# Study Helper vs Shovel Study Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Study Helper at none against Shovel Study Planner's 2. Study Helper also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.5). Shovel Study Planner's advantage is ratings volume (195 vs 12) and review sentiment (52% vs 43%). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shovel Study Planner sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Study Helper asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Study Helper against 4.1 for Shovel Study Planner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shovel Study Planner has 195 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 43% of Study Helper's written reviews are positive against 52% of Shovel Study Planner's.

## The numbers

| Metric | Study Helper | Shovel Study Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-helper/id1315378312/reviews)** | [4.1 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **195** |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | **52.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | — | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alexandre Frigon](https://appshunter.io/developer/973807565) | [How To Study Smart, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467742356) |

## What reviewers say

### Study Helper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/study-helper/id1315378312)

Create custom study cards organized by topic to prepare for exams. This app guides you through your learning process, helping you achieve academic success efficiently.

**Highlights:** Customizable study cards, Topic-based organization, Guided study process, Exam preparation, Academic success tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Shovel Study Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357)

This app helps students manage their academic workload through time-blocking and executive functioning skills. It predicts if tasks can be completed on time and allows for flexible schedule adjustments. It requires initial setup on a web platform.

**Highlights:** Time-blocking for tasks, Real-time time cushion estimates, Consolidated task management, Ideal schedule building, Rotating class schedule support, Detailed task progress tracking, Weighted grade calculation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime plan | $13.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime plan | $46.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Excellent for student organization and time management
- ⏱️ Unique time-blocking and scheduling features
- 🎓 Course and assignment-focused organization system
- 💻 Desktop/web version works reliably and comprehensively
- 🎨 Clean, minimalist, and aesthetically pleasing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Mobile app frequently crashes and becomes unresponsive
- 📱 Mobile app significantly less functional than web version
- ⚠️ App shows blank screens and fails to load content
- 🔌 Requires constant internet connection, no offline access
- 🛠️ Appears to be abandoned with no recent updates

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when attempting to edit task times
- Blank white screen on app launch
- Touch input not responding on iPad with Apple Pencil
- Tasks and calendar items disappear after login
- Tasks fail to save when entered

**Requested features**

- Push notifications for tasks and assignments
- Dark mode for mobile app
- Widget functionality that works reliably
- Offline access and offline storage
- Landscape mode for iPad


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Study Helper free?

Study Helper is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Shovel Study Planner free?

Shovel Study Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Study Helper or Shovel Study Planner?

Study Helper is rated higher. Study Helper averages 4.2 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Shovel Study Planner averages 4.1 from 195 ratings.

### Do Study Helper or Shovel Study Planner have ads?

Neither Study Helper nor Shovel Study Planner shows ads.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*