# MyStudyPlan vs Shovel Study Planner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MyStudyPlan at none against Shovel Study Planner's 2. MyStudyPlan also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). Shovel Study Planner's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

MyStudyPlan ships an update every 4 months, Shovel Study Planner every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MyStudyPlan | Shovel Study Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.1 (195 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shovel-study-planner/id1467742357/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **195** |
| Positive reviews | 48.6% of reviews | **52.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Scottish Qualifications Authority](https://appshunter.io/developer/642901357) | [How To Study Smart, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1467742356) |

## What reviewers say

### MyStudyPlan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mystudyplan/id419308081)

This app helps students organize their study time for exams by creating personalized study plans. It allows users to input exam details, set study preferences, and then generates a customizable schedule. Users can track progress, set reminders, and share their plans.

**Highlights:** Personalized study plan generation, Customizable exam schedules, Study progress tracking, Exam and subject management, Printable calendar and list sharing, Study reminders

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for organizing revision
- 👍 Helps manage time effectively
- 👍 Tailored timetables based on priority
- 👍 Free and easy to use
- 👍 Useful timer function

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Lost progress after updates
- 🐛 Confusing new UI
- 🐛 Unpredictable study session lengths
- 🐛 Inability to add/edit study sessions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when changing study time
- App crashes and deletes progress
- Study plan shows no plan even after setting availability
- Progress deleted after UI update
- Cannot add study time to subjects not on the plan

**Requested features**

- Revert to the old version
- Fix bugs and crashes
- Improve UI/UX
- Allow manual editing of study sessions
- Export timetable as PDF/image


### 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 MyStudyPlan free?

MyStudyPlan 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.

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

Neither MyStudyPlan nor Shovel Study Planner shows ads.

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

MyStudyPlan ships an update every 4 months, and Shovel Study Planner every 5 weeks. Most recently, MyStudyPlan was updated on September 29, 2026 and Shovel Study Planner on October 1, 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.*