NotebookLM

Google's AI research assistant that turns your own PDFs, slides, and notes into summaries, study guides, quizzes, flashcards, and audio overviews, all grounded in the sources you upload. The free tier is generous enough for most coursework and needs no credit card.

Best for: Turning your own course materials into a tutor

What you get

• Free forever tier: 100 notebooks, 50 sources each, 50 chats/day, and 3 audio + 3 video overviews per day — no card required
• Paid upgrades are bundled with Google's AI plans: NotebookLM Plus via Google AI Plus (~$5/mo) or NotebookLM Pro via Google AI Pro ($19.99/mo, raising limits to ~300 sources per notebook)
• Google AI Pro includes a 1-month free trial that unlocks Pro limits
• Gotcha: the free 12-month student offer ended April 30, 2026, and Google no longer lists a student-specific price — students pay standard rates or use the free tier

How students use it

• Upload the semester's PDFs and slides, then ask questions grounded only in them
• Generate an Audio Overview and revise by listening like a podcast
• Auto-build study guides and quizzes from your actual lecture notes