Best ACT Study Apps: 7 Powerful Tools To Boost Your Score Fast (Most Students Don’t Know These)
Best ACT study apps ranked, with Flashrecall as the cheat code: auto-make flashcards from notes, use spaced repetition, and fix the stuff you keep missing.
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So, What’s Actually The Best ACT Study App?
Alright, let’s talk about the best ACT study apps without wasting time: if you want to remember formulas, vocab, grammar rules, and tricky concepts fast, you need a flashcard app with spaced repetition—and Flashrecall is insanely good for that. The best ACT study apps help you practice questions and lock in the info you keep forgetting, and Flashrecall does that by turning your notes, PDFs, and screenshots into smart flashcards automatically. It uses active recall and spaced repetition so your brain actually remembers stuff long-term instead of cramming and forgetting. If you’re serious about bumping your score, grab Flashrecall here:
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Why Apps Matter So Much For ACT Prep
You can absolutely prep with books and printed practice tests—but let’s be real, your phone is always with you.
Good ACT study apps should help you:
- Practice real-style questions
- Learn from your mistakes
- Review concepts on autopilot
- Study in tiny pockets of time (bus rides, waiting in line, etc.)
The problem? Most apps are either:
- Just question banks with no real memory system, or
- Just flashcards with no ACT focus
That’s why combining a question app + a flashcard app like Flashrecall is kind of the cheat code: one gives you practice, the other makes sure you actually remember what you keep getting wrong.
#1: Flashrecall – Best App For Memorizing ACT Content Fast
If you’re only going to download one app from this list to boost your ACT score, make it Flashrecall.
👉 iOS link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
You know what’s cool about Flashrecall? It basically does the annoying part of studying for you.
What Flashrecall Does Really Well
- Makes flashcards instantly
- Take a photo of your notes, textbook, or practice questions
- Import PDFs, paste text, or even use YouTube links
- Flashrecall turns them into flashcards automatically
Perfect for ACT math formulas, grammar rules, reading strategies, and science concepts.
- Built-in spaced repetition (no manual planning)
You don’t have to remember when to review. Flashrecall schedules reviews for you and sends study reminders, so you see each card right before you’re about to forget it.
- Active recall baked in
Every card is basically a mini quiz. You see the question, try to answer from memory, then check yourself. That’s exactly the kind of brain workout that raises your ACT score.
- Works offline
On the bus, in a boring class, at lunch—no Wi‑Fi needed. Just open the app and review.
- You can chat with your flashcards
Stuck on a concept? You can literally “chat” with the content to get explanations in simple language. Super handy for confusing math steps or grammar rules.
- Free to start, fast, and modern
No clunky old-school interface. It’s clean, quick, and works on both iPhone and iPad.
How To Use Flashrecall Specifically For ACT
Here’s a simple setup that works really well:
1. Math Section
- Take photos of your math notes or key formula pages
- Import ACT math cheat sheets as PDFs
- Turn them into flashcards: formula on the front, example or explanation on the back
- Tag them like: `Algebra`, `Geometry`, `Trig`, `Word Problems`
2. English (Grammar & Punctuation)
- Create cards for rules: comma usage, subject-verb agreement, pronouns, modifiers, etc.
- Example:
- Front: “When do you use a semicolon on the ACT?”
- Back: “To connect two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction, etc.”
3. Reading & Science
- Make “strategy” cards:
- “What’s the best order to do ACT Reading passages?”
- “How to handle science graphs quickly?”
- Add short explanations so you remember how to think during the test.
4. Mistake Cards (Super Important)
- Every time you miss a question in another ACT app or book, turn it into a Flashrecall card:
- Front: “Missed ACT Math Q – What did I forget about slope-intercept form?”
- Back: Quick explanation of the correct approach.
- This turns your mistakes into your best study material.
If you do just 10–20 minutes of Flashrecall a day, your weak spots stop being weak pretty fast.
#2: Official ACT Prep App – Best For Real Practice Questions
Flashrecall automatically keeps track and reminds you of the cards you don't remember well so you remember faster. Like this :
The Official ACT Prep app (by ACT, Inc.) is great for getting a feel for the real test.
Why It’s Useful
- Real ACT-style questions
- Practice tests that match the format and timing
- Good for seeing where you actually stand
Best Way To Use It
Don’t just grind questions and move on. After each session:
1. Look at every question you missed.
2. Write down what concept you didn’t know (e.g., “parallel lines,” “comma splice,” “main idea in Reading”).
3. Turn those into flashcards in Flashrecall so you don’t forget the fix.
Question apps tell you what you don’t know. Flashrecall helps you fix it.
#3: Khan Academy (Web + App) – Best For Learning Concepts
Khan Academy isn’t ACT-specific, but it’s awesome for learning math and grammar concepts you’re shaky on.
Good For
- Filling gaps in algebra, geometry, and trig
- Reviewing grammar rules you never really learned properly
- Watching short videos when you’re stuck
Again, the move is:
- Watch a video → understand the concept →
- Make 2–3 key flashcards in Flashrecall so you actually remember it a week later.
