- learners, according to studysmarter.de
- 40M+
- Series A in two parts, 2021
- $31M
- people in 2026, after 400+ in 2022
- ~50
- on the App Store, Germany, 9,115 ratings
- 4.5
About StudySmarter
StudySmarter is a Munich company that runs a study app for school pupils, trainees and university students. Users upload lecture notes and PDFs, and the AI turns them into a study path, summaries, flashcards and mock exams. In the US and Spain the same app runs under the name Vaia, launched in July 2023. The basic app is free with ads, and Premium removes ads and adds offline study and unlimited AI chat. StudySmarter also sells advertising and recruiting to employers and runs a job board.
StudySmarter turns a user’s own course material into study content. A student uploads a script or slides, and the app builds a study path with chapters, explanations, flashcards with spaced repetition, quizzes and mock exams. Users also share flashcards and notes with each other. The company earns from Premium subscriptions, from ads and from employers who pay to reach students on the platform and on its job board.
Christian Felgenhauer, Maurice Khudhir, Simon Hohentanner and Till Söhlemann started StudySmarter during their studies in Munich, as a spin-off of TU Munich and LMU Munich. The company was registered as StudySmarter UG on 14 December 2017, and the platform went live in 2018. All four founders are listed as managing directors in the imprint.
DvH Ventures invested a seven-digit seed sum in 2020. In 2021 Owl Ventures led a $15 million Series A, and Goodwater Capital added $16 million in October. The team grew from 70 to more than 370 people that year. In July 2023 the company renamed the app Vaia for the US and Spain and kept StudySmarter in German-speaking countries and the UK. By 2026 the careers page describes an EdTech and HR-tech company of about 50 people.
History
- 2017 StudySmarter UG is registered in Munich on 14 December.
- 2018 The learning platform goes live. The iPhone app comes out on 1 December.
- 2020 Becomes the official learning app of the law repetitorium hemmer in March.
- 2020 Closes a seven-digit seed round with DvH Ventures in June. The platform has more than 850,000 users.
- 2021 Wins Gold for Best Educational App at the Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards 2020, announced in January.
- 2021 Raises a $15 million Series A led by Owl Ventures in May, with Left Lane Capital.
- 2021 Adds a $16 million Series A extension from Goodwater Capital in October. Staff grows from 70 to more than 300.
- 2022 Lets go about 70 content freelancers in November. The company still has more than 400 staff.
- 2023 Launches the name Vaia for the US and Spain on 31 July.
- 2023 Redesigns the app in December and adds an AI Assistant and PDF to flashcards.
- 2024 Launches StudySmarter Deals with student discounts in December.
- 2026 The careers page lists about 50 people, 50 million learners and 20 million job board users.
StudySmarter funding and investors
- June 2020
- May 2021 Series A $15 million
Lead: Owl Ventures Left Lane CapitalLars Fjeldsoe-NielsenDvH Ventures
Source: StudySmarter newsroom - October 2021
The total is the figure on the StudySmarter newsroom. The disclosed rounds add up to $31 million plus a seed of undisclosed size. Startbase also names Vealo Ventures and Axel Springer P&P as Series A investors. No round after 2021 is announced on the newsroom.
Leadership
- CF Christian Felgenhauer Co-founder and managing director
- MK Maurice Khudhir Co-founder and managing director
- SH Simon Hohentanner Co-founder and managing director
- TS Till Söhlemann Co-founder and managing director
The imprint lists all four founders as managing directors. StudySmarter does not name a CEO on its website. Maurice Khudhir speaks for the company in press releases and is the press contact.
Careers
studysmarter.jobs.personio.de
- Marketing2
- Sales1
- Finance1
Perks
- Remote work or the Munich office
- No core hours
- Access to paid AI tools
- Share in company success
- Training budget
- EGYM Wellpass
How StudySmarter works
- get better grades, according to StudySmarter
- 94%
- free Premium trial
- 7 days
- app languages
- 4
- Study path from uploaded files
- AI summaries and explanations
- AI flashcards from PDFs
- Spaced repetition
- Multiple choice and typed answers
- Mock exam mode
- Study podcasts from material
- Shared flashcards and notes
- Study groups
- Smart to-do list
- Import from Quizlet
- CSV export with Premium
94% of learners who use the platform achieve better grades, according to StudySmarter data.
Explanation subjects
Sciences and maths8
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Combined Science
- Math
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Environmental Science
Business and social sciences9
- Business Studies
- Economics
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
- Marketing
- Law
- Politics
- Psychology
- Sociology
Humanities and arts11
- History
- Geography
- Human Geography
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Architecture
- Art and Design
- Media Studies
- Music
- Religious Studies
- English Literature
Languages11
- English
- German
- French
- Spanish
- Italian
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Polish
- Greek
- Bengali
- Translation
Health and other5
- Medicine
- Nursing
- Nutrition and Food Science
- Sports Sciences
- Hospitality and Tourism
Explanation subjects in the menu of studysmarter.co.uk on 6 October 2026. The German site sorts content by school subjects and university courses.
