Students & Researchers Tools

The Best Software Stack for Students & Researchers

A curated list of 96 tools across 14 categories, peer-reviewed for this career.

14 Categories
96 Tools Reviewed

Best AI Writing Assistants

AI Writing Assistants

Top-rated ai writing assistants tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Perplexity logo

Perplexity

4.9/5

The new standard for search. Perplexity provides cited answers to complex questions, making it the perfect starting point for literature reviews and fact-checking research papers.

Pros

  • Always cites sources
  • Access to academic papers
  • Copilot mode guides research

Cons

  • Writing style is dry
  • Not a full word processor
Starting at
Free / $20/mo
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#2
Grammarly logo

Grammarly

AI Writing Assistants Best for: Grammar & Style
4.9/5
Free / $12/mo
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#3
Scispace logo

Scispace

AI Writing Assistants Best for: Paper Analysis
4.8/5
Free / $20/mo
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Best Cloud Storage

Cloud Storage

Top-rated cloud storage tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Google Drive (EDU) logo

Google Drive (EDU)

4.9/5

Usually provided for free by universities, it's the best tool for collaborative class projects and storing research papers.

Pros

  • Free through many schools
  • Real-time editing
  • Great search

Cons

  • Storage limits changing
  • Privacy concerns
Starting at
Free via Uni
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#2
Zotero (Storage) logo

Zotero (Storage)

Cloud Storage Best for: Citation management
4.9/5
Free up to 300MB
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#3
Microsoft OneDrive logo

Microsoft OneDrive

Cloud Storage Best for: Thesis writing
4.8/5
Free/Discounted
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Best Focus & Productivity Timers

Focus & Productivity Timers

Top-rated focus & productivity timers tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Tide logo

Tide

4.9/5

Integrates nature sounds and meditation into a focus timer to reduce research-induced stress and anxiety.

Pros

  • High-quality audio
  • Sleep tracking
  • Clean design

Cons

  • Large app size
  • Subscription for sounds
Starting at
Free / Plus $8/mo
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#2
Pomofocus logo

Pomofocus

Focus & Productivity Timers Best for: Pomodoro Technique
4.8/5
Free
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#3
Flora logo

Flora

Focus & Productivity Timers Best for: Social studying
4.7/5
Free
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Best Genealogy Software

Genealogy Software

Top-rated genealogy software tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Gramps logo

Gramps

4.7/5

A professional-grade, open-source tool for researchers who need deep academic citation and data sovereignty.

Pros

  • Open source
  • Extremely detailed
  • Privacy focused

Cons

  • High learning curve
  • Dated UI
Starting at
Free
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#2
Ancestry.com logo

Ancestry.com

Genealogy Software Best for: Massive record access
4.6/5
From $24.99/mo
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#3
Family Tree Maker logo

Family Tree Maker

Genealogy Software Best for: Publishing research
4.6/5
From $79.95
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Best Habit Tracking Apps

Habit Tracking Apps

Top-rated habit tracking apps tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Forest logo

Forest

4.9/5

Gamified focus app where students plant virtual trees that grow while they study, helping build the habit of phone-free research.

Pros

  • Eco-friendly impact
  • Fun gamification
  • Prevents phone distraction

Cons

  • Paid app
  • Basic reporting
Starting at
$3.99
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#2
Obsidian logo

Obsidian

Habit Tracking Apps Best for: Research Integration
4.9/5
Free
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#3
Habitica logo

Habitica

Habit Tracking Apps Best for: PhD Productivity
4.8/5
Free
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Best Language Learning Apps

Language Learning Apps

Top-rated language learning apps tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Anki logo

Anki

4.9/5

The gold standard for researchers needing to memorize complex terminology and academic language using highly customizable flashcards.

Pros

  • Infinite customization
  • Powerful SR algorithm
  • Open source

Cons

  • Difficult to set up
  • Dated user interface
Starting at
Free (Desktop/Android)
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#2
Memrise logo

Memrise

Language Learning Apps Best for: Vocabulary Mastery
4.8/5
Free / From $8/mo
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#3
Clozemaster logo

Clozemaster

Language Learning Apps Best for: Advanced Reading Skill
4.8/5
Free / Premium $8/mo
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Best Note-Taking Apps

Note-Taking Apps

Top-rated note-taking apps tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Obsidian logo

Obsidian

4.9/5

Highly effective for building a second brain with bi-directional links between research topics.

Pros

  • Offline usage
  • Link visualization
  • Powerful plugins

Cons

  • Mobile sync is paid
  • No native PDF annotation
Starting at
Free
Visit Website
#2
Zotero logo

Zotero

Note-Taking Apps Best for: Citation Management
4.8/5
Free
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#3
RemNote logo

RemNote

Note-Taking Apps Best for: Spaced Repetition
4.7/5
Free / $8/mo
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Best Password Managers

Password Managers

Top-rated password managers tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Bitwarden logo

Bitwarden

4.9/5

An open-source favorite for researchers who need to securely store database credentials across multiple devices for free.

