Note (October 2026): This guide has been updated. PDFBear no longer deletes files after one hour (free-account files are now kept for 30 days after last activity), and the KeepMeOut site blocker no longer appears to be operating, so a current alternative has been added.
The most useful online tools for school cover four jobs: handling files, designing, writing and citing, and managing distractions. As of October 2026, PDFBear converts and edits PDFs, Canva makes presentations and infographics, Grammarly checks grammar, Mendeley or Zotero manage citations, and LeechBlock NG blocks distracting websites. Each has a free tier.
Key Takeaways
- All five jobs (PDFs, design, grammar, citations, focus) can be done with free plans; paid plans mainly add page limits, AI features and storage.
- PDFBear’s free tier handles up to 30 pages per conversion, and free-account files are kept for 30 days after last activity, according to PDFBear in October 2026.
- Canva for Education is free for K-12 teachers and their students, but it is not currently offered to colleges and universities.
- Grammarly’s paid individual plan is now called Plus; it adds full-sentence rewrites and plagiarism and AI-text detection.
- KeepMeOut no longer appears to be operating; LeechBlock NG is a free browser extension that does the same job.
Online classes became common during the COVID-19 pandemic, and digital assignments, shared files and online submissions remain a routine part of school and college work. Aside from a decent device and reliable internet connection, you need to know which tools are accessible so you can work efficiently.
Online Tools Every Student Should Know About
The tools below all run in a web browser. From writing tools to creating infographics, all the tools featured in this article will be of help. Each one has a browser version, so nothing has to be installed to get started, although some also offer apps or add-ins.
1] Convert your files with PDFBear
With online and blended classes, most documents you submit and receive are digital. Sometimes, you’re going to need a trusted file converter that can do the job with just a few clicks. PDFBear is a browser-based PDF platform that covers the most common PDF jobs in one place.
You may convert PDF to Word, merge files, split PDF, and compress when needed. You can also easily convert files from one format to another. PDFBear can be used for free without signing up, and a paid plan, now called Premium, unlocks the rest of its features. As of October 2026, the free tier covers the core tools with a 30-page limit per conversion, while Premium (listed at $99.99 a year after a 7-day trial) raises that to 200 pages and adds OCR, batch processing and AI tools. Whether it is worth paying depends on how often you work with long PDFs.
Just to give you an idea of how powerful this web-based tool is, you can also restore corrupted files, convert HTML to PDF, and even unlock PDF files!
Aside from the wide array of tools, PDFBear is also SSL encrypted. According to PDFBear, documents travel over an encrypted HTTPS connection and are processed automatically without human review. Encryption protects files in transit, but no online service can guarantee that files are completely safe, so avoid uploading highly sensitive documents.
PDFBear’s retention policy has changed since this article was first published, when files were deleted after one hour. As of October 2026, PDFBear says free-account files are kept for 30 days after their last activity and can be deleted sooner from the file manager, while Premium files are kept for as long as the subscription is active.
2] Create designs easily with Canva
If you want to improve the design of your presentations, Canva is the way to go. Canva is a web-based tool you can use to create infographics and other things related to graphic design. You don’t have to be an expert in designing to start using Canva.
If you don’t want to make everything from scratch, Canva has a lot of built-in templates that you can use, according to what you need. The drag-and-drop function is what makes it easier to use. You may access Canva using any device.
Once you’ve created an account, you’ll automatically get the perks of the basic plan of Canva, which is free. However, you may opt to upgrade your account to Canva Pro. Subscribing to Canva Pro unlocks a lot of tools and other designs that may be useful for you. Students and teachers in K-12 (primary and secondary) schools may not need to pay at all: according to Canva, Canva for Education is free for K-12 teachers and their students, students join through a teacher’s invitation, and the program is not currently available to colleges and universities.
But if you’re just creating something simple, the free version of Canva should suffice. All designs you’ve created will be saved on your account where you can re-edit and download them as many times as you need.
