Comparison

MyState vs Shovel Study Planner

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MyState

This app serves as a comprehensive student toolkit, offering essential information and features for navigating university life. It provides real-time updates on campus transportation, dining options, class schedules, and campus events. Students can also access a directory, library services, and campus maps to enhance their academic and social experience.

Highlights
  • Customizable dashboard
  • Class schedule and GPA calculator
  • Real-time bus arrival predictions
  • Dining hall hours and menus
  • Campus directory and map
  • Student organization discovery
  • Library catalog and account management
Features
Read full description

Cyclone Nation, meet MyState. MyState is the ultimate student toolkit to help you get the most out of your adventure at Iowa State. Use MyState to catch the next bus, locate your next class, see what's to eat, quickly find your instructor's office, and much more! + Dashboard - Quickly see information to start your adventure. Weather, CyRide, Classes, Dining, and more! Customize the Dashboard just for you. + Classes - View your class schedule, including locations and instructors. Calculate your GPA or check the line at testing centers and see their hours. + CyRide - Check to see when busses are scheduled to arrive at any of the bus stops in Ames, with arrival predictions from MyRide. + Dining - Find operating hours and menus for any dining location on campus. + Directory - Easily find individuals and offices on campus. + Events - See which exciting official ISU events are going on in the area. + Fairs - Prepare for and navigate career and other fairs by marking booths as favorites and seeing them on a map of the fair locations. + Library - View your checked-out items, holds, and fines; find locations and hours; search the main library catalog. + Map - Find buildings, dining locations, art on campus, testing centers, recreation centers, and more! + News - Read and share the latest updates from across campus. + Photostream - Check out user-submitted photos of the Iowa State campus. + StuOrgs - Discover, join, and subscribe to student orgs. Manage existing org memberships and subscriptions. + Testing Centers - View Testing Center locations and availability. + More - Stream KURE 88.5 along with other fun extras! MyState. Built by students, for students!

About

Shovel Study Planner

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
Read full description

Become a STRESS-FREE student with TIME-BLOCKING and proper EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS. **This is only a companion app. Requires account setup on our web platform shovelapp.io** Shovel is a unique study planner that will help you build a solid foundation for life. Shovel is the only study planner that will tell you if you can get every task done on time or if you need to adjust your schedule, way before you run into trouble! SHOVEL FEATURES: TIME-BLOCKING • Plan exactly WHAT task you will work on, WHEN, and for HOW LONG. TIME CUSHION • Know if you have enough time to get your task done on time, continuously in REAL-TIME. EVERY TASK FROM EVERY CLASS IN ONE PLACE • Real-time information on every task • The Time You Have Available • The Time You Need to Complete Every Task • Time Cushion Information for Every Task YOUR IDEAL SCHEDULE • Build your dream week. Block out the times when you’re busy, including 'Me-Time' for fun and personal activities and see how it affects your study schedule going forward. Shovel will tell you if you can do it all, or if you need to adjust your plan. ROTATING CLASS SCHEDULE • Create events that repeat every XX weeks with ease. DETAILED TASK MANAGEMENT • Know how long each reading will take (we do the math for you!) • Estimate how long to study for each exam • Estimate how long you need for each assignment • See how changes affect your future study time • Track your progress on every task • Move tasks to Completed or Do-Later • Adjust on the go PLANNER ON STEROIDS • Assign tasks to specific study times • Know how long you’ll work on each task and when • See which tasks you haven’t planned or how much of a task you haven’t planned yet TIMELINE OF EVERY DAY • See how you use every minute • Classes, Activities, Meals, Me Time, and Events • Even the time you spend walking to and from • Unplanned Study Times • Planned Study Times (with the tasks you plan on doing) NOTIFICATIONS • Never miss a beat. Get notified about the things you have to do, and make sure you record the things you've done. TIME EVERYTHING • Use a built-in timer to track time spent on each task WEIGHTED GRADES • Know how you're doing in each class by putting in your grades properly weighted based on your grading rubric CREATE • Tasks • Weekly commitments • Events ADJUST ON THE GO • Adjust time needed based on your progress • Adjust estimated reading times with one click and instantly see how it affects your schedule • Adjust anything in your schedule COLLEGE IN YOUR POCKET • Your entire semester at your fingertips With Shovel, there are no surprises. You’ll be in complete control of your studies. You’ll know what’s next, how long it will take, if you have time to get it done, and when you’ll get it done. Get organized and become the best student you can be. *** REQUIRES SETUP IN WEB APP FIRST*** Because college syllabi have a lot of information, the fastest way for you to get started is to set everything up on your laptop in the Shovel web-app. Sign up at: https://shovelapp.io *** QUESTIONS*** Go to our website https://shovelapp.io and use the chat. We'll be more than happy to help.

