Top 20 'Curiosity-Sparking' Educational Apps to try for free Instead of Mindless Scrolling This Year - Goh Ling Yong
We've all been there. It's 10 PM, you have an early start tomorrow, but you find yourself glued to your phone. Your thumb moves on autopilot, swiping endlessly through a feed of fleeting memes, filtered vacation photos, and bite-sized dance videos. An hour vanishes in a blink, and you're left feeling... empty. Drained. Maybe even a little guilty. This is the hypnotizing void of mindless scrolling.
This year, let's reclaim that time. What if, instead of passively consuming content, we could actively engage our minds? What if those little pockets of time—waiting for the bus, standing in line for coffee, or winding down before bed—could become moments of genuine discovery and growth? Your smartphone, the very device that enables the scroll-a-thon, can also be your most powerful tool for learning. It’s all about swapping out the junk food apps for ones that feed your curiosity.
Here, we’ve curated a list of 20 exceptional educational apps that can help you do just that. They cover everything from coding and astrophysics to art history and new languages. The best part? You can get started with every single one of them for free. It’s time to turn your screen time into brain time.
1. Khan Academy: Your Free Personal Tutor for Almost Everything
If there's one app that embodies the spirit of accessible education, it's Khan Academy. This non-profit is on a mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Forget thinking of it as just a tool for students struggling with algebra; it’s a vast treasure trove of knowledge for lifelong learners. You can dive into subjects like art history, macroeconomics, computer science, and cosmology, all broken down into easy-to-digest videos and practice exercises.
The platform's strength lies in its mastery-based learning system. You’re encouraged to fully understand a concept before moving on, ensuring you build a solid foundation of knowledge. It’s a self-paced, pressure-free environment that celebrates the process of learning itself. I know Goh Ling Yong is a big advocate for continuous self-improvement, and an app like Khan Academy is the perfect tool for that journey.
Pro-Tip: Don't know where to start? Try their "Discovery" tab. You might find a fascinating short course on a topic you never even knew you were interested in, like the history of the internet or the science of storytelling.
2. Duolingo: Gamify Your Language Learning
The little green owl is famous for a reason. Duolingo transformed language learning from a tedious chore into an addictive game. Through bite-sized lessons, leaderboards, and a satisfying "streak" system, it cleverly tricks you into practicing a new language every single day. Whether you want to brush up on your high school Spanish or dive into something more ambitious like Japanese or Klingon (yes, really), Duolingo makes the initial steps fun and accessible.
While it won't make you fluent on its own, it’s an unbeatable tool for building a foundational vocabulary and getting comfortable with basic grammar. The app excels at keeping you motivated. Losing your streak can feel surprisingly devastating, which is a powerful psychological nudge to complete just one quick five-minute lesson.
Pro-Tip: Enable "push notifications" but customize them to a specific time of day. Tying your daily lesson to an existing habit, like your morning coffee or evening commute, makes it much more likely to stick.
3. TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, in Your Pocket
The official TED app is a gateway to thousands of short, powerful talks from the world's most brilliant minds. It's the perfect antidote to a social media feed filled with negativity. In just 18 minutes or less, you can learn about groundbreaking scientific discoveries, revolutionary social insights, or deeply personal stories of resilience and creativity.
The app's curated playlists are a fantastic feature. You can find collections of talks based on your mood ("Talks to inspire you to be a better leader") or your interests ("The future of AI"). It’s an incredible way to broaden your perspective and expose yourself to new ideas you wouldn't otherwise encounter.
Pro-Tip: Use the "Surprise Me" feature. It will serve you a random talk based on a topic and time length you specify. It's a wonderful way to break out of your intellectual bubble and stumble upon a new passion.
4. SoloLearn: Learn to Code for Free
Ever been curious about coding but intimidated by where to start? SoloLearn is the answer. This app offers a massive library of free courses on programming languages like Python, JavaScript, C++, and SQL. It breaks down complex concepts into small, manageable lessons, followed by interactive quizzes and coding exercises you can complete right on your phone.
