Free plans compared
Best Free AI Tools for Students (2026)
Students use AI to make flashcards, understand hard topics, summarize readings and improve writing. Free plans can be generous or tight depending on the tool. Always follow your school's rules on AI use, and use these tools to learn, not to skip the learning.
Disclosure: some Visit links may be affiliate links, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details come from official pricing and product pages, last reviewed 2026-10-15; this is not a hands-on test. Confirm current limits with the provider.
What to check before you choose
- Does your school allow AI help for this kind of work?
- Does it explain answers, or only give them?
- Does the free plan cover your study volume?
- Does it cite sources you can check?
How we chose: tools listed here have an active product, a free plan or free tier, and pricing we could confirm from the provider. Retired or paid-only tools are left out automatically.
Quick comparison of free plans
| Tool | Free plan | No card needed | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quizlet | 99 a year. Annual plans include a 7-day free trial; the monthly plan does not. | — | Web |
| StudySmarter | A continuing Free tier includes study sets, flashcards, summaries, revision planning and practice. | — | Web, iOS, Android |
| Photomath | Basic problem scanning and step-by-step solutions are free. | — | iOS, Android |
| Khanmigo | Teacher tools are free for eligible access. Learner and parent plans are $4/month or $44/year; districts and writing offerings have separate arrangements. | — | Web |
| Gemini Notebook | Standard is free with a Gmail account: up to 100 notebooks per user and 50 sources per notebook (Plus 200/100, Pro 500/300, Ultra 500/500 or 600). | — | Web |
| QuillBot | Free is $0 with paraphrasing up to 100 words in 2 modes, basic grammar fixes, limited humanizing and a limited AI detector. | — | Web |
| Grammarly | A Free plan is available. Pro and Enterprise add advanced writing and team features; a Pro trial is temporary. | — | Web |
| SciSpace | The pricing page lists Premium at $20 a month ($12 a month billed annually, 1,200 monthly credits), Advanced at $90 ($70 annually) and Max at $200 ($160 annually), with… | — | Web |
The tools, in detail
Study platform for flashcards, practice, and learning tools, with optional paid study features.
Best for: Flashcards and Practice activities
Free plan: Quizlet Plus is $2.99 a month billed at $35.99 a year (limited practice tests, Q&A and Learn rounds each month), and Plus Unlimited is $3.75 a month billed at $44.99 a year. Annual plans include a 7-day free trial; the monthly plan does not.
Key features
- Flashcards
- Practice activities
- Study sets
Limits to know
- Free study access and paid Plus subscriptions are available. Advanced tools have usage limits, and trial or verified-teacher offers have separate eligibility.
Build study sets, flashcards, summaries, mock exams, and revision plans from a subject or your own learning material.
Best for: StudySmarter suits learners turning a course outline or lecture notes into a repeatable revision routine.
Free plan: A continuing Free tier includes study sets, flashcards, summaries, revision planning and practice. Premium adds broader AI assistance, homework support, flashcard export and offline or ad-free features. Confirm current upload, generation and platform conditions; unlimited access to one feature does not establish unlimited use of every study tool.
Key features
- AI study-set creation
- Flashcards and summaries
- Revision plans
- Practice questions and feedback
Limits to know
- Advanced AI and exports depend on Premium
- Generated questions can omit required curriculum topics
Math learning app that scans problems and explains solution steps, with additional learning features on eligible plans.
Best for: Math problem scanning and Step-by-step explanations
Free plan: Basic problem scanning and step-by-step solutions are free. Plus is an in-app subscription with additional tutorials, contextual hints, and concept explanations.
Key features
- Math problem scanning
- Step-by-step explanations
- Math input tools
Khan Academy's AI teaching and tutoring tools for lesson preparation, writing support, and guided learning.
Best for: Lesson preparation and guided learning in Khan Academy
Free plan: Teacher tools are free for eligible access. Learner and parent plans are $4/month or $44/year; districts and writing offerings have separate arrangements.
Key features
- Lesson preparation
- Teacher assistance
- Guided tutoring
- Writing support
Google's source-based notebook assistant for understanding documents and developing research-oriented outputs.
Best for: Source-grounded study and research notebooks
Free plan: Standard is free with a Gmail account: up to 100 notebooks per user and 50 sources per notebook (Plus 200/100, Pro 500/300, Ultra 500/500 or 600). Daily quotas reset after 24 hours and monthly quotas after 30 days; limits are subject to change.
Key features
- Source-based questions
- Document analysis
- Notebook organisation
- Research outputs
Limits to know
- Standard access is available with eligible Google accounts. Google AI and Workspace plans add capacity; feature and notebook limits depend on the account.
- Source selection limits the answer; missing or outdated documents remain your responsibility.
Writing toolkit for paraphrasing, grammar correction, summaries, translation, and research-related editing.
Best for: Rewriting and checking an existing draft
Free plan: Free is $0 with paraphrasing up to 100 words in 2 modes, basic grammar fixes, limited humanizing and a limited AI detector. Premium is $4.17 a month billed annually and adds full paraphrasing, unlimited modes, advanced grammar, full humanizing and plagiarism checks.
Key features
- Paraphrasing
- Grammar checks
- Summarisation
- Translation
Limits to know
- Free tools have usage and mode limits. Premium expands allowances; plagiarism checking and advanced features depend on the plan.
AI writing assistance for grammar, clarity, tone, and text generation across supported documents, apps, and browsers.
Best for: Grammar, clarity, and writing feedback in everyday apps
Free plan: A Free plan is available. Pro and Enterprise add advanced writing and team features; a Pro trial is temporary.
Key features
- Grammar and spelling checks
- Clarity suggestions
- Tone guidance
- AI writing assistance
AI research workspace for exploring papers, chatting with PDFs, extracting information, and developing literature reviews.
Best for: Paper discovery and PDF questions
Free plan: The pricing page lists Premium at $20 a month ($12 a month billed annually, 1,200 monthly credits), Advanced at $90 ($70 annually) and Max at $200 ($160 annually), with a 24-hour money-back guarantee. It does not list a free plan, so check what signing up gives you before relying on free access.
Key features
- Paper discovery
- PDF questions
- Literature reviews
- Data extraction
Limits to know
- Free entry and paid access are offered, but exact current quotas were not exposed in readable pricing content. Some agent and extraction work consumes credits.
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Is using AI for homework allowed?
Rules differ by school and course. Check your policy and ask your teacher if unsure, and be open about how you used a tool.
Can AI make mistakes in study answers?
Yes. Cross-check facts and calculations with your textbook or class notes before relying on them.
Which tools for students here need no credit card?
We have not confirmed a no-card sign-up for tools in this list. Check each provider's sign-up page, and see our guide to free AI tools with no credit card required.
How current is this list?
Tool details were last reviewed 2026-10-15 from official pages. Free plans change often, so check the linked pricing page before you rely on a limit.