#4: ACT Question Bank Apps – Good, But Not Enough Alone
There are tons of ACT question apps (like “ACT Prep” style apps) that just give you endless questions and explanations.
They’re fine for:
- Getting more exposure to question types
- Practicing under time pressure
- Doing quick drills when you’re bored
But here’s the issue:
If you just keep doing questions without reviewing patterns, you’ll keep making the same mistakes.
That’s where pairing them with Flashrecall changes the game:
- Every recurring mistake → becomes a flashcard
- Every confusing rule → becomes a flashcard
- Every formula you always forget → becomes a flashcard
Instead of hoping you’ll “just remember next time,” you let spaced repetition handle it.
#5: Note Apps (Apple Notes, Notion, etc.) – Good For Collecting, Not Remembering
A lot of people use Notes or Notion to write down ACT tips, formulas, and vocab. That’s fine, but there’s a problem:
- You write it once
- Never look at it again
- Brain: “Cool, we’re deleting this.”
Notes are great for storing info. Flashrecall is for remembering it.
You can:
1. Draft your notes or summaries in your notes app
2. Copy/paste the important bits into Flashrecall
3. Let spaced repetition make sure it sticks
Why Flashrecall Beats Most “ACT Flashcard” Apps
There are some ACT-specific flashcard apps out there, but they’re usually:
- Limited to the cards they give you
- Not customizable enough
- Not great at handling your class notes, screenshots, or PDFs
Flashrecall is better because:
- You control the content – ACT vocab, formulas, grammar, strategies, whatever you need
- You can pull from literally anywhere – textbooks, YouTube, PDFs, practice tests
- It’s not just ACT-only – you can reuse it for SAT, AP exams, college classes, med school, languages, business, anything
So you’re not just installing a one-off ACT app—you’re building a long-term study system that keeps working after this exam.
Simple Daily ACT Study Routine Using Apps
If you want something you can actually stick to, try this:
1. 10–20 Minutes – Flashrecall Review
- Open Flashrecall
- Do your scheduled reviews (spaced repetition will serve you what you need)
- Add 3–5 new cards from whatever you’re currently studying
2. 20–30 Minutes – Question Practice
- Use the Official ACT app or another ACT question app
- Do a short timed set (e.g., 10–15 questions)
3. 5–10 Minutes – Turn Mistakes Into Cards
- For every wrong or guessed question:
- Ask: “What concept or rule was I missing?”
- Turn that into a flashcard inside Flashrecall
That’s it. If you do this most days, your score will climb—because you’re not just doing random questions, you’re systematically eliminating weak spots.
Final Thoughts: Which App Should You Download First?
If you’re trying to pick from the best ACT study apps and don’t want to overload your phone:
- For real questions → Official ACT Prep app
- For actually remembering what you study → Flashrecall
If you only grab one right now, make it Flashrecall. It’s the thing that ties everything together and makes your studying stick instead of evaporating after a day.
Grab it here and set up your first ACT decks in a few minutes:
👉 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/flashrecall-study-flashcards/id6746757085
Use it for your formulas, grammar rules, reading strategies, and every mistake you make along the way—and your future self on test day is going to be very, very grateful.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the fastest way to create flashcards?
Manually typing cards works but takes time. Many students now use AI generators that turn notes into flashcards instantly. Flashrecall does this automatically from text, images, or PDFs.
Is there a free flashcard app?
Yes. Flashrecall is free and lets you create flashcards from images, text, prompts, audio, PDFs, and YouTube videos.
How do I start spaced repetition?
You can manually schedule your reviews, but most people use apps that automate this. Flashrecall uses built-in spaced repetition so you review cards at the perfect time.
What is active recall and how does it work?
Active recall is the process of actively retrieving information from memory rather than passively reviewing it. Flashrecall forces proper active recall by making you think before revealing answers, then uses spaced repetition to optimize your review schedule.
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- Anki Mac OS Alternatives: The Best Way To Study Smarter On Your Mac (Most Students Don’t Know This) – If you’re using Anki on macOS and it feels clunky or outdated, this guide will show you a faster, easier way to do flashcards on your Mac and iPhone.
Practice This With Free Flashcards
Try our web flashcards right now to test yourself on what you just read. You can click to flip cards, move between questions, and see how much you really remember.
Try Flashcards in Your BrowserInside the FlashRecall app you can also create your own decks from images, PDFs, YouTube, audio, and text, then use spaced repetition to save your progress and study like top students.
Research References
The information in this article is based on peer-reviewed research and established studies in cognitive psychology and learning science.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380
Meta-analysis showing spaced repetition significantly improves long-term retention compared to massed practice
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378
Review showing spacing effects work across different types of learning materials and contexts
Kang, S. H. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12-19
Policy review advocating for spaced repetition in educational settings based on extensive research evidence
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968
Research demonstrating that active recall (retrieval practice) is more effective than re-reading for long-term learning
Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1), 20-27
Review of research showing retrieval practice (active recall) as one of the most effective learning strategies
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58
Comprehensive review ranking learning techniques, with practice testing and distributed practice rated as highly effective

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