The community aspect is one of its strongest features. Each lesson has a comment section where you can ask questions and get help from fellow learners. It also features a "Code Playground" where you can see what others are building and share your own projects. It’s a supportive and highly practical way to dip your toes into the world of programming.
Pro-Tip: Start with the Python course. It's known for its readable syntax and is one of the most versatile and in-demand languages today.
5. Brilliant.org: Interactive STEM Puzzles
Brilliant.org takes a different approach to learning math, science, and computer science. Instead of passive video lectures, it teaches through interactive problem-solving. It presents concepts as engaging puzzles and challenges that force you to think critically and build your intuition. You learn by doing.
The free version gives you access to a daily challenge and a preview of their extensive courses. This is a fantastic way to sharpen your analytical and logical reasoning skills in just a few minutes a day. The app's beautiful design and clever puzzles make complex topics feel more like a game than a lesson.
Pro-Tip: Even if you don't subscribe, make a habit of trying the free daily problems. They are a fantastic mental warm-up and a great way to keep your problem-solving skills sharp.
6. Google Arts & Culture: A Museum in Your Palm
This app is an absolute masterpiece. Google has partnered with over 2,000 cultural institutions from 80 countries to bring the world's art and history directly to your phone. You can take a virtual tour of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, zoom in to see the brushstrokes on a Van Gogh painting in ultra-high resolution, or learn about the history of the Silk Road through interactive exhibits.
It’s a bottomless well of cultural enrichment. You can explore art by time period, color, or even search for your "art doppelgänger" by taking a selfie. It's a beautiful, immersive experience that makes art accessible and engaging for everyone, not just seasoned connoisseurs.
Pro-Tip: Use the "Art Projector" feature to see a life-sized version of famous artworks in your own room using augmented reality. It gives you a true sense of scale that you can't get from a picture.
7. edX: University-Level Courses from Harvard, MIT, and More
Created by Harvard and MIT, edX is a non-profit platform that offers thousands of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from top universities and institutions around the world. You can audit almost any course for free, giving you access to all the video lectures, readings, and materials.
Want to learn about the science of happiness from Yale? Or an introduction to philosophy from the University of Edinburgh? You can do it all from your couch. While you have to pay if you want a formal certificate, the ability to access this caliber of knowledge for free is nothing short of revolutionary for anyone committed to lifelong learning.
Pro-Tip: Use the filters to find "self-paced" courses. This allows you to work through the material on your own schedule without the pressure of deadlines.
8. Elevate: Brain Training for Real-World Skills
Unlike other "brain games" that focus on abstract puzzles, Elevate is designed to improve practical cognitive skills you use every day. Their 40+ games are geared towards improving your writing, reading comprehension, public speaking, and mental math abilities. The app customizes a daily training program for you based on your goals.
The games are quick, fun, and genuinely challenging. You might be tasked with identifying grammatical errors, quickly estimating a bill total, or improving your vocabulary. It feels productive because the skills you’re building have immediate, tangible applications in your personal and professional life.
Pro-Tip: Pay attention to the "performance tracking" feature. It visualizes your progress over time, which is a great motivator to keep up with your daily training.
9. Memrise: Learn Languages with Real People
While Duolingo gamifies language learning, Memrise immerses you in it. Its standout feature is "Learn with Locals," which uses thousands of short video clips of native speakers using words and phrases in everyday contexts. This helps you understand authentic accents, pronunciation, and the natural flow of conversation.
Memrise uses a spaced repetition system to help you memorize new vocabulary effectively. It intelligently prompts you to review words right before you're about to forget them. This combination of real-world context and smart science makes it an incredibly powerful tool for building practical language skills.
Pro-Tip: Use the app's "Explore" feature, which uses your phone's camera to identify and translate objects in the world around you. It's a fun way to learn new words on the go.
