billed annually, which is $60 per year, or $7 per month when billed monthly.
- Pro raises the limit to 300 personal projects and 150 filter views, and it adds calendar layout, task duration, deadlines, custom reminders, and full
- That calendar layout changes daily planning, because tasks can be dragged into time blocks on a calendar view instead of sitting in a plain list.
- Recurring tasks cover weekly seminars, lab sessions, and regular revision, while filters can separate one module from another.
- Choose Todoist for a fast list that stays clear across a full term, and look elsewhere when you need a built-in class timetable or long-form notes.
Pros
- Free plan includes 5 personal projects and 3 filter views
- Pro adds calendar layout, task duration, and custom reminders
Cons
- Calendar layout and custom reminders need Pro
- free plan keeps only one week of activity history
TickTick
Best for: Tasks, calendar, habits, and focus timers in one app
TickTick combines a to-do list, a calendar, a habit tracker, and a Pomodoro timer in one app, which suits students who want fewer apps and one daily view. The free plan includes 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, and 5 habits, with no ads on the free plan. Premium costs $49.99 per year on the TickTick website, which works out to about $4.17 per month, and the App Store also lists a $4.99 monthly option.
- Students and educators can get 25 percent off the annual plan after verification with a school email.
- Premium raises the limits to 299 lists, 999 tasks per list, 299 habits, and 199 attachments per day, and it adds full calendar views, the timeline vie
- The Pomodoro timer helps with focused study blocks, and habits can track daily revision, reading, or exercise.
- Choose TickTick for tasks, calendar, habits, and a timer in one place.
Pros
- Free plan includes 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, and 5 habits
- Premium adds 299 lists, 999 tasks per list, and 299 habits
Cons
- Full calendar views and timeline need Premium
- monthly price on the App Store is $4.99, higher than the annual rate
MyStudyLife
Best for: Class timetables, homework, and exam dates
MyStudyLife is the only app in this list that was built first for school and college timetables, and that focus shows in how it handles class times. It supports rotating timetables, including Week A and Week B schedules, plus terms that start and stop, classes, homework, and exam dates. The core timetable, tasks, and exams are usable for free, which covers the main planning job for most students without a subscription plan.
- MyStudyLife+ costs $6.99 per month or $39.99 per year for one student, which works out to about $3.33 per month on the annual plan.
- Family Connect plans start at $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year for one student, and higher family plans cover two students or three to five students
- Choose MyStudyLife when your timetable changes by week, and pair it with a task app when you need deeper project planning or long-form notes.
Pros
- Built for rotating timetables, terms, classes, homework, and exams
- core timetable, tasks, and exams are usable for free
Cons
- Some premium features need MyStudyLife+
- dark mode and extra features sit behind the subscription plan in current versions
Google Calendar
Best for: Shared class times, events, and reminders
Google Calendar is free with a personal Google account, and for many students it is the calendar that other apps and classmates already use. It covers personal calendars, shared calendars, reminders, Google Meet links, and one appointment booking page, with 15 GB of storage pooled across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. There is no separate charge for Calendar itself, and the mobile apps run on Android and iPhone as well as on the web.
- The business route is Google Workspace, where Business Starter costs $7 per user per month on an annual commitment, or $8.40 on flexible monthly billi
- Business Standard adds extra booking pages, payments, and automatic email reminders.
- Choose Google Calendar for a free, shared calendar for group work and class times, and add a task app when you need due dates and checklists.
Pros
- Free with a personal Google account, with shared calendars and one appointment booking page
- works on web, Android, and iPhone
Cons
- No standalone subscription plan for Calendar alone
- extra booking pages need Google Workspace Business Standard at $14 per user per month
Structured
Best for: Hour by hour day plans with a visual timeline
Structured turns a to-do list into a visual timeline, so each task sits in a time block on a day plan instead of in a plain list. That layout suits students who plan study blocks around lectures, labs, and part-time work, and who want to see gaps in the day at a glance. The free plan covers basic day planning, while Pro adds recurring tasks, calendar import, Reminders import, Replan, and an AI planning assistant.
- Pro costs $6.99 per month, $29.99 per year, or $99.99 for lifetime access in the United States, according to the Structured help centre, with prices v
- The yearly plan works out to about $2.50 per month.
- Choose Structured when a visual day plan helps you start work on time, and choose a list-first app when you have many small tasks and do not need to t
Pros
- Visual timeline shows the day hour by hour
- Pro adds recurring tasks, calendar import, and Replan
Cons
- Prices vary by region and show in the app or store
- calendar import and recurring tasks need Pro
Things
Best for: Apple only task lists with a clean Today view
Things is a task manager for Apple devices only, made by Cultured Code, and it is the only app in this list with no subscription for its core features. The iPhone app, which includes the Apple Watch app, costs $9.99 as a one-time purchase. The iPad app costs $19.99, and the Mac app costs $49.99, each as a separate one-time purchase.
- Buying all three main platforms costs $79.97 in total, and Things Cloud sync is included at no extra charge.
