Productivity April 7, 2026 • 4 min read

My Setup: Apps I Use Every Day

The tools that help me stay productive, creative, and consistent as a student.

Cover Image

Choosing the right apps and tools for daily use is not easy. Many apps restrict important features behind subscriptions, which makes them less useful for students like us.

I believe a good tool should give you freedom — the freedom to create, learn, and improve your workflow.

For example, Canva allows me to design posters, thumbnails, and even website layouts. As a student, it has become an essential tool for projects and creativity.

Apps I Use Every Day

1. ChatGPT

My most trusted AI tool. I use it for planning, execution, and generating initial ideas. Whenever I feel stuck or only have a rough idea, it helps me build a proper structure and get started.

2. Gemini

Many people compare it with ChatGPT, but I use both. Gemini is very helpful for research and problem-solving. It provides detailed answers and is especially useful for academic queries.

3. NotebookLM

A great tool for staying organized. It helps me take notes, generate summaries, and even create flashcards. Still improving, but already very useful.

4. YouTube

Not just for entertainment. It’s a huge source of knowledge—whether it’s short lectures, coding tutorials, podcasts, or art guides.

5. Canva

Already mentioned, but worth repeating. It’s one of the best free tools for design and creativity.

Apart from these, I also use tools like GitHub, Render, Cloudinary, and VS Code—but those are more specific to my workflow.

One interesting fact: I don’t spend any money on these tools. The free versions are enough for my needs.

Conclusion

If you want to be productive, choose your tools wisely. Don’t install every trending app. Explore, test, and find what truly fits your needs. Only pay for a subscription when it genuinely adds value to your work.