5 Best AI Apps for Students: Uses, Benefits and Reasons to Choose Them
Compare ChatGPT, Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM), Google Gemini, Perplexity and Grammarly, with practical examples, study prompts, limitations and responsible-use guidance.
The best AI app depends on the study task. These five editorial picks cover concept learning, revision, visual explanations, research and writing. They are selected for practical usefulness, rather than ranked through an independent performance test. Information checked: 22 October 2026.
Which app should you choose?
| App | Best suited to | Main reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT ↗ | Understanding concepts through questions and practice | Guided questioning and feedback |
| Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) ↗ | Revising from your own notes and course materials | Revision grounded in supplied course materials |
| Google Gemini ↗ | Exploring concepts through images and conversation | Visual and conversational explanations |
| Perplexity ↗ | Starting web research for projects | Finding and comparing web sources |
| Grammarly ↗ | Improving your own English writing | Feedback on your English draft |
1. ChatGPT
Best suited to: Understanding concepts through questions and practice.
Why students might choose it
Its conversational format lets you ask follow-up questions, request simpler explanations and get feedback on your own answer. Study mode is designed for guided, step-by-step learning, making it a useful choice when you need help understanding how to solve a problem.
Practical example
Explain photosynthesis in your own words, then ask ChatGPT to identify gaps and quiz you one question at a time.
Try this prompt or exercise
I am a [class/year] student studying [topic]. First ask what I already know. Give one question at a time. Offer hints only after I try. Explain mistakes clearly without immediately giving the full answer.
Limitation: Answers and calculations can be wrong. Check important steps against your textbook or teacher’s explanation.
2. Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
Best suited to: Revising from your own notes and course materials.
Why students might choose it
It works with sources you provide to help create summaries, study guides, flashcards and quizzes. References back to the material make it useful for checking explanations against your course notes. Google now calls the product Gemini Notebook; older tutorials may use NotebookLM.
Practical example
Add three permitted chapter notes, generate revision questions, and check each answer against the relevant source passage.
Try this prompt or exercise
Use only these sources to explain the key concepts. Show the supporting source passage for each point. Create ten practice questions. Clearly identify anything that is not stated in the material.
Limitation: Source grounding does not eliminate errors. Check scans, tables, formulas and ambiguous passages. Poor source material can produce poor study aids.
3. Google Gemini
Best suited to: Exploring concepts through images and conversation.
Why students might choose it
It combines conversational study help with questions about visual material. Where available, Gemini Live supports spoken discussion. Consider it when you benefit from talking through a concept or asking for different explanations of a diagram.
Practical example
Upload a water-cycle diagram you drew yourself and ask which labels or stages need checking. Compare the feedback with your textbook.
Try this prompt or exercise
Describe only what is clearly visible in this diagram. Explain [concept] at [class/year] level. Identify potentially incorrect labels and explain why. Do not guess unreadable text.
Limitation: Small labels and handwriting may be misread. Features vary by account, device, age, region and plan.
4. Perplexity
Best suited to: Starting web research for projects.
Why students might choose it
Its source-linked answers help you discover reading material, compare perspectives and ask follow-up research questions. It is useful for building an initial source list, while the original publications remain the evidence you should read and cite.
Practical example
For a project on water conservation in Kerala, find government publications and research papers, then record their dates, scope and findings yourself.
Try this prompt or exercise
Find government, university and original research sources about [topic] for a student project. Give the publication date, link and claim supported by each source. Separate facts from opinions.
Limitation: A citation does not guarantee that a claim is supported. Open every important source and read the relevant passage; an AI summary is not a substitute for the paper.
5. Grammarly
Best suited to: Improving your own English writing.
Why students might choose it
Feedback on grammar, clarity and tone can help you revise a draft you have written yourself. Learning why a suggested correction helps can improve your next piece of writing too. Choose it primarily for English writing feedback rather than subject tutoring.
Practical example
Write a scholarship application draft yourself, review suggested improvements and accept only changes that preserve your meaning and voice.
Try this prompt or exercise
Practice task: Write an English paragraph yourself. Review three grammar suggestions and record the original sentence, your revised sentence and the reason for each change.
Limitation: Not every suggestion suits your subject or intended meaning. Follow your institution’s rules on AI writing assistance and verify names, dates and factual claims.
Next: How to study effectively with AI →
Do you need all five?
No. Start with one task: ChatGPT or Gemini for explanations, Gemini Notebook for your own notes, Perplexity for web research, or Grammarly for English writing feedback. ChatGPT and Gemini overlap substantially, so beginners generally do not need subscriptions to both.
Check before paying
Try a small task using available free access first. Check the official site for the feature you need, Indian availability, age eligibility, school-account restrictions and renewal terms. Prices, free limits, language support and student offers can change. This guide does not promise any particular promotion or academic result.
A 20-minute learning routine
- Read a topic yourself for five minutes and write three key ideas.
- Use one app for five minutes to clarify what you did not understand.
- Close the app and answer five questions independently for five minutes.
- Spend five minutes checking your work against the textbook and recording mistakes.
Use AI responsibly
Follow your teacher’s rules for assignments and exams, disclose AI assistance where required, and keep your own reasoning and writing. Do not upload identity documents, private mark sheets or other students’ personal information. Observe each service’s age requirements and parental-consent rules. Using an AI app does not guarantee higher marks.
Official sources and further reading
- OpenAI: ChatGPT Study mode
- Google: NotebookLM → Gemini Notebook (16 July 2026)
- Google: Gemini Notebook for students
- Google: Gemini for students
- Perplexity: education overview — institutional features may differ from individual plans.
- Grammarly: student writing support