1. KnowFi: understand practice questions with your notes
KnowFi sits in the menu bar. At a practice question you press your shortcut, KnowFi recognises the question on screen and shows the answer and reasoning from your own PDF, text and Markdown files. For single choice, multiple choice and open questions with a model answer.
Good for: working through past papers, problem sets and study quizzes. Less good for: getting into a topic for the first time.
2. Anki: flashcards with a review schedule
The open-source flashcard app schedules automatically when each card comes back. Runs natively on the Mac and syncs with your phone.
Good for: retaining terms, definitions and vocabulary long term. Less good for: connections, since you write the cards yourself.
| KnowFi | Anki | Notion | GoodNotes | NotebookLM | macOS Focus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For | Understanding practice questions | Retaining facts | Notes, planning | Handwriting, PDFs | Working through material | Concentration |
| On the Mac | Menu bar app | App | App | App | Browser | Built in |
| Works with your notes | Yes | Via your own cards | Yes, as notes | Yes, as PDF | Yes, as a source | No |
As of November 2026. Details about other providers without guarantee; please check features and prices with each provider.
3. Notion: notes and study organisation
A flexible workspace for notes, tables and lists. Many students build their study plan, lecture notes and an overview of all subjects in it.
Good for: structured notes and study plans. Less good for: anyone who gets lost in setting things up.
4. GoodNotes: handwritten notes and PDFs
A note app for handwriting and annotating PDFs, especially popular on iPad and also available on the Mac.
Good for: writing directly on lecture slides. Less good for: anyone who prefers typing.
5. NotebookLM: working through sources
Google's tool for working with your own sources. Answers questions with references to your documents and creates summaries. In the browser on the Mac.
Good for: understanding and condensing new material. Less good for: quick practice. More in KnowFi vs. NotebookLM.
6. macOS Focus: built in and free
The Focus modes in macOS silence notifications while you study. Combined with a simple Pomodoro timer, that is all many people need.
Good for: cutting distractions without another app. Less good for: anyone who needs stats and rewards.
How to combine them
Take notes in Notion or GoodNotes, work through material with NotebookLM, retain facts with Anki, practise and understand with KnowFi, with Focus mode on throughout. How to turn that into an exam plan is covered in the guide Study plan for exam season.
Updated 11 November 2026