Is an A-level revision app worth paying for?
Dr Lavan Ganeshkumar, PhD · updated 4 October 2026
A paid revision app is worth it when it removes the thing you are failing at, and not worth it when you already do that for yourself. If you plan well, test yourself and mark honestly, free tools will do. If you do not know what to study each day, or you cannot tell why you lose marks, a paid product can earn its cost.
This page is written by Trayna, so apply the usual scepticism. We have tried to be fair about when you should not pay.
When free is enough
Free tools are enough if you already study by testing yourself, you build and keep to a timetable, you do past papers and mark them against the scheme, and you can fix the gaps they show. Many strong students do exactly this.
When paying makes sense
- You do not know what to revise on a given day, so you drift or re-read.
- You understand the notes but cannot start unfamiliar questions, so you need teaching, not more reading.
- You mark your own work too kindly, so you need answers marked for you.
- You are time-poor and want the sequencing done for you.
App, tutor or both
A tutor is better when you need a person to find your specific misconception, push you, or hold you accountable, and it costs much more per hour. An app is cheaper and always available, but it cannot ask you a follow-up the way a person can.
Many students use an app for daily structure and practice and add a tutor only for the topics they cannot get past. Whichever you pick, judge it by what it removes from your week, not by how many features it lists.
How to decide in a week
Use the free trial or a free tool for a week and check three things: did you know what to do each day, did you answer questions you would not otherwise have done, and could you tell why you lost marks. If not, do not renew.
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. 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. It is there for students who cannot afford 1-to-1 tutoring, and it is built to act like a 1-to-1 tutor: it teaches, it checks, and it adapts to how you are doing. The aim is that you really understand the subject and are prepared for it, not just that you have revised it. It is A-level only, for Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Maths follows Edexcel; Chemistry, Physics and Biology follow AQA.
The aim is that Trayna works like a tutor in your pocket, so judge it by the same test: does it teach you the topic and tell you what to do next.
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. If you only want free past papers, PMT does that better than we do, and we would rather you used it.
Common questions
Are revision apps worth paying for?
They are worth it if they fix the specific thing you are failing at, such as knowing what to do each day or being taught a topic. If you already plan, test yourself and mark honestly, free tools are enough.
Do A-level revision apps actually work?
The method matters more than the app. Apps that make you retrieve information, space repeats over time and practise exam questions work; ones that mostly present notes do not.
Should I get an app or a tutor for A-levels?
A tutor is better for finding a specific misconception and for accountability, and costs far more. An app is cheaper and always available. Many students use an app for structure and a tutor for stubborn topics.
Is Save My Exams worth it?
It is a large library of notes, questions and past papers by exam board, useful as a main resource if you are disciplined about using it. It does not decide your day for you, so it suits students who plan themselves.
Is Trayna worth it?
It is worth trying if you want to be taught each topic and led through a daily plan. It has a 14-day free trial and costs from 9.99 pounds a month after that, so you can test it against the questions above 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.