As students gear up for another academic year, there’s a persistent urge to hunt for the perfect student laptop, but software often plays an even more pivotal role in achieving academic success. In a digital landscape increasingly driven by technology, the right suite of applications can transform productivity, foster creativity, and ensure security. Navigating this abundance, TechRadar’s list of the top nine apps every student should install stands out for its breadth and balance—covering everything from essential office tools to niche creative software, language learning, and cybersecurity. Here’s an in-depth exploration of these choices, evaluating their strengths, practicalities, and potential drawbacks, and providing critical analysis so readers can make informed decisions tailored to their studies and personal preferences.
For generations, Microsoft Office has dominated as the de facto productivity suite in classrooms worldwide. Rebranded as Microsoft 365, it maintains its relevance by offering an integrated package: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint cover the core needs—from writing essays and analyzing data to crafting compelling presentations.
But Microsoft 365 doesn’t stop at the basics. With OneDrive’s seamless cloud storage, students enjoy automatic backup and anytime-anywhere access to coursework. OneNote, a deceptively robust digital notebook, empowers students to organize lecture notes, audio snippets, and sketches. Importantly, Teams provides a collaborative digital space—enabling chat, real-time document editing, and video calls, features increasingly vital for project work and remote learning scenarios.
A significant edge here is Microsoft’s generous education discounts, which bring down the cost barrier for students. For those on tight budgets, online-only versions of Office tools are even available for free. Learning curves are generally gentle, and extensive online tutorials ensure new students can quickly master even advanced features. Some potential limitations exist—such as occasional compatibility hiccups with non-Microsoft file formats or the risk of feature overload—but for most, Microsoft 365 represents an essential, reliable platform for all academic work.
Integration is a strong suit: Grammarly works within Microsoft 365, Google Docs, major browsers, and even email clients. Students benefit from instant in-context suggestions, whether tapping out essays, revising CVs, or simply corresponding with faculty. The interface is minimal and non-intrusive, but always ready with data-backed advice.
Some critics note that Grammarly’s style suggestions sometimes err on the side of generic or can clash with academic subject-specific writing. As with any AI-driven tool, over-reliance can risk dulling a student’s organic writing voice. Still, as a safety net and learning aid, it’s hard to beat—especially for non-native English speakers navigating the nuances of academic prose.
Where Goodnotes shines is its handwriting recognition: scribbled lecture notes are converted into searchable text, making it a breeze to find topics from weeks prior. This functionality, paired with robust sync between iPad, iPhone, and Mac, ensures notes are always accessible.
A limitation is its exclusivity to Apple devices—Android and Windows users are left to seek alternatives. Still, the precision of Apple Pencil support and the natural feel of the app make it the preferred choice in many university settings. As digital transformation pushes ahead, tools like Goodnotes are leading a quiet but significant revolution in how students capture and revisit information.
The key benefit is accessibility: Canva offers a generous free tier, cloud-based platform independence, and instantaneous results. It’s equally suited for group project posters, club event flyers, or personal branding efforts such as resumes and portfolios. For those interested in deeper customization, the paid version unlocks premium assets and advanced features, but the free edition is more than sufficient for general needs.
Some critics point to the relatively generic look that can emerge when sticking too closely to templates, but creativity and customization options remain extensive. Canva has lowered the barrier for entry to visual communication—a skill increasingly relevant in academia and beyond.
One of Adobe’s strongest moves is offering heavy student discounts—often up to 60-70% off retail pricing. Student subscriptions usually include 100GB of cloud storage, access to a broad library of stock assets, and a growing archive of tutorials and templates. The learning curve can be steep, particularly with complex programs like After Effects, but mastering even one app (such as Photoshop) provides a valuable resume boost.
Risks are primarily tied to cost and system requirements; Creative Cloud’s professional focus demands relatively powerful hardware and can strain older laptops. Nevertheless, for students in creative disciplines, the suite is an investment that opens doors to advanced, polished project work—setting them apart in increasingly visual and competitive fields.
Duolingo’s free tier is robust, with paid “Super Duolingo” offering additional features such as advanced grammar explanations and ad-free lessons. The app’s strengths lie in engagement and accessibility—students can sneak in practice between classes or during commutes, building language confidence without heavy upfront investment.
Yet, the platform may fall short for advanced or specialized language study (for example, academic or technical vocabulary), and critics have raised concerns about reliance on translation-based exercises. For supplementing classroom instruction or picking up conversational basics, however, Duolingo remains unrivaled.
Prezi stands out for both its professional design templates—suitable even for those with no design background—and its recent integration of AI-powered features to help generate outlines or even entire decks from prompts. Collaboration tools facilitate group projects, allowing multiple students to co-edit in real time.
