NotebookLM alternatives for exam practice
NotebookLM, which Google now calls Gemini Notebook, is one of the best free tools for understanding your sources. Students look elsewhere when they need to practise those sources until the exam. Here is what it leaves out, and the alternatives that fill the gap.
By the Quizard team, so we are not neutral: Quizard is on this list. Every claim about another product links to its source. Last checked .
Why students look for a NotebookLM alternative
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1
No spaced repetition schedule
It can make flashcards and quizzes, but we found no schedule in Google’s help pages that brings cards back when you are about to forget them.
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2
No record of what you have practised
We found no view in Google’s help pages of which parts of your material you have covered and which you have not, so it is hard to know when you are ready.
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3
No built-in Anki export
We found no option to send its flashcards to Anki in Google’s help pages, so moving cards means copying them out.
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4
Usage limits
The free plan allows up to 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook, with daily usage limits that depend on your plan.
Sources: Gemini Notebook plans and limits, Google: ways to use NotebookLM to study
The best NotebookLM alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Quizard | Studying from your own lecture slides and notes | There is no public library of other people’s sets, and generating from more than 50 pages a month needs Plus. |
| ChatGPT | The general AI assistant, with a study mode that guides you with questions instead of handing over answers. | Study mode guides you with questions on any topic, but there is no built-in review schedule or record of what you have covered. |
| Anki | The classic open-source spaced repetition app, loved by medical and language students. | The benchmark for spaced repetition, but it does not write cards: you make them or download a shared deck. |
| Knowt | A popular free Quizlet alternative with public study content, unlimited self-made sets and AI tools on paid plans. | Free spaced repetition on your own sets, but only one AI summary a month on the free plan. |
| RemNote | A note-taking app with flashcards built into your notes, spaced repetition and AI on paid plans. | Notes and flashcards in one place with spaced repetition. Its free plan includes 5 AI cards. |
Other products’ details come from their own pages, checked on 2 November 2026 and linked on each comparison page. Products change, so tell us if anything is out of date.
Quizard
- Writes exam-style questions and flashcards from your own PDFs, PowerPoints and notes
- Every question links to the slide it came from, so you can check it
- No limits while you study, and export to Anki or CSV on every plan
- Free plan
- Unlimited studying, no ads; questions and flashcards from 50 pages a month
- Paid
- Plus at $7.99 a month or $39.99 a year, or a $9.99 exam pass
Watch out for: There is no public library of other people’s sets, and generating from more than 50 pages a month needs Plus.
Quizard vs NotebookLM, side by sideChatGPT
The general AI assistant, with a study mode that guides you with questions instead of handing over answers.
- Explaining a concept in many different ways
- Study mode, which guides you with questions
- Almost any other task you can describe
Watch out for: Study mode guides you with questions on any topic, but there is no built-in review schedule or record of what you have covered.
Quizard vs ChatGPTAnki
The classic open-source spaced repetition app, loved by medical and language students.
- Powerful, proven spaced repetition
- Add-ons and shared decks such as AnKing for board exams
- Full control over card types and scheduling
Watch out for: The benchmark for spaced repetition, but it does not write cards: you make them or download a shared deck.
Quizard vs AnkiKnowt
A popular free Quizlet alternative with public study content, unlimited self-made sets and AI tools on paid plans.
- Free study modes on your own sets, including spaced repetition
- Public notes, flashcards and exam resources
- AI summaries from files, video and recordings
Watch out for: Free spaced repetition on your own sets, but only one AI summary a month on the free plan.
Quizard vs KnowtRemNote
A note-taking app with flashcards built into your notes, spaced repetition and AI on paid plans.
- Keeping notes and flashcards in one connected place
- Flexible spaced repetition
- Long-term knowledge building
Watch out for: Notes and flashcards in one place with spaced repetition. Its free plan includes 5 AI cards.
Quizard vs RemNoteWhen NotebookLM is still the better choice
Keep NotebookLM for reading and understanding, especially across many sources, and for audio overviews. Many students use it to learn the material and a practice tool to drill it.
Try Quizard on one of your lectures
Drop in a lecture and get 5 exam-style questions from it in about a minute, each linked to its slide. No account, no ads.