# Classify vs Shovel Study Planner

The clearest difference is rating: Classify at 4.6 against Shovel Study Planner's 4.1. Classify also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (76% vs 52%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Classify holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 223 and 195 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Classify's written reviews are positive against 52% of Shovel Study Planner's.

Classify ships an update every 2 months, Shovel Study Planner every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Classify | Shovel Study Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (223 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classify-school-planner/id1463780331/reviews)** | [4.1 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **223** | 195 |
| Positive reviews | **75.5% of reviews** | 52.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 181 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Principal Technologies Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463751962) | [How To Study Smart, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467742356) |

## What reviewers say

### Classify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classify-school-planner/id1463780331)

This app helps students organize their academic life by managing homework, schedules, and events. It features collaborative class group chats for effortless information sharing and a focus mode with a Pomodoro timer to boost productivity. Track your progress with detailed statistics and stay on top of your commitments.

**Highlights:** Class group chats for homework and event sharing, Digital homework diary with reminders, Focus mode with Pomodoro timer and study playlists, Intuitive timetable with alternating schedule support, Event and club management with calendar view, Detailed statistics on task completion and study habits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 💰 Completely free with no in-app purchases
- 📚 Comprehensive homework and task management
- 🎨 Sleek, visually appealing design
- ⏱️ Pomodoro study session feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 🐛 Data loss and disappearing tasks/homework
- 🐛 Login and signup screen issues
- 🐛 Homework/task page fails to load
- 🐛 Unable to add tasks or events

**Reported bugs**

- Blank screen after signup
- Username page stuck, cannot proceed past signup
- App fails to open on multiple devices
- Cannot add tasks or events
- Homework/task page fails to load regularly

**Requested features**

- Widget support for home screen
- Custom color themes and personalization
- Two-week timetable (Week A/B) support
- Ability to edit homework after creation
- Custom time slots for lessons


### 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 Classify free?

Classify 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, Classify or Shovel Study Planner?

Classify is rated higher. Classify averages 4.6 out of 5 from 223 ratings, while Shovel Study Planner averages 4.1 from 195 ratings.

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

Neither Classify nor Shovel Study Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Classify or Shovel Study Planner?

Classify ships an update every 2 months, and Shovel Study Planner every 5 weeks. Most recently, Classify was updated on September 1, 2026 and Shovel Study Planner on September 22, 2026.

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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.*