There’s an initial learning curve for those accustomed to linear slide-based thinking, and some educators may prefer the traditional format for grading consistency. Still, Prezi’s unique visual impact can set group projects and seminar presentations apart—making it a powerful option in the student toolkit.
Automation is a standout feature: students can schedule regular scans, reducing the risk of forgotten maintenance. MalwareBytes comes highly recommended by security professionals for its balance of efficacy, speed, and user-friendliness.
There’s an argument for pairing it with a traditional antivirus, since MalwareBytes specializes in malware rather than classic viruses, but as an additional layer of defense (especially on Windows), it represents a prudent investment in academic endurance.
Evernote’s strengths include organization—its tagging and search tools mean finding that buried research reference days before a deadline is painless. For collaborative study groups, shared notebooks streamline collective revision. The core version is free, and premium subscriptions add features such as offline access, larger uploads, and advanced integrations.
Some users have expressed frustration with relatively recent price increases and feature restrictions on the free tier. Nonetheless, for students managing a complex mix of academic, extracurricular, and personal notes, Evernote is an organizational powerhouse.
Moreover, the rapid pace of software evolution means today’s favorites can be quickly supplanted by new contenders—or enhanced with innovative AI-driven features.
Simultaneously, cloud-first design and real-time collaboration features are dissolving barriers—students can begin work on a laptop in the library, pick up on their phone during a commute, and finish at home on a tablet. These seamless transitions, along with automatic syncing, represent a new level of flexibility and peace of mind.
Students should view these recommended apps not as a static list, but as the foundation of a personalized digital workflow. Periodic re-evaluation is key; campus technology support offices and academic peers can often suggest new or niche solutions. Above all, students should invest time learning the tools most closely aligned with their academic goals—they’ll reap dividends in productivity, grades, and even career prospects down the line.
As the digital toolbox expands, one principle remains constant: well-chosen apps act as silent partners in every student’s journey, supporting breakthroughs, collaboration, and creativity. In an educational climate shaped by both challenge and opportunity, installing the right app might just be the first lesson on the path to academic success.
Source: TechRadar These are the 9 apps I think every student should install
The Backbone of Student Productivity: Microsoft 365
For generations, Microsoft Office has dominated as the de facto productivity suite in classrooms worldwide. Rebranded as Microsoft 365, it maintains its relevance by offering an integrated package: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint cover the core needs—from writing essays and analyzing data to crafting compelling presentations.But Microsoft 365 doesn’t stop at the basics. With OneDrive’s seamless cloud storage, students enjoy automatic backup and anytime-anywhere access to coursework. OneNote, a deceptively robust digital notebook, empowers students to organize lecture notes, audio snippets, and sketches. Importantly, Teams provides a collaborative digital space—enabling chat, real-time document editing, and video calls, features increasingly vital for project work and remote learning scenarios.
A significant edge here is Microsoft’s generous education discounts, which bring down the cost barrier for students. For those on tight budgets, online-only versions of Office tools are even available for free. Learning curves are generally gentle, and extensive online tutorials ensure new students can quickly master even advanced features. Some potential limitations exist—such as occasional compatibility hiccups with non-Microsoft file formats or the risk of feature overload—but for most, Microsoft 365 represents an essential, reliable platform for all academic work.
Polishing Every Paragraph: Grammarly
Few student habits are more universally valuable than clear, correct writing. Grammarly bridges the gap between rough drafts and polished submissions with AI-driven spelling, grammar, and stylistic feedback. Its free version already covers core error checking, while the premium edition delves into advanced grammar, tone, and even plagiarism detection—a function particularly prized by universities worldwide.Integration is a strong suit: Grammarly works within Microsoft 365, Google Docs, major browsers, and even email clients. Students benefit from instant in-context suggestions, whether tapping out essays, revising CVs, or simply corresponding with faculty. The interface is minimal and non-intrusive, but always ready with data-backed advice.
Some critics note that Grammarly’s style suggestions sometimes err on the side of generic or can clash with academic subject-specific writing. As with any AI-driven tool, over-reliance can risk dulling a student’s organic writing voice. Still, as a safety net and learning aid, it’s hard to beat—especially for non-native English speakers navigating the nuances of academic prose.
Embracing the Digital Notebook: Goodnotes
For students with iPads, Goodnotes emerges as the gold standard for digital note-taking. This app bridges the traditional tactile process of handwritten notes with the searchability and convenience of digital organization. Students can create custom notebooks, insert images, sketch diagrams, and annotate PDFs effortlessly.Where Goodnotes shines is its handwriting recognition: scribbled lecture notes are converted into searchable text, making it a breeze to find topics from weeks prior. This functionality, paired with robust sync between iPad, iPhone, and Mac, ensures notes are always accessible.
