Power Planner vs Shovel
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Power Planner
Homework planner with class schedules and GPA calculation
Shovel
Study planner that checks if you have time for every task
Where they differ
- Power Planner starts at $4.99 one-time purchase (Premium, unlocks every platform). Shovel starts at $39 per year ($3.25 per month), or $9.79 billed monthly.
- Power Planner has a free plan. Shovel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Power Planner lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Power Planner can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Shovel also covers time blocking.
At a glance
| Power Planner | Shovel | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $4.99 one-time purchase (Premium, unlocks every platform) | $39 per year ($3.25 per month), or $9.79 billed monthly |
| Free plan | Free without ads, including online sync, reminders and widgets. Limited to 1 semester, 5 grades per class, 1 repeating bulk entry of a task or event and 1 photo attachment per item. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial on both the monthly and yearly plans. Billing starts after the trial unless it is cancelled. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | BareBones Dev, LLC | How To Study Smart, LLC |
| Price read from | support.powerplanner.net | shovelapp.io |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Power Planner
- Students who want grades and GPA worked out next to their homework list
- Students who switch between a Windows or Mac computer and a phone
- Anyone who would rather pay once than subscribe to a school planner
Shovel
- College students planning a full semester of readings, assignments and exams
- Students whose school uses Canvas, Brightspace, Moodle or Google Classroom
- Students who want a warning before they run short of study time
Worth knowing
Power Planner
- The free version is limited to 1 semester and 5 grades per class, so tracking a second term needs the $4.99 Premium purchase.
- The vendor's own comparison page says there is no Canvas or Blackboard integration.
- Class schedules can be standard or alternate between Week A and Week B. The vendor says fully custom rotations are not supported.
- The web version is labelled a beta on the vendor's platforms page.
Shovel
- There is no free plan. Access needs a paid subscription once the 7-day trial ends.
- The phone apps are companions: an account has to be set up in the web app first, and the vendor says not to use the mobile app on tablets.
- On computers and tablets Shovel is installed from the browser as a progressive web app, not as a native desktop program.
- The US App Store lists two "Lifetime plan" in-app purchases, at $13.99 and $46.99, that the website's pricing page does not mention.
Key features
Power Planner
- Assignments and exams
- Homework and exams are added with due dates, and each task or event can carry a checklist of sub-items on iOS, Android and Windows.
- Class schedule
- Classes are entered with times and room locations and shown as a weekly schedule. Alternating Week A and Week B schedules are supported.
- Grades and GPA
- Grades are tracked per class with weighted categories, GPA is calculated across semesters, and a What If? mode shows how a future score would change a grade.
- Automatic reminders
- A day-before reminder lists what is due tomorrow and a day-of reminder arrives an hour before an item is due. Both are on by default and can be turned off.
- Online sync
- A free online account keeps the planner in step across desktop, phone, tablet and browser. A local account that keeps all data on the device is also offered.
- Widgets and Google Calendar
- Home screen widgets on Android and iOS show upcoming assignments and classes, and classes and homework can be viewed in Google Calendar.
Shovel
- Syllabus upload and school sync
- AI Syllabus Upload turns a PDF syllabus into tasks and events, and courses can sync live with Canvas, Brightspace, Moodle or Google Classroom.
- Planning tasks into study time
- Each task is assigned to specific study blocks, so a due date becomes a plan for what to work on, when and for how long.
- The Cushion
- Compares the study time available before each deadline with the time the task is estimated to need, and plots every task above or below a zero line.
- Schedule of available time
- Classes, activities, meals and personal time are blocked out to reveal the hours left for studying. Events can repeat every set number of weeks.
- Time estimates and timer
- Reading time is calculated per task, exam and assignment estimates can be adjusted as work progresses, and a built-in timer records time spent on each task.
- External calendars
- Google, Apple and Outlook calendar events can be shown inside Shovel, and the Shovel calendar can be shared out to those calendars.
Plans
Power Planner
Free$0
Assignments, exams, class schedule, reminders, grades and online sync, with 1 semester and 5 grades per class.
Premium$4.99
one-time purchase
Lifts the free limits on semesters, grades per class, repeating bulk entries and photo attachments. Bought once and synced to the account on every platform.
Shovel
Yearly$39
per year, shown as $3.25 per month paid yearly
Full access for a year after a 7-day free trial. The page labels it a limited-time back-to-school offer and gives no end date.
Monthly$9.79
per month
Full access billed monthly after a 7-day free trial, cancellable at any time. The page shows $9.79 beside a crossed-out $19.99.
Ways to pay less
Power Planner
- Lifetime license
Premium is a one-time lifetime purchase
The support site prices Premium at $4.99 USD as a one-time, lifetime purchase that syncs with the account, so buying on one platform unlocks it on the others.
Shovel
- Annual discount
About 67% less on the yearly plan
The pricing page lists $9.79 per month or $39 per year. Twelve monthly payments would come to $117.48. The yearly price is labelled a limited-time back-to-school offer.