3] Check your grammar with Grammarly
Writing papers, reports, and reflection papers can be tiring. You might not even be able to spot some grammar and punctuation mistakes when in the process of writing. Luckily, you can run a quick check of your work before submitting it to your teachers.
Unlike PDFBear, which can be used without signing up, Grammarly requires an account before you can use Grammarly. The free version of Grammarly will scan your document for grammar mistakes, vocabulary suggestions, and misplaced punctuation marks.
All you need to do is paste your document or upload it straight to the Grammarly server. Grammarly will give you the results in just a few seconds.
The free Grammarly plan is good when you’re on a budget: as of October 2026, it covers spelling and grammar corrections, tone detection and 100 AI prompts. The paid individual plan, once sold as Grammarly Premium, is now listed as Plus on Grammarly’s plans page; it adds full-sentence rewrites, tone adjustment, plagiarism and AI-text detection and 2,000 AI prompts. Prices vary by country and billing period.
The paid plan helps you dissect your document and identify passive voice and other writing inconsistencies. Your files will also be automatically saved on your account so you can always get back to your documents from time to time.
4] Cite your sources with Mendeley
Mendeley is a reliable reference manager. This is a good companion tool when working on your academic papers and research. Mendeley has been owned by the academic publisher Elsevier since 2013. Its free account includes 2GB of storage, and Mendeley Reference Manager keeps your library in the cloud so you can open it from Windows, macOS, Linux or a web browser.
You may access the site using whatever device you have. It helps you organize your references, create bibliographies, and annotate citations. Mendeley has described its catalog as holding millions of references; that figure could not be independently confirmed in October 2026, so check every reference against the original publication before citing it. For Microsoft Word, the Mendeley Cite add-in inserts citations and bibliographies directly into your document.
All you need is to sign up using an email! Aside from being a research management tool, Mendeley Web allows you to connect with other fellow scholars. You may share your research online and even collaborate with them.
5] Cut Down Distractions With KeepMeOut
Online classes mean that there are a lot of available distractions online. While it is tempting to slack off, these distractions can affect your performance. KeepMeOut was a free web-based tool built for this problem: it limited how often you could visit a chosen website. Its site could not be reached when checked in October 2026, and at least one blog reported in 2024 that the service was no longer operational, so the alternative described below is the practical choice today.
The tool was simple and straightforward. You typed in the website you wanted to avoid and a timeframe, and KeepMeOut generated an alias, a new link that you had to use whenever you visited that website. Using the alias was crucial to make it work. For example, if you visited a website more than once in 60 minutes, KeepMeOut warned you and locked you out of the website.
You then had to wait before you could access the website again. KeepMeOut also offered more advanced options. Today, LeechBlock NG, a free browser extension for Firefox, Chrome, Edge and other Chromium-based browsers such as Brave, Opera and Vivaldi, does the same job: it can allow, for example, up to 10 minutes on a site in every hour, block sites between set hours, or lock them down immediately for a chosen duration.
6] Choose your tools wisely
When it comes to learning, you need to work smart and master tools to make things easier for you. The internet has a lot of options, but the tools above cover the jobs most students do every week.
Between them, they cover graphic design, file handling, writing, citations and productivity. The comparison table and checklist below help you pick the right one for each task.
Which Online Tool Should Students Use for Each Task?
The right online tool for school depends on the job. The table below summarizes the free and paid options described above, as of October 2026.
| Task | Tool | What the free version offers | What paying adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Convert, merge, split or compress PDFs | PDFBear | Core PDF tools without sign-up, up to 30 pages per conversion | Premium: 200 pages, OCR, batch processing, AI tools, files kept while subscribed |
| Presentations, posters and infographics | Canva | Free plan with templates and drag-and-drop editing; Canva for Education is free for K-12 teachers and students | Canva Pro: more tools and design assets |
| Grammar and spelling | Grammarly | Spelling and grammar corrections, tone detection, 100 AI prompts | Plus: full-sentence rewrites, plagiarism and AI-text detection, 2,000 AI prompts |
| Citations and bibliographies | Mendeley or Zotero | Mendeley: free account with 2GB storage; Zotero: free and open source | Extra cloud storage (both offer storage upgrades) |
| Blocking distracting websites | LeechBlock NG | Free browser extension with time limits, scheduled blocks and lockdown | No paid tier needed |
What Is a Free Alternative to Mendeley?
