Short answer
Short answer: A student needs no more than four tools: a Pomodoro timer to split time (Pomi), a blocker to cut distractions, spaced repetition for memorisation (Anki) and a planner to see the week. Everything else is optional.
Why four tools, not ten?
Every new app is one more setup, one more notification, one more distraction. Students who study for long stretches tend to have one thing in common: a short app list. This guide gives one recommendation per need, with alternatives as short notes.
1. Splitting time: a Pomodoro timer
Pomi Pick
Work 25 minutes, rest 5; every session grows a plant in your pixel garden. The real difference for students is rooms: join classmates with a 6-character invite code, and everyone runs their own timer. The feel of a library, without going to one. The conquest map turns your focus minutes into points for your city, with 81 cities competing in 7-day seasons. No ads, works offline.
- How to use it
- Create one task per subject and link each session to it. The weekly stats show how many hours went to each subject.
- Alternatives
- Forest (if you cannot put the phone down), Focus To-Do (task-heavy)
- Get it
- App Store · Google Play
For a full comparison of timers, see the best Pomodoro apps in 2026.
2. Cutting distractions: a blocker
Checking TikTok while the timer runs wastes the session. The tools built into your phone are enough for most students:
- iPhone: Settings → Screen Time → App Limits, or create a Focus mode and schedule it for study hours.
- Android: Digital Wellbeing → Focus mode; chosen apps turn grey and will not open.
- Computer: Blockers such as Cold Turkey or Freedom; in the browser, hide YouTube recommendations with uBlock Origin.
Pomi does not lock your apps when a session starts, on purpose. The garden and the room keep you on task through reward, not prohibition. If you want prohibition, combine Pomi with the system tools above.
3. Memorisation: spaced repetition
Anki (free on Android and web, paid on iOS) uses a spaced-repetition algorithm to show you a card right before you would forget it. Medical, law and language students have relied on it for years. Alternative: Quizlet (easier, less powerful).
Practical rule: put Anki in the first session of the day, not in the Pomodoro breaks. When review is done, move on to new material.
4. Seeing the week: a planner
Google Calendar or Apple Calendar is enough. Block out how many sessions each subject gets per week, then compare with Pomi's weekly stats. The gap between plan and reality is next week's plan.
For notes, Notion or Apple Notes, both free. Do not spend weeks building a system; a plain page is fine.
Optional: focus sounds
Some students work in silence, others in café noise. Pomi includes mixable sounds such as rain, café and forest, so no extra app is needed. If you listen to music, make it instrumental; lyrics measurably reduce reading comprehension.
A sample study day with these tools
- 08:30 Focus mode on. Anki review, 1 session.
- 09:00 Pomi room with friends. Maths, 4 sessions (2 hours), 20-minute long break after every 4 sessions.
- 11:30 Reading and essays, 2 sessions.
- Afternoon Practice exam; timer off, real exam timing.
- Evening Check Pomi weekly stats, adjust tomorrow's calendar blocks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best focus app for exam preparation?
Choose by need rather than a single app: a Pomodoro timer such as Pomi to split time, your phone's focus mode to cut social media, and Anki for memorisation. Pomi's rooms let you study at the same time as classmates.
How do I stop picking up my phone while studying?
Schedule your phone's built-in focus mode for study hours, silence notifications and start a timer. Apps like Pomi that give a visible reward per session reduce the urge to return to the screen.
Is listening to music while studying bad?
Music with lyrics reduces reading comprehension. Instrumental music or steady background sounds such as rain or café noise are neutral or helpful for most students. Pomi provides these sounds in-app.
Can I study together with friends remotely?
Yes. In Pomi you create a room and share a 6-character invite code; everyone is in the same room but on their own timer. No camera or microphone needed.
Try Pomi for free
No ads, works offline. On iPhone, iPad and Android.
Transparency note: This article was written by the developer of Pomi. Information about other apps is based on their public store listings at the time of publishing; prices and features may change. Spotted a mistake? Email us and we will fix it.