10 Essential Apps for College Students

Your smartphone can help you save both money and time!
College is almost in session, and we want you to be prepared with the best apps.
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| 10 Essential Apps for College Students |
While there are many great apps, choosing which apps are best for your upcoming semester can be overwhelming. To help with that, we have sorted through them and picked the 10 essential apps.
Because tough financial situations can be challenging for students, most apps you see out here are free and offer an excellent free tier. Let’s not waste any more time and get right into the top 10 apps we recommend every college student to have on their phone.
Table of contents
Google Calendar
Given the reach of Google, students may already be familiar with commonplace apps like Google Calendar. It can schedule events, create reminders, share availability, and more. Students can use it to keep track of their classes, deadlines, and club meetings.

You can download Google Calendar for iOS in the Apple App Store or Android in the Google Play Store.
In addition, Google Calendar does not sell user data and only collects data to improve user experience. You can see the basics of the Google Calendar privacy policy here and Google’s privacy policy here.
Evernote
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| Evernote is a note-taking and task-management system |
Evernote allows users to create to-do lists, save web pages and digitize documents via a device’s camera. Evernote is a note-taking and task-management system with the ability to sync across devices.
Evernote is free, though a premium version with more features costs $7.99 a month or $69.99 annually.
Venmo

Venmo is one of the essential apps you need to have on your phone. It is pretty much a must-have for college students. This free app allows you to transfer money to and from your friends, which makes it easy to split the cost of meals, drinks, and gas. Or maybe you need to request some money from your parents back home. That’s as easy as just a few taps.
You can download Venmo for iOS in the Apple App Store or Android in the Google Play Store.
Venmo does not sell user data and only collects data to improve user experience. You can read its full privacy policy here.
Spotify
Not only is Spotify the superior music streaming platform, but it also gives a discount on premium to college students. You can listen to all your favorite songs and curate edgy playlists. There are also excellent study playlists like the iconic “lofi” hip hop – beats to relax and study to.
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| There are lots of study playlists on Spotify |
You can download Spotify for iOS in the Apple App Store or Android in the Google Play Store.
Spotify collects user, usage, and plan verification data. You can also share voice data, payment and purchase data, contests, surveys, and sweepstakes data with Spotify.
In addition, Spotify also collects data from third-party sources, including authentication, technical services, payment, and advertisers.
Duolingo
Are you struggling to learn languages? Duolingo will help you enhance it.

Billing itself as “the world’s best way to learn a language,” Duolingo offers lessons in 35-plus languages, helping users with speaking, reading, listening, writing, grammar and vocabulary.
Any language app that can improve your vocabulary are one of the essential apps you need to have on your phone.
Duolingo offers free and paid versions, an ad-free experience, and offline access to lessons. Additionally, Duolingo has emerged as a test of English proficiency accepted at some U.S. colleges.
CamScanner
CamScanner is a mobile scanner. When you take a picture through the app, it’s saved as a .pdf, perfect for submitting handwritten assignments like reports online. It costs $59.99/year with a three-day free trial.
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| Take a photo in CamScanner and it will be converted to a PDF |
CamScanner does not sell user data and only collects data to improve user experience. You can read its full privacy policy here.
SplitWise
SplitWise keeps track of shared expenses and comes in handy when you live with roommates or are going on trips with friends. SplitWise splits your input costs, and then you can pay your friends via Venmo or PayPal.

There’ll be multiple occasions where you’ll end up paying for your friends and vice-versa. Instead of accounting for and settling every transaction individually, starting a Splitwise group with them and tracking all your expenses in one place is better.
Splitwise does all the math for you and instantly tells you your financial position – who you owe money to or who owes you some, whatever may be the case.
Word Hippo
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| Type in any word to Word Hippo and get a wide selection of synonyms |
Word Hippo is an elite thesaurus app, and as we all know, a good thesaurus is a must for essay writing. Type in any word, and Word Hippo will give you a great selection of synonyms.
You can download Word Hippo for iOS in the Apple App Store or Android in the Google Play Store.
Pomodoro

Pomodoro is a great time management app. It operates on the Pomodoro method, which has you work for 25 minutes straight with no interruptions and then takes a five-minute break.
Sorry Android owners, this app is currently only available on iPhones.
Pomodoro collects data such as your IP address, location, and information like the amount of time on the app. The app states that information is “to create, develop, operate, deliver, and improve our products, services, content, and advertising.
SwapNow – One of the Essential Apps
SwapNow is a free innovative application that helps students exchange items on the online platform. With the exchange application platform, any item can be swapped on SwapNow.
With Swapnow, you can completely upload item images free and smoothly. Besides, through the Conversations function, you can message and exchange information about products, status, where to meet, exchange time, etc., with other swappers. However, you should pay attention not to provide personal information to ensure security and safety.
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| SwapNow is a free exchange items application |
The app has ten additional categories: books, electronics, home appliances, baby items, clothes, etc. You can easily find the desired and suitable item for your needs. Thanks to SwapNow, students can save money and meet new friends with similar interests.
Smartphones can help save everyone time, money, or both (Why’s not?).
Check out the above outstanding applications. You’ll be surprised how resourceful your phone can get.
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