MyStudyLife is a large, long-running school planner for your timetable, homework and exams, with a free core planner and apps on web, iPhone and Android. It has a lot going for it. Students look for alternatives when they want more done for them. It doesn't read syllabi, and how its Canvas integration connects, and which plan includes it, isn't clear from public sources. On the App Store, the developer acknowledged a bug that showed classes at the wrong times. Here are other options worth a look.
Secretariat
Connects Canvas with the Chrome extension, an access token or the calendar link, reads each class's syllabus, and keeps the syllabus date when Canvas has a different one. Your calendars and apps like Notion, Todoist and Outlook land in the same list.
Good for: Canvas, syllabi and other apps in one list. Learn more
Power Planner
A free homework planner with strong grade and GPA tools, including a What If mode, on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. You type your work in by hand, and Premium is a one-time unlock.
Good for: Grades and GPA tracking. Price: Free, with a one-time Premium unlock of $4.99 on the App Store. The free version allows 5 grades per class and one semester. (checked October 2026). Visit Power Planner
DormWay
Free for students. It connects Canvas with an access token and pulls assignments, exam dates and grading weights from an uploaded syllabus with AI.
Good for: Free AI syllabus reading. Price: Free for students. The company says pro features are planned; no paid price has been published. (checked October 2026). Visit DormWay
Semora
Syncs Canvas, Blackboard and Moodle through the calendar feed on its free plan and can scan a syllabus with AI. It has iPhone, Android, Apple Watch and web apps.
Good for: Syllabus scanning on Android. Price: Free plan with LMS sync and 1 AI action in total. Pro is $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year. (checked October 2026). Visit Semora
Shovel
Syncs with Canvas, Brightspace, Moodle and Google Classroom, reads a syllabus PDF, and plans the hours each assignment needs. It has no free plan, only a trial.
Good for: Planning study time per deadline. Price: No free plan. 7-day free trial, then a monthly or yearly subscription. Exact current price not confirmed (sources disagree). (checked October 2026). Visit Shovel
Common questions
- Does MyStudyLife read syllabi?
- No. Its AI scans a photo of your timetable. Secretariat, DormWay, Semora and Shovel all read a syllabus.
- Is there a free MyStudyLife alternative that syncs Canvas?
- Yes. Secretariat's free plan includes Canvas, your calendar and the list, and Semora's free plan syncs Canvas through the calendar feed. DormWay is free for students.
- Does Secretariat have a phone app like MyStudyLife?
- Not a native one yet. A native iPhone app is coming soon. Today Secretariat works on iPhone as a Home Screen web app and in Chrome as an extension. See is there an iPhone app.