Screenshots

MyState4 screens
Shovel Study Planner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Shovel Study Planner at 4.1 against MyState's 2.9. Shovel Study Planner also leads on review sentiment (52% vs 28%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). MyState's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shovel Study Planner holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 79 and 195 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of MyState's written reviews are positive against 52% of Shovel Study Planner's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MyState ships an update every 3 months, Shovel Study Planner every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 1, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MyState versus Shovel Study Planner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMyStateShovel Study Planner
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.9 (79 ratings)4.1 (195 ratings) — better
Positive reviews27.5% of reviews52.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings79195 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size62 MB28 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperIowa State University of Science and TechnologyHow To Study Smart, LLC

Customer experience

MyState

All ratings79 ratings
Positive46.8%
Neutral7.6%
Negative45.6%
Written reviews80 reviews
Positive27.5%
Neutral20.0%
Negative52.5%

Shovel Study Planner

All ratings195 ratings
Positive75.9%
Neutral7.7%
Negative16.4%
Written reviews107 reviews
Positive52.3%
Neutral17.8%
Negative29.9%

User reviews

MyState

From 79 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Useful for class schedule
  • 👍 Great app when student
  • 👍 Contains all needed information
  • 👍 Cool app
  • 👍 Sleek design

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bus tracker inaccurate
  • 🐛 Class schedule issues
  • 🐛 Dining hall hours inaccurate
  • 🐛 App crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Bus tracker unreliable

Shovel Study Planner

From 195 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📚 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Bugs and requests

MyState

Reported bugs

43 issues
  • Bus tracker estimates off by 10-15 minutes
  • Bus tracker states no buses when there are
  • App crashes when opening
  • Class schedule issues persist
  • Bus tracker not showing buses
Show 38 more
  • Dining hall hours inaccurate
  • Bus tracker times inaccurate
  • App crashes when pressing bus stop on map
  • App crashes immediately without opening
  • App opens to main page then shuts down
  • App crashes after new update
  • App won't open after update
  • App crashes when loading
  • App shows blank white screen on login
  • App endlessly tries to sign in then crashes
  • App crashes whenever
  • App won't load anything
  • App crashes when trying to view schedule
  • App freezes on installation
  • Map randomly zooms out
  • Map doesn't stay in hybrid/satellite mode
  • CyRide section crashes if no other bus predicted
  • CyRide section crashes if bus not running
  • CyRide section shows wrong bus times
  • CyRide section arrival times not available for all stops
  • Class schedule messed up
  • Calendar sync adds classes at wrong time
  • Calendar upload button doesn't work
  • Cannot log in to email
  • App crashes when trying to enter system privacy settings
  • Anonymous usage statistics option resets
  • Map doesn't load
  • Dining section doesn't work
  • Login screen freezes
  • App crashes on splash screen
  • App crashes on welcome page
  • App crashes when opening after update
  • Bus routes annoying to figure out
  • New bus schedule doesn't show bus type or arrival time
  • Bus stops in alphabetical order
  • Laundry availability not functioning correctly
  • App crashes when opening on older devices
  • App crashes when opening on iPhone 2nd gen iPod touch

Requested features

20 requests
  • Add support for alumni
  • Third-party access for Ubill
  • More accurate bus times
  • Show all bus stops on map
  • Add parking information
Show 15 more
  • Add date, time, and weather to dashboard
  • Add computer lab availability
  • Restore dining center hours and menus
  • Add iPad version
  • Link to night/final exam schedules
  • Offline bus schedule option
  • Campus map with buildings
  • Restore Cyride functionality from old app
  • Add 'My Bus Stops' tab
  • Option to change bus stop order
  • Support for summer Cyride schedules
  • Fix time zone issues for class schedule
  • Improve bus route navigation
  • Add dark mode
  • More practical Cyride interface

Shovel Study Planner

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • 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
Show 11 more
  • Widget shows 'log in' prompt despite being logged in
  • Notifications arrive at wrong times or not at all
  • Dropdown menus extend beyond screen on iPhone
  • App freezes when trying to resize tasks
  • SSL certificate lapsed, preventing login access
  • App crashes when typing in new task times
  • Duplicate notifications sent for single tasks
  • Calendar refresh is slow
  • Drag-to-reschedule functionality doesn't work properly
  • Free trial data disappears after trial ends without warning
  • App won't recognize password after web signup

Requested features

16 requests
  • 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
Show 11 more
  • Monthly calendar view on mobile
  • Task repeat/recurring task options
  • Ability to edit and add tasks fully on mobile
  • Integration with Google Calendar
  • Pomodoro timer feature
  • Support for 6-day school cycles
  • Non-school related task/to-do list functionality
  • Downloadable desktop app for Mac
  • In-app purchase option for premium version
  • Better iPad optimization
  • Cushion feature on mobile app

In-app purchases

None

MyState

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Shovel Study Planner

One-time2
  • Lifetime plan$13.99
  • Lifetime plan$46.99

Questions

Is MyState free?
MyState 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, MyState or Shovel Study Planner?
Shovel Study Planner is rated higher. MyState averages 2.9 out of 5 from 79 ratings, while Shovel Study Planner averages 4.1 from 195 ratings.
Do MyState or Shovel Study Planner have ads?
Neither MyState nor Shovel Study Planner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MyState or Shovel Study Planner?
MyState ships an update every 3 months, and Shovel Study Planner every 5 weeks. Most recently, MyState was updated on September 1, 2026 and Shovel Study Planner on September 22, 2026.

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