Free study tracker · No sign-up · Works offline

The free study tracker students actually stick with

Track study hours per subject, log focus drift, and see exactly how much revision you've done before exam day. A calm, distraction-free study tracker — built by students, free forever.

No card · No ads · Your data stays on your device

Why use a study tracker at all?

Most students drastically overestimate how much they've revised. You sit at your desk for three hours, but only actually study for 45 minutes — the rest is checking your phone, re-reading the same paragraph, or staring out the window. Without a study tracker, you have no idea this is happening.

A proper study tracker fixes this in two ways. First, it makes the act of starting a session feel like a small commitment — you press start, so your brain treats it as work-time. Second, it gives you honest numbers at the end of every week: how many hours per subject, how focused you really were, and whether you're on track for your exam goal.

My Study Diary is built around that idea. It's not a productivity dashboard, a gamified app, or a planner full of notifications. It's a quiet, focused study tracker that just shows you the truth — how much you've studied, in which subjects, and whether it's enough.

How the study tracker works

Three steps. No setup wizard. No 10-minute onboarding. You can start your first tracked session in under 30 seconds.

1

Add your subjects

Type in what you're studying — Maths, Biology, Spanish, Dissertation, anything. Set an exam date and an hour goal (most students aim for 100–120 hours per exam subject).

2

Press start

Pick a subject and start a focused session. The tracker counts your time live. Note any moments you drift — Instagram, daydreaming, snack break — so the focus score reflects real work.

3

Watch the hours add up

Every session updates your subject's progress bar. See your weekly hours, year-at-a-glance heatmap, and exactly how much revision is left to hit your goal before exam day.

What this study tracker actually does

Every feature exists because real students asked for it. No filler. No fake gamification.

Live study timer

Press start, study, press stop. The tracker logs every second to the right subject — no manual entry, no rounding.

Per-subject hour goals

Set a target like 100 hours for each exam subject. Live progress bars show hours done, hours left, and pace per week.

Focus drift tracking

Tap once when you get distracted. The tracker logs it and shows your real focus score — separate from raw time.

Exam countdown built in

Add exam dates and the tracker tells you how many study hours per week you need to hit your goal. No spreadsheet maths.

Year-at-a-glance heatmap

GitHub-style heatmap of your study year. Green every day = streak. Empty days are obvious. Honest and visual.

Notes per session

What did you cover? What was hard? Saved with the session forever. Searchable. No third-party note app needed.

How My Study Diary compares to other study trackers

We've used most of them. Here's the honest breakdown of why students switch to My Study Diary.

FeatureMy Study DiaryTypical app
Free forever, no adsYesFree trial only
No sign-up requiredYesAccount required
Works offline (PWA)YesOnline only
Focus drift trackingYesTime only
Per-subject hour goalsYesSometimes
Exam countdown built inYesSeparate app
Your data stays on deviceYesCloud only

Who this study tracker is for

If you have an exam, a goal, or a subject you want to get better at — this study tracker is built for you.

GCSE & A-Level students

Track 8–12 subjects across the year. Hit the 100-hour-per-subject benchmark most students aim for. See exactly which subjects are behind.

University & college

Long study sessions, dissertations, problem sets, finals prep. Track real focus time — not just hours spent at your desk pretending.

IB, SAT, AP & professional exams

International Baccalaureate, SAT, ACT, AP, MCAT, LSAT, accountancy, language exams. Set goals, track hours, hit your target.

Study tracker FAQs

What is a study tracker?

A study tracker is a tool that records how much time you spend studying each subject, so you can see real progress instead of guessing. My Study Diary tracks duration, focus drift, notes per session, and per-subject hour goals — giving you an honest picture of your revision.

How do I track my study hours accurately?

Open My Study Diary, add your subjects, and press start when you begin a focused session. The tracker logs duration in real time and lets you note when you drift off-task. At the end you'll see total time, focus score, and progress toward your subject goal.

Is this study tracker really free?

Yes. My Study Diary is 100% free with no ads, no premium tier, and no sign-up required to start. Your data stays on your device unless you choose to sign in to sync across devices.

Does the study tracker work offline?

Yes. My Study Diary is a Progressive Web App (PWA), so once you've opened it, it works offline — on the bus, in the library, anywhere with no signal. Install it to your home screen on iPhone, Android or desktop.

How many study hours should I aim for per subject?

Most students aim for 100–120 hours of focused revision per exam subject across the year (GCSE, A-Level, IB, university finals). Set this as your hour goal in My Study Diary and the progress bar will show exactly how much more revision you need.

Can I use this study tracker on my phone?

Yes. My Study Diary is a Progressive Web App that installs to your home screen on iPhone and Android. It works exactly like a native study tracker app, but with no App Store download and no account needed.

Start tracking your study in 30 seconds

No sign-up. No card. No ads. Just open the tracker and start your first session.