Pros

  • Unlimited devices
  • Open-source audits
  • Very affordable

Cons

  • Utilitarian design
  • Manual backup recommended
Starting at
Free / $10/year Premium
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#2
1Password logo

1Password

Password Managers Best for: Project Organization
4.8/5
From $2.99/month (Discounts available)
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#3
KeePassXC logo

KeePassXC

Password Managers Best for: High-Security Privacy
4.8/5
Free / Open Source
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Best Personal Finance Apps

Personal Finance Apps

Top-rated personal finance apps tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
YNAB (You Need A Budget) logo

YNAB (You Need A Budget)

4.9/5

Offers a full year free for college students, helping them manage limited income and avoid credit card debt.

Pros

  • Proven methodology
  • Great education
  • Bank sync

Cons

  • Learning curve
  • Paid after 1 year
Starting at
Free for 1 Year (Students)
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#2
Rocket Money logo

Rocket Money

Personal Finance Apps Best for: Subscription Management
4.8/5
Free / Pay-what-you-want
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#3
Tiller logo

Tiller

Personal Finance Apps Best for: Data Analysis
4.8/5
From $79/year
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Best Presentation Software

Presentation Software

Top-rated presentation software tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Overleaf logo

Overleaf

4.9/5

The premier LaTeX editor for researchers who need to include complex formulas and citations in their slides.

Pros

  • Perfect for math/science
  • Version control
  • BibTeX support

Cons

  • High learning curve
  • Non-visual editing
Starting at
Free / Paid from $15/mo
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#2
Canva logo

Canva

Presentation Software Best for: Visual Projects
4.9/5
Free / Paid from $119/yr
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#3
Mentimeter logo

Mentimeter

Presentation Software Best for: Interactive Data
4.8/5
Free / Paid from $11/mo
Visit

Best Project Management Tools

Project Management Tools

Top-rated project management tools tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Notion logo

Notion

4.9/5

The top choice for students to manage lecture notes, thesis research databases, and exam schedules in a single aesthetic space.

Pros

  • Free Personal Pro for students
  • Database for literature reviews
  • Mobile sync

Cons

  • Steep setup curve
  • Can be distracting
Starting at
Free for Students (Education Plan)
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#2
Obsidian logo

Obsidian

Project Management Tools Best for: Knowledge Graphing & Thesis Planning
4.9/5
Free for personal use
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#3
Zotero logo

Zotero

Project Management Tools Best for: Citation & Bibliography Management
4.8/5
Free (Open Source)
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Best Screen Recording Tools

Screen Recording Tools

Top-rated screen recording tools tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Loom logo

Loom

4.9/5

Perfect for students to record project walkthroughs or explain a thesis to their peer groups.

Pros

  • Free EDU plan
  • Instant sharing
  • Canvas tool

Cons

  • Browser dependent
  • Basic editing
Starting at
Free (EDU)
Visit Website
#2
Explain Everything logo

Explain Everything

Screen Recording Tools Best for: Theoretical Narrations
4.8/5
$6.99/mo
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#3
Panopto logo

Panopto

Screen Recording Tools Best for: Academic Research
4.7/5
Custom / EDU
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Best Transcription Services

Transcription Services

Top-rated transcription services tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
Rev logo

Rev

4.9/5

Premium human transcription ideal for PhD candidates requiring 99% accuracy for qualitative research interviews.

Pros

  • Highest accuracy in industry
  • Fast turnaround under 12 hours
  • Supports academic formatting

Cons

  • Higher price point
  • Minimum spend applies
Starting at
$1.50/min
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#2
Happy Scribe logo

Happy Scribe

Transcription Services Best for: Multilingual studies
4.8/5
€0.20/min AI
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#3
Otter.ai logo

Otter.ai

Transcription Services Best for: Lecture notes
4.7/5
Free / $10 monthly
Visit

Best VPN Services

VPN Services

Top-rated vpn services tools for students & researchers.

BEST OVERALL
NordVPN logo

NordVPN

4.9/5

High-speed encryption for researchers handling sensitive field data or proprietary university files.

Pros

  • Huge server variety
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Double encryption

Cons

  • Confusing renewal pricing
  • Map interface is large
Starting at
$3.99 monthly
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#2
Surfshark logo

Surfshark

VPN Services Best for: Student budgets
4.8/5
$2.49 monthly
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#3
Proton VPN logo

Proton VPN

VPN Services Best for: Academic privacy
4.8/5
$4.99 monthly
Visit