Zotero is the best-known free alternative to Mendeley. Zotero is free and open-source reference management software, originally created at George Mason University’s Center for History and New Media and, since 2021, developed by the non-profit Corporation for Digital Scholarship. Zotero works with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer, OnlyOffice and SoftMaker Office, and the house styles of most academic journals are available in it.
Students who write mainly in Google Docs may find Zotero more convenient, while those already using Elsevier services or Microsoft Word can use Mendeley with the Mendeley Cite add-in. For more on building a paper from sources, see these research paper tips every student should know.
How to Block Distracting Websites While Studying
A website blocker works best when it is set up before a study session starts. With LeechBlock NG, the basic steps are:
- Install LeechBlock NG from your browser’s extension store (Firefox, Chrome, Edge or another Chromium-based browser).
- Open its options page and list the sites you want to limit, such as social media or video sites. LeechBlock NG supports up to 30 separate sets of sites.
- Choose a rule: a fixed time period (for example, 9am to 5pm), a time limit (for example, 10 minutes in every hour), or both.
- Use the lockdown feature when you need an immediate, fixed block, such as during exam revision.
If you are not sure how much social media is affecting your study time, this guide on whether social media is killing your focus explains the research.
Using AI Writing Features Responsibly
Grammarly and PDFBear now both include AI features alongside their original tools. Grammarly in particular has added extensive generative AI tools since 2025, including options to generate essays from scratch, and its parent company rebranded as Superhuman in October 2025.
Schools and universities set their own rules on AI-generated work. Before using AI rewriting or generation in an assignment, check your school’s academic integrity policy, and treat grammar suggestions as suggestions rather than final answers. For honest ways to keep your writing original, read these tips for writing a plagiarism-free paper, and for a wider list of options see the best free AI tools for students.
How to Choose Online Tools for School
- Start with the free tier. Every tool in this guide has a free option; upgrade only when you regularly hit a limit, such as PDFBear’s 30-page cap.
- Check education programs first. K-12 students should ask their teacher about Canva for Education before paying for Canva Pro.
- Read the file-retention policy. Know how long a service keeps your uploads, and delete sensitive files when you are done.
- Match the citation tool to your word processor. Zotero supports Google Docs; Mendeley Cite works inside Microsoft Word.
- Check word limits before you submit. The free Justwebworld word counter counts words, characters, sentences and paragraphs.
Tools help most when paired with good study habits. For routines that work with online and blended learning, see how to succeed in online classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PDFBear free to use?
Yes. PDFBear’s core tools are free and need no sign-up, with a limit of 30 pages per conversion as of October 2026. The paid Premium plan raises the limit to 200 pages and adds OCR, batch processing and AI tools.
How long does PDFBear keep uploaded files?
PDFBear says free-account files are kept for 30 days after their last activity, and users can delete them sooner from the file manager. Premium users’ files are kept while the subscription is active. The older one-hour deletion window no longer applies.
Is Canva free for students?
Canva has a free plan for everyone. Canva for Education, which includes most premium features, is free for K-12 (primary and secondary) teachers and their students, who join through a teacher’s invitation. It is not currently available to colleges and universities.
Is Grammarly free for students?
Grammarly has a free plan that corrects spelling and grammar, shows writing tone and includes 100 AI prompts. The paid Plus plan adds full-sentence rewrites, plagiarism and AI-text detection and 2,000 AI prompts.
Is Mendeley still free?
Yes. Mendeley describes itself as a free reference manager, and a free account includes 2GB of storage. Zotero is a free, open-source alternative that also works with Google Docs.
Does KeepMeOut still work?
KeepMeOut no longer appears to be operating: its site could not be reached in October 2026, and a 2024 blog report said the service had stopped. LeechBlock NG is a free browser extension that offers time limits, scheduled blocks and lockdowns instead.