- The Mac app offers a free 15-day trial.
- The app is built around Inbox, Today, Upcoming, and Someday views, which suit students who want a calm daily list without extra tools.
- Cultured Code states that Things does not support real-time sharing of to-dos or lists, so it is a poor fit for shared group projects.
Pros
- One-time purchase with no subscription
- Things Cloud sync is included at no extra charge
Cons
- Apple devices only, with no Windows, Android, or web version
- each platform is a separate purchase
Any.do
Best for: Simple lists, reminders, and a daily planner
Any.do puts a to-do list, a calendar, and a daily planner in one app, with sync across phone, desktop, and web. The free Personal plan includes tasks and lists, reminders, calendar, daily planner, and sync across devices, which covers daily coursework for many students. Premium costs $4.99 per month when billed annually, or $7.99 per month when billed monthly, and it adds recurring tasks, WhatsApp reminders, AI features, color tags, and location reminders.
- The Family plan costs $8.33 per month for 4 members when billed annually, or $9.99 per month when billed monthly, and it adds a shared family space, a
- Choose Any.do for a simple daily planner with reminders in WhatsApp and on the calendar, and choose Todoist or TickTick when you need stronger filters
Pros
- Free Personal plan includes tasks, lists, reminders, calendar, and daily planner with sync across devices
- Premium adds recurring tasks and location reminders
Cons
- Recurring tasks, color tags, location reminders, and WhatsApp reminders need Premium
- monthly billing costs $7.99 per month
How we chose
We chose apps that cover class timetables, task lists, calendars, or notes, that run on the platforms students actually use, and that publish a clear free plan or trial and a clear first subscription price. Prices and plan limits in this article come from official vendor pricing pages and docs opened on 12 November 2026, and each price is cited in Sources. We did not test any tool hands-on. We did not use customer counts, awards, or review scores to rank the apps.
Pick by budget and need
| Need | Pick | Starting price | What the free plan covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| No cost at all | Google Calendar | $0 for personal use | Full calendar, shared calendars, and one booking page |
| Class timetable first | MyStudyLife | $6.99 per month | Core timetable, tasks, and exams |
| Tasks and deadlines first | Todoist | $5 per user/month (billed annually) | 5 personal projects and 3 filter views |
| Tasks, calendar, and habits in one app | TickTick | $49.99 per year | 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, and 5 habits |
| Notes and coursework in one place | Notion | $10 per member/month (billed annually) | Solo pages and databases, with 5 MB file uploads |
| Visual day plan | Structured | $29.99 per year | Basic day planning on a visual timeline |
| Apple only, no subscription | Things | $9.99 one-time for iPhone | Free trial (15 days) on Mac only |
| Simple daily planner | Any.do | $4.99 per month (billed annually) | Tasks, lists, reminders, calendar, and daily planner |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best planner app for college students?
Todoist is the best planner app for most college students, because its free plan covers 5 personal projects and Pro costs $5 per user per month when billed annually, with a calendar layout and custom reminders. MyStudyLife is the better pick when a rotating class timetable is the main problem, and Notion is the better pick when notes and coursework need one workspace.
Which planner app is completely free for college students?
Google Calendar is completely free for personal use with a Google account, with shared calendars, reminders, and one appointment booking page. Notion, Todoist, TickTick, MyStudyLife, Structured, and Any.do also have free plans, but each one holds some features for a subscription plan.
How much does TickTick Premium cost for students?
TickTick Premium costs $49.99 per year on the TickTick website, which works out to about $4.17 per month. Students and educators can get 25 percent off the annual plan after verification with a school email, which makes the annual price $37.49 per year at that student rate. The App Store also lists a $4.99 monthly option.
Is MyStudyLife free for students?
Yes, the core timetable, tasks, and exams in MyStudyLife are usable for free. MyStudyLife+ costs $6.99 per month or $39.99 per year for one student, which works out to about $3.33 per month on the annual plan. Family Connect plans start at $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year for one student.
Which planner app is best for a class timetable?
MyStudyLife is best for a class timetable, because it was built for rotating Week A and Week B schedules, terms, classes, homework, and exam dates. Google Calendar is a good second choice for shared class times and events, while Structured is a good choice for turning a class day into an hour by hour plan with time blocks.
Is Things worth it for college students who use Apple devices?
Things is worth it for Apple only students who prefer a one-time purchase, because the iPhone app costs $9.99 once, the iPad app costs $19.99 once, and the Mac app costs $49.99 once. It is not worth it for students who need Windows, Android, a web version, or real-time sharing.
Sources
- https://www.notion.com/
- https://www.notion.com/pricing
- https://todoist.com/
- https://todoist.com/pricing
- https://ticktick.com/
- https://ticktick.com/about/upgrade
- https://www.mystudylife.com/
- https://calendar.google.com/
- https://structured.app/
- https://help.structured.app/
- https://culturedcode.com/things/
- https://culturedcode.com/things/pricing
- https://www.any.do/
- https://www.any.do/pricing
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.