10. Blinkist: Big Ideas in 15 Minutes
For the book lover who never has enough time to read, Blinkist is a game-changer. The app summarizes the key ideas from thousands of popular non-fiction books into 15-minute audio or text "blinks." It’s an incredible way to absorb the core concepts from bestsellers on productivity, business, psychology, and more.
The free plan gives you access to one pre-selected "daily pick." This is a perfect way to inject a powerful new idea into your day without any commitment. It's also a great way to "try before you buy," helping you decide which full books are actually worth your time and money.
Pro-Tip: Listen to the daily audio blink during your commute or while doing chores. It's an easy way to stack a learning habit on top of an existing routine.
11. Yousician: Your Personal Music Teacher
Always wanted to learn the guitar, piano, ukulele, or bass? Yousician makes it happen with a gamified, interactive approach. The app uses your phone's microphone to listen to you play and gives you real-time feedback on your accuracy and timing.
The free version provides a limited amount of lesson time each day, which is actually perfect for beginners. Consistent, short practice sessions are far more effective than infrequent, long ones. It’s like having a patient music teacher available whenever you have a spare 10 minutes.
Pro-Tip: Start with the "Missions" path. It guides you through a structured curriculum that builds your skills progressively, from holding the instrument to playing your first full song.
12. Headspace: Train Your Mind
In our chaotic world, mindfulness is a superpower. Headspace makes meditation and mindfulness simple and accessible, even for the most skeptical beginners. Led by the calming voice of co-founder Andy Puddicombe, the app guides you through short meditation sessions that teach you the fundamentals of awareness and focus.
The free "Basics" pack is a fantastic 10-day introductory course that will teach you everything you need to know to start a meditation practice. Learning to manage stress, improve focus, and be more present is one of the most valuable skills you can develop, and Headspace is an excellent guide.
Pro-Tip: Don't worry if your mind wanders during meditation—that's the whole point! The "exercise" is noticing that it has wandered and gently bringing your focus back.
13. Star Walk 2: Your Pocket Planetarium
Tap into your inner astronomer with Star Walk 2. This stunning app uses your phone's sensors to create an interactive map of the night sky. Simply point your device at the sky, and the app will identify the stars, constellations, planets, and satellites you're looking at in real-time.
It's a pure dose of wonder and curiosity. You can tap on any celestial object to get detailed information about it, view incredible 3D models of constellations, and even use the "Time Machine" feature to see what the sky looked like—or will look like—at any moment in time. It’s a magical way to connect with the universe above us.
Pro-Tip: Use the "Visible Tonight" feature before you head outside. It will tell you the best astronomical events and objects to look for on any given night from your specific location.
14. Canva: Learn Basic Graphic Design
In today's visual world, basic design literacy is an incredibly useful skill. Canva is a user-friendly graphic design app that empowers anyone to create professional-looking social media posts, presentations, posters, and more, using thousands of free templates.
By playing around with templates, you'll naturally absorb core design principles like hierarchy, color theory, and typography. It's learning by creating. Whether you're a small business owner, a student, or just someone who wants to make a nice birthday card, mastering the basics of Canva is a practical skill you'll use constantly.
Pro-Tip: Challenge yourself to recreate a design you like from scratch instead of using a template. This forces you to analyze what makes it work and helps you internalize design principles more effectively.
15. Goodreads: Discover Your Next Great Read
While not a traditional "learning" app, Goodreads is an essential tool for anyone who wants to learn through reading. It's a social network built around books. You can track what you've read, see what your friends are reading, and get personalized recommendations based on your tastes.
The single best way to combat mindless scrolling is to have a fantastic book waiting for you. Goodreads helps you build a "Want to Read" list that is so compelling, you'll choose to pick up your Kindle or a physical book instead of your phone. It fuels the habit of reading, which is the ultimate gateway to learning.
Pro-Tip: Join the "Reading Challenge" at the beginning of the year. Setting a public goal, even a small one, is a powerful motivator to read more books.
