Cambridge exam prep is never simple. It drains your time, your focus, and sometimes even your patience. You sit down with a plan, but the topics keep piling up and the days just disappear. The only thing that makes it easier is knowing where to look for help. In 2025, there are so many good study tools online — and the best part is, most of them are entirely free. You don’t need to buy subscriptions or join paid classes when the right resources are already out there waiting for you.
Top Tools for Cambridge O Levels & A Levels Students
Here’s a proper list of what’s worth using if you’re doing Cambridge O Levels or A Levels this year.
Write & Improve by Cambridge English
If you’re doing any subject that involves writing — English, History, GP, or even Sociology — this tool is a lifesaver. Write & Improve was built by Cambridge, so it’s made for students like us. You just paste your writing, and it gives instant feedback. It points out grammar mistakes and weird phrasing, and even gives you a score level.
What’s nice about it is that it helps you practice in small bits. You can write a paragraph, check it, fix it, and see how much it improves. After a few tries, you start to notice how your writing changes. It’s great for polishing essays before exams because it teaches you what kind of tone Cambridge looks for.
Even if English isn’t your main subject, using it once in a while makes your writing cleaner in every subject.
Cambridge International Past Papers and Mark Schemes
Let’s be honest — there’s no tool more important than past papers. Everything else is secondary. The best part is that you can get them free straight from Cambridge International’s website. They have all subjects, all years, and mark schemes right there.
It’s not just about doing the paper. The real trick is checking the mark scheme afterwards. That’s how you understand what the examiner expects and where you lose marks. You start to see patterns — the way questions repeat, the phrasing that matters, and what counts as a “full answer.”
You can download them yourself, or if you don’t want to spend time searching, Papers Bay already has all of it sorted neatly by year and subject. Makes revision way faster.
Save My Exams
This one’s super popular now, and it deserves it. Save My Exams breaks each subject into topics, explains them simply, and adds questions at the end. For most subjects, you can use the free notes and practice questions without paying for anything.
It’s suitable for quick study sessions. The notes are short and clear — perfect for the day before a test or when you need to refresh a topic you forgot. The layout helps too—no messy ads or clutter. You just pick a topic and start.
If you struggle to understand something from the textbook, check the same topic here — it usually makes more sense.
Tutopiya Free Study Tools
A lot of people think Tutopiya is only for online tutoring, but it actually has some solid free features. The best one is their past paper finder. You just type your subject, year, or paper code, and it lists everything instantly. Super helpful when you’re trying to find a specific variant.
They also have a study planner, which is simple but effective. You can set subjects, goals, and track how you’re doing. It’s not fancy, but it works if you’re trying to get organised before mocks or final exams.
You don’t even need to sign up for tutoring — these tools are free to use, and they make studying a bit more structured.
Cambridge English Free Resources
Cambridge has a bunch of free English practice tools that students often forget about. The site has reading and listening exercises, small quizzes, and even a “Speak & Improve” tool that gives feedback on pronunciation.
It’s beneficial if you’re studying English as a second language or literature. These small exercises help keep your language sharp, especially before papers 2 or 3.
You don’t have to spend hours on it — even ten minutes a day helps. It’s one of those things that slowly builds your confidence without feeling like extra work.
Quizlet
If you hate sitting with notes for hours, Quizlet is the easiest way to revise. It’s all about flashcards — short, fast, and perfect for quick memory-based topics. You can find existing decks for almost every Cambridge subject: Chemistry definitions, Physics formulas, Business key terms, or Literature quotes.
You can test yourself, shuffle the cards, and track what you got wrong. It even has a “learn” mode that repeats what you missed until you remember it. The mobile app works offline too, so you can revise anywhere — bus, lunch break, whatever.
It’s simple, but honestly, one of the most effective free tools out there.
Khan Academy
Not made for Cambridge directly, but Khan Academy overlaps with a lot of the syllabus — especially Maths, Physics, and Economics. The videos are short and super clear. When you’re stuck on something like differentiation or elasticity, watching one Khan Academy video can fix the confusion instantly.
The best part? It’s all free and ad-free. You can even do short quizzes after each lesson to test yourself. It’s excellent for when textbooks feel too dense or when you just need someone to explain a topic like a teacher would.
A lot of Cambridge students use it as backup learning — and honestly, it works.
How to Mix These Tools
You don’t have to use every site every day. What works best is mixing them up smartly. For example, use Save My Exams to go through notes, then switch to Khan Academy for anything that doesn’t click. After that, practice the topic with Papers Bay past papers.
Once you’ve written your answers, run them through Write & Improve to polish them. Keep Quizlet for quick revision during breaks. It’s not about using every tool out there. It’s about finding what fits your routine and sticking with it.
Why Free Tools Matter in 2025
Let’s be real — not everyone can afford expensive tutoring or subscriptions. The good thing is, in 2025, free resources have gotten really good. They’re organised, up-to-date, and complete with actual study material.
They also make studying fairer. Whether you’re in Pakistan, Kenya, or the UK, you can use the same free tools and access the same quality. That’s a big deal for Cambridge students.
And when it comes to past papers, nothing beats Papers Bay — everything’s right there, categorised and easy to download. No ads, no confusion, no random links. Just what you need to study properly.
Final Thoughts
Studying for Cambridge exams is never easy, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These tools don’t replace hard work — they just make it smoother. They help you practice smarter, fix weak spots, and stay consistent.
If you’re serious about preparing properly this year, start with past papers on Papers Bay and build your revision routine around that. Everything else fits naturally after.