# Shovel Study Planner vs ProPlan Scholar

The clearest difference is rating: ProPlan Scholar at 5.0 against Shovel Study Planner's 4.1. ProPlan Scholar also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Shovel Study Planner's advantage is ratings volume (195 vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

ProPlan Scholar holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shovel Study Planner has 195 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Shovel Study Planner ships an update every 5 weeks, ProPlan Scholar fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shovel Study Planner | ProPlan Scholar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proplan-scholar/id6777539187/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **195** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [How To Study Smart, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467742356) | [ANGELA MARIE FAUST](https://appshunter.io/developer/6777539189) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### ProPlan Scholar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/proplan-scholar/id6777539187)

This AI-powered academic planner transforms a chaotic semester into a clear, personalized schedule. Upload your syllabus to automatically extract course details and assignments, then receive a smart study plan that integrates with your existing commitments. It offers tools like AI flashcards and a study assistant to help you manage your academic workload.

**Highlights:** AI syllabus import, Personalized study schedule, Assignment and deadline tracking, Calendar synchronization, AI flashcards and study guides, AI study assistant, Grade tracking, Focus timer and reminders

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shovel Study Planner free?

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

### Is ProPlan Scholar free?

ProPlan Scholar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shovel Study Planner or ProPlan Scholar?

ProPlan Scholar is rated higher. Shovel Study Planner averages 4.1 out of 5 from 195 ratings, while ProPlan Scholar averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shovel Study Planner or ProPlan Scholar have ads?

Neither Shovel Study Planner nor ProPlan Scholar shows ads.

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

Shovel Study Planner ships an update every 5 weeks, and ProPlan Scholar fortnightly. Most recently, Shovel Study Planner was updated on September 22, 2026 and ProPlan Scholar on September 17, 2026.

---

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