16. CuriosityStream: High-Quality Documentaries
Founded by the creator of the Discovery Channel, CuriosityStream is like Netflix for people who love to learn. It offers thousands of high-quality documentaries and non-fiction series on science, nature, history, technology, and more.
While it's a subscription service, they frequently offer free trials and promotions that give you ample time to explore their vast library. For the price of a single fancy coffee per month, you get unlimited access to content that will actually make you smarter. It’s the ultimate replacement for reality TV binge-watching.
Pro-Tip: Browse by category and add anything that looks remotely interesting to your "Watchlist." This way, when you have free time, you'll have a pre-vetted list of quality content to choose from instead of endlessly searching.
17. Wikipedia: The Ultimate Rabbit Hole
Don't sleep on the official Wikipedia app. It provides a clean, beautiful, and ad-free interface for exploring the world's largest encyclopedia. It’s designed for discovery. The "Explore" feed presents you with interesting articles, trending topics, and "on this day in history" facts that can send you on fascinating learning journeys.
The app's real power is in turning idle moments into learning opportunities. Instead of scrolling through social media, you can open the app, tap on a random article, and learn something new. From the history of a niche board game to the biography of a forgotten scientist, the possibilities are literally endless.
Pro-Tip: Tap the "Places" icon on the bottom menu. It will show you Wikipedia articles about interesting landmarks and locations near you, turning any walk into a historical tour.
18. Photomath: Your Personal Math Wizard
This app feels like magic. Photomath allows you to point your phone's camera at a math problem—from simple arithmetic to complex calculus—and it will not only give you the answer but also show you a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to solve it.
For students, it’s an incredible learning tool that helps you understand the process, not just the result. For parents trying to help with homework, it’s an absolute lifesaver. It demystifies math and empowers you to understand the logic behind the formulas.
Pro-Tip: Don't just look at the final answer. Take the time to tap through each step of the solution. The app often provides multiple methods for solving a problem, which can deepen your understanding.
19. Coursera: Learn Job-Ready Skills
Similar to edX, Coursera partners with top universities and companies (like Google, IBM, and Meta) to offer a massive range of online courses, specializations, and even full degrees. Many of the courses can be audited for free, giving you access to the lecture videos and readings.
Coursera is particularly strong in offering professional certificates and courses focused on in-demand job skills like data analysis, project management, and digital marketing. If your goal for learning is career-oriented, this is a fantastic place to start exploring new fields and acquiring valuable new skills.
Pro-Tip: Look for courses that are part of a "Specialization." Auditing the first course is a great way to see if the topic and instructor are a good fit before you consider paying for the full certificate track.
20. Scribd: The "Netflix for Books"
Scribd offers a vast library of ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and documents under a single monthly subscription. Think of it as an all-you-can-eat buffet for your brain. While it's a paid service, their 30-day free trial is one of the best deals on the internet.
You can use the trial period to listen to that audiobook you've been meaning to get to, read a few bestsellers, and catch up on your favorite magazines. It's a fantastic way to kickstart a new reading habit and discover what formats of learning work best for you without spending a dime.
Pro-Tip: During your free trial, focus on the audiobooks. They are perfect for "found time"—your commute, a workout, or doing chores—and can help you "read" more books than you thought possible.
Your Phone Is a Tool—Use It Wisely
The temptation to mindlessly scroll will always be there. It’s an easy, low-effort way to disengage from the world. But it's a passive act that rarely leaves you feeling better or smarter.
The 20 apps listed here offer an alternative. They invite you to be an active participant in your own growth. They offer a path to turn moments of boredom into moments of discovery. You don't need to download all of them. Just pick one or two that genuinely spark your curiosity. Replace a social media app on your home screen with Khan Academy or Duolingo and see what happens.
This year, let's make a conscious choice. Let's trade the empty calories of the infinite scroll for the deep satisfaction of learning something new. Your future self will thank you for it.
Now, it's your turn. What’s the first app you’re going to try? Do you have a favorite educational app that we missed? Share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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