A limitation is its exclusivity to Apple devices—Android and Windows users are left to seek alternatives. Still, the precision of Apple Pencil support and the natural feel of the app make it the preferred choice in many university settings. As digital transformation pushes ahead, tools like Goodnotes are leading a quiet but significant revolution in how students capture and revisit information.
Unleashing Creativity: Canva
Not all students are destined to become graphic designers, but nearly everyone—at some point—needs to craft a poster, infographic, or visual project. Canva’s rapid rise in educational settings stems from its simple, drag-and-drop interface, vast library of templates, and abundance of graphical assets. Students can create polished visuals without the steep learning curve associated with professional design suites.The key benefit is accessibility: Canva offers a generous free tier, cloud-based platform independence, and instantaneous results. It’s equally suited for group project posters, club event flyers, or personal branding efforts such as resumes and portfolios. For those interested in deeper customization, the paid version unlocks premium assets and advanced features, but the free edition is more than sufficient for general needs.
Some critics point to the relatively generic look that can emerge when sticking too closely to templates, but creativity and customization options remain extensive. Canva has lowered the barrier for entry to visual communication—a skill increasingly relevant in academia and beyond.
The Creative Professional’s Toolkit: Adobe Creative Cloud
For aspiring content creators, designers, and media students, Adobe Creative Cloud stands in a class of its own. Bundling industry-defining tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and After Effects, the suite is virtually required for advanced visual media coursework. Students can manipulate photos, design logos, craft animations, and edit high-definition video—all with tools widely used in professional circles.One of Adobe’s strongest moves is offering heavy student discounts—often up to 60-70% off retail pricing. Student subscriptions usually include 100GB of cloud storage, access to a broad library of stock assets, and a growing archive of tutorials and templates. The learning curve can be steep, particularly with complex programs like After Effects, but mastering even one app (such as Photoshop) provides a valuable resume boost.
Risks are primarily tied to cost and system requirements; Creative Cloud’s professional focus demands relatively powerful hardware and can strain older laptops. Nevertheless, for students in creative disciplines, the suite is an investment that opens doors to advanced, polished project work—setting them apart in increasingly visual and competitive fields.
Gamifying Language Learning: Duolingo
With globalization and multiculturalism rising across campuses, language skills are more attractive than ever. Duolingo has revolutionized language learning with its bite-sized, game-like lessons and lively streak features. Covering over 40 languages, it adapts to students’ daily schedules, nudges them with reminders, and rewards consistency—all crucial for making sustained progress over a semester.Duolingo’s free tier is robust, with paid “Super Duolingo” offering additional features such as advanced grammar explanations and ad-free lessons. The app’s strengths lie in engagement and accessibility—students can sneak in practice between classes or during commutes, building language confidence without heavy upfront investment.
Yet, the platform may fall short for advanced or specialized language study (for example, academic or technical vocabulary), and critics have raised concerns about reliance on translation-based exercises. For supplementing classroom instruction or picking up conversational basics, however, Duolingo remains unrivaled.
Reinventing Presentations: Prezi
While PowerPoint remains a staple, Prezi offers a radical reimagining of what a presentation can be. Its zooming, non-linear canvas lets students structure ideas spatially, enabling creative storytelling that’s particularly engaging for viewers. Students can effortlessly craft traditional slides, infographics, and even video presentations, with the ability to export or integrate with other platforms.Prezi stands out for both its professional design templates—suitable even for those with no design background—and its recent integration of AI-powered features to help generate outlines or even entire decks from prompts. Collaboration tools facilitate group projects, allowing multiple students to co-edit in real time.
There’s an initial learning curve for those accustomed to linear slide-based thinking, and some educators may prefer the traditional format for grading consistency. Still, Prezi’s unique visual impact can set group projects and seminar presentations apart—making it a powerful option in the student toolkit.
Digital Defense: MalwareBytes
Academic work, personal data, and financial details are all at risk if a student’s laptop succumbs to malware—a threat magnified by the prevalence of free software downloads and shared networks on campuses. MalwareBytes combines regular scanning, real-time protection, and a straightforward interface to keep devices clean. Its paid version (often available at a student discount) offers advanced features like ransomware detection, but even the free edition delivers capable on-demand scanning.Automation is a standout feature: students can schedule regular scans, reducing the risk of forgotten maintenance. MalwareBytes comes highly recommended by security professionals for its balance of efficacy, speed, and user-friendliness.
There’s an argument for pairing it with a traditional antivirus, since MalwareBytes specializes in malware rather than classic viruses, but as an additional layer of defense (especially on Windows), it represents a prudent investment in academic endurance.
