Shovel vs Helium

Shovel7.4Visit Helium4.0Visit

Higher score Shovel #7 in Study Planner Apps 7.4/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Shovel

vs

Helium #37 in Study Planner Apps 4.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Helium

• Shovel fits best

  Students wanting time-blocking with LMS imports

• Helium fits best

  Students wanting a free, extensible planner

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Side by side

Feature	Shovel 7.4/10 Visit ↗	Helium 4.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.4	4.0
Ranking	#7 in Study Planner Apps	#37 in Study Planner Apps
Best for	Students wanting time-blocking with LMS imports	Students wanting a free, extensible planner
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	$39/yr	Free
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	7 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile, Desktop	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Live chat	Tickets, Docs
Integrations	7 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features Shovel 4/5 · Helium 4/5
Assignment tracking	✓	✓
Exam planning	✓	✓
Revision scheduling	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Recurring study sessions	✓	✓
Calendar sync	✓	✓
Specs
Available platforms	web, ios, android	web, ios, android, api
Our review
Pros	Imports syllabus PDFs and connects with Canvas, Moodle, and Google Classroom Combines workload estimates, time blocks, timers, grades, and progress tracking Works across web, iOS, and Android with calendar integrations	Tracks classes, assignments, grades, notes, exams, and reminders Works across web, iOS, and Android with calendar integrations Public REST API supports programmatic access and bulk imports
Cons	No free plan is available Desktop setup is required before using the mobile experience The monthly plan costs $9.79, while the annual plan uses annual billing	Designed for academic planning rather than general project management Hypothetical grade calculations do not replace official grade records API-based customization may require technical knowledge
Our verdict	Shovel is a study-planning application for college students who need more than a basic task list. It brings coursework, assignments, exams, classes, activities, and available study time into one schedule. Students can import syllabus PDFs… Read the review →	Helium is a free, open-source planner for students in middle school, high school, college, university, graduate school, and homeschool settings. It brings classes, recurring schedules, assignments, grades, notes, reminders, exams, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Shovel — where it wins

  • Imports syllabus PDFs and connects with Canvas, Moodle, and Google Classroom
  • Combines workload estimates, time blocks, timers, grades, and progress tracking
  • Works across web, iOS, and Android with calendar integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Desktop setup is required before using the mobile experience
  • The monthly plan costs $9.79, while the annual plan uses annual billing

• Helium — where it wins

  • Tracks classes, assignments, grades, notes, exams, and reminders
  • Works across web, iOS, and Android with calendar integrations
  • Public REST API supports programmatic access and bulk imports

  Where it doesn't

  • Designed for academic planning rather than general project management
  • Hypothetical grade calculations do not replace official grade records
  • API-based customization may require technical knowledge

• Shovel7.4/10 · 7-day trial

  A focused planner for turning coursework, deadlines, and study time into a workable schedule.

  Visit ShovelFull verdict →
• Helium4.0/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source student planner with broad calendar and API support.

  Visit HeliumFull verdict →