The best apps and tools for A-level physics revision
Dr Lavan Ganeshkumar, PhD · updated 4 October 2026
There is no single best A-level physics revision app, because revising physics is four different jobs and no tool does all four equally well. Understanding the idea, remembering the definitions and equations, practising calculations and learning how the mark scheme wants it written are separate skills.
Most students who are stuck in physics can follow the notes but cannot start an unfamiliar question. That is a practice problem, not a reading problem: physics is marked on whether you can apply a principle to a new situation, so the fix is understanding first, then a lot of questions, with every lost mark traced back to its cause.
Job 1: understanding the topic
If you cannot say why something happens in plain words, equations will not rescue you. This needs explanation followed immediately by questions.
- Seneca has free A-level physics courses by exam board, with questions and progress tracking.
- Free Science Lessons on YouTube gives clear free explanations of most of the specification.
- Cognito and SnapRevise explain topics in short chunks with quizzes afterwards.
- Trayna teaches each topic in a short video tutorial from Dr Lavan Ganeshkumar, who has taught A-level for over ten years, then has you answer questions on it straight away.
Job 2: remembering it
Physics needs definitions, units, equations that are not on the data sheet, and standard derivations. Retrieve them from memory at increasing gaps, which is called spaced repetition.
- Anki and Brainscape are spaced-repetition flashcard apps, and you make or download the cards.
- Quizlet is good for quick tests of definitions and units, with looser scheduling.
- StudySmarter combines flashcards, quizzes and a planner, and lets you upload your own notes.
- Trayna schedules the recall for you: topics you have learned come back at spaced intervals without you building a deck.
Job 3: practising calculations and exam questions
Physics grades are earned in practice questions. Do them by topic first, then in full timed papers, and redo the ones you lost marks on a week later.
- Physics & Maths Tutor (PMT) is free, with topic questions and past papers by exam board.
- Isaac Physics is free and builds problem-solving on harder questions.
- Save My Exams has notes, topic questions, past papers and flashcards by exam board.
- Trayna marks questions against the mark-scheme wording and re-serves the ones you got wrong.
Job 4: learning what the mark scheme rewards
This is where a B becomes an A. Physics mark schemes award specific reasoning in a specific order. "It gets hotter so the resistance goes up" scores little, while "the lattice ions vibrate more, so electrons collide with them more often, so resistance increases" scores the marks, though both describe the same fact.
Mark your answers against the official scheme, not against whether you followed the idea. For calculations, write the equation, the substitution and the unit every time: marks are given for each step, and a correct answer with no working can lose them.
A routine if your grade is stuck
Do not download six apps; that is another way to procrastinate. Pick one tool per job and run a short loop each day.
- 20 minutes: learn one small topic from a video or course.
- 20 minutes: close it and answer calculation and exam questions without notes.
- 5 to 10 minutes: mark against the mark scheme and write down every lost mark and why.
- Next day: five minutes of recall on yesterday, then the next topic.
Where Trayna fits, and where it does not
Trayna is a 24/7 online tutor in your pocket, on your tablet and on the web, for students who cannot afford 1-to-1 tutoring and want something that acts like it. Dr Lavan teaches you the topics in the app any time, anywhere, and an adaptive plan reinforces them each day from now to your exam. That covers the first three jobs, with the fourth built into how questions are marked. It is A-level only, for Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, on iPad, phone and the web. Physics follows AQA.
It is for both Year 12 and Year 13. Year 13 students already use it, and Year 13 topics are being added as current students need them while Year 12 is the most complete, so check your topics in the app before you pay. If you only want free past papers, PMT does that better than we do, and we would rather you used it.
Common questions
What is the best app for A-level physics revision?
It depends on the job. Seneca, Free Science Lessons or Cognito are good for understanding, Anki or Brainscape for memorising, Physics & Maths Tutor, Isaac Physics and Save My Exams for questions, and Trayna for a single daily plan combining video tutorials, spaced recall and marked questions for A-level physics.
How do I revise A-level physics if I understand the notes but fail the questions?
Move most of your time to questions. Learn a small topic, close the notes, answer five to ten questions, mark them against the scheme, and write down the cause of every lost mark. Revisit each topic a few days later.
Are there free apps for A-level physics revision?
Yes. Physics & Maths Tutor, Isaac Physics, Seneca, Free Science Lessons and Anki are free. Trayna has a 14-day free trial, then costs from 9.99 pounds a month.
Do I need more than one app for physics?
Usually one tool per job is enough, and fewer is better. Trayna is designed to cover understanding, recall and exam questions in one plan.
Which exam board does Trayna physics follow?
AQA. If you sit a different board, check the topic list in the app first.
Trayna does this automatically. You enter your subjects, your exam dates and how long you have each day, and it builds the route from today to those exams, then adapts it as you go. Maths follows Edexcel; Chemistry, Physics and Biology follow AQA.
Get Trayna on the App Store · on Google Play
Free for 14 days, then from £9.99 a month. Cancel any time.