Mindful Note Mastery: Evernote
Rounding out this collection is Evernote, the cross-platform note-taking solution renowned for versatility. Students can create rich notebooks, capturing everything from to-do lists and lecture notes to clipped web articles, images, and even voice recordings. The app’s legendary search feature extends to handwritten notes—an advantage for multi-modal learners. Real-time sync across phone, tablet, and PC ensures information is always at hand, regardless of which device is in the backpack that day.Evernote’s strengths include organization—its tagging and search tools mean finding that buried research reference days before a deadline is painless. For collaborative study groups, shared notebooks streamline collective revision. The core version is free, and premium subscriptions add features such as offline access, larger uploads, and advanced integrations.
Some users have expressed frustration with relatively recent price increases and feature restrictions on the free tier. Nonetheless, for students managing a complex mix of academic, extracurricular, and personal notes, Evernote is an organizational powerhouse.
Cross-App Considerations: How to Choose Wisely
- Budget and Student Discounts: Nearly all the above apps offer student pricing or free tiers. It’s vital for students to take advantage of their institutional email addresses, which unlock significant savings, especially on Adobe and Microsoft 365.
- Device Compatibility: Check system requirements—Goodnotes, for example, is Apple-exclusive, while other tools (notably Microsoft 365, Grammarly, and Canva) have seamless cross-platform support.
- Cloud Sync and Backup: Apps like OneDrive, Goodnotes, Canva, and Evernote offer robust cloud sync. For anyone prone to accidents or device mishaps, this is a non-negotiable feature—protecting months’ worth of work from unexpected loss.
- Learning Curve: While some apps are designed for immediate use (Canva, Duolingo), others (Adobe Creative Cloud, Prezi) reward investment of time upfront. Seek out institutional training resources—many universities provide workshops or access to online courses.
- Privacy and Security: Carefully read privacy policies when using cloud-based note-taking and productivity apps. MalwareBytes and, to an extent, Microsoft Defender provide a safety net against digital threats, but users should remain vigilant and regularly backup important files.
Looking Beyond the List
It’s important to recognize that no software list, however comprehensive, will fit every student’s unique needs. For those in STEM fields, specialty apps such as Mathematica, MATLAB, or JASP might be essential. Others may benefit from high-impact productivity boosters like Notion, or field-specific tools for citation management (Zotero, Mendeley) and coding (Visual Studio Code, PyCharm).Moreover, the rapid pace of software evolution means today’s favorites can be quickly supplanted by new contenders—or enhanced with innovative AI-driven features.
Strengths of the TechRadar Approach
- Breadth and Balance: The inclusion of both free and premium apps reflects strong awareness of student budgets and needs.
- Focus on Integration: Emphasizing tools that work across devices and platforms acknowledges the real-world workflows of students who balance multiple digital environments.
- Attention to Security: Including MalwareBytes recognizes the often-overlooked risk of malware to academic continuity.
Limitations and Open Questions
- Platform Gaps: Some recommendations (notably Goodnotes) are platform-specific, limiting their universal applicability.
- Advanced Academic Needs: The list skews toward general-purpose tools, with less coverage of discipline-specific software vital for advanced study in engineering, statistics, or research.
- Privacy and Data Security: The article gives limited discussion to privacy practices—an area of increasing importance given the shift to cloud-first applications.
- Overlapping Features: Apps like OneNote, Evernote, and even sections of Microsoft 365 offer similar note-taking and organizational features. New students will benefit from evaluating which best matches their preferences rather than overloading on redundant tools.
The Evolving Student App Ecosystem
Two trends are driving continual change in student software: the move toward AI augmentation and the deepening integration across platforms. Grammarly, Prezi, and Adobe are already pushing AI into mainstream student workflows, providing everything from presentation drafting to real-time writing feedback. Expect rapid advances here, with Microsoft, Google, and independent startups rolling out learning assistants that further personalize the student experience.Simultaneously, cloud-first design and real-time collaboration features are dissolving barriers—students can begin work on a laptop in the library, pick up on their phone during a commute, and finish at home on a tablet. These seamless transitions, along with automatic syncing, represent a new level of flexibility and peace of mind.
Critical Outlook: Risks, Rewards, and What’s Next
The rewards of embracing a thoughtfully curated software toolkit are undeniable: improved efficiency, polished coursework, and new creative possibilities. The risks—privacy lapses, digital distraction, and sometimes duplicate functionality—can generally be mitigated with informed choices and good digital hygiene.Students should view these recommended apps not as a static list, but as the foundation of a personalized digital workflow. Periodic re-evaluation is key; campus technology support offices and academic peers can often suggest new or niche solutions. Above all, students should invest time learning the tools most closely aligned with their academic goals—they’ll reap dividends in productivity, grades, and even career prospects down the line.
As the digital toolbox expands, one principle remains constant: well-chosen apps act as silent partners in every student’s journey, supporting breakthroughs, collaboration, and creativity. In an educational climate shaped by both challenge and opportunity, installing the right app might just be the first lesson on the path to academic success.
Source: TechRadar These are the 9 apps I think every student should install