Video, blogs and resources
Products
- AI study path Upload a script, slides or notes, and the AI builds a study path with chapters, explanations, summaries and exercises. The next chapter opens after the current one. App Store
- Flashcards AI-generated or own flashcards with images, drawings and formulas. Spaced repetition schedules reviews, and quiz modes include multiple choice and typed answers. Spaced repetition
- AI Assistant Answers questions about the user’s study material and creates flashcards and mock exams. Premium removes the chat limit. Premium benefits
- For employers Ads, employer branding and recruiting inside the study app and on the job board, targeted by school type, course, university and study topic. business.studysmarter.de
How much is StudySmarter?
- 1 month €9.99/mo €9.99 a month, Monthly Base monthly price
- 43% cheaper than monthly 12 months €4.99/mo €59.99 a year, Paid upfront for 12 months Save 50% vs 1 month
Is StudySmarter free?
Free: flashcards, notes, shared study sets and AI tools with limits, with ads. Premium adds ad-free study, offline flashcards, CSV export, unlimited sets, advanced search and unlimited AI chat.
Germany, euros, prices given by StudySmarter in its own magazine as of June 2024. In 2026 the web app shows prices only after sign-up, and the App Store no longer lists them. A Trustpilot reviewer reports a charge of €89.99 for a yearly plan in August 2026. Google Play lists in-app items from €2.29 to €299.99 in Germany and $1.99 to $299.99 in the US. The terms also mention a 6-month plan.
How to cancel StudySmarter Premium
Help center- Web app or form ↗
- Open the profile in the web app and manage the subscription
- Or fill in the cancellation form on studysmarter.de
- Or cancel in PayPal if you paid with PayPal
- App Store ↗
- Open Settings on the iPhone and tap your name
- Tap Subscriptions
- Select StudySmarter or Vaia and cancel
- Google Play ↗
- Open Google Play and tap the profile icon
- Choose Payments and subscriptions
- Select StudySmarter or Vaia and cancel
- The subscription renews after the minimum term unless cancelled in time.
- After cancelling, Premium stays until the end of the paid period.
- Deleting the account does not end payment obligations, according to the terms.
- A deleted account can be restored for 7 days by logging in again.
Refund rules
- Withdrawal
- 14 days from the contract date, by letter or email to info@studysmarter.de. Service already used is paid pro rata.
- Trial
- Cancelling within the 7-day trial costs nothing. After it StudySmarter charges the next billing period.
- Money-back guarantee
- A failed exam within the last 6 weeks, after at least 10 hours of study on StudySmarter, gets the month refunded. Proof goes to support@studysmarter.de.
- App stores
- Subscriptions bought in the App Store or on Google Play are managed in the store.
- Law
- German law applies to the terms.
From the StudySmarter terms (AGB), the cancellation form and help center articles updated 30 September and 1 October 2026, checked on 6 October 2026.
StudySmarter for Business
business.studysmarter.de- 01Ads and branded content inside the study app, targeted by school type, course, university, semester and study topic.
- 02A job board with more than 15 million job seekers a month and 1.1 million applications started a month, according to StudySmarter.
- 0310 million+ monthly active users in German-speaking countries, according to the business page.
- 04Case studies with Accenture, Volkswagen and Canva.
On request, after a 30-minute call.
Apps and ratings
- Webstudysmarter.de, studysmarter.co.uk, vaia.com in the US
- iPhone and iPad4.5 on the App Store, Germany. Named Vaia in the US store
- Android10M+ downloads on Google Play
App details, App Store Germany
- Current version
- 17.13.0, released 5 October 2026
- First release on iOS
- 1 December 2018
- Requires
- iOS 17.0 or later
- Size
- 251.8 MB
- Age rating
- 4+
- App Store categories
- Education, Productivity
- App languages
- German, English, French, Spanish
- Downloads
- 10M+ on Google Play
- Seller
- StudySmarter GmbH
Is StudySmarter worth it?
What users like
- Job seekers find applying through the job board quick and easy.Anna Berti, Trustpilot, September 2026
- The free version lets users create as many flashcards and sets as they want.juja2024, App Store Germany, July 2024
- Flashcards can be generated straight from existing documents.App Store Germany reviews
- 89% of Trustpilot reviews give 4 or 5 stars.Trustpilot, 848 reviews
What users criticise
- Many recent reviews say the job board lists jobs that are already filled or closed.Paul B, Trustpilot, August 2026
- A reviewer reports a €89.99 yearly charge after cancelling the trial and no reply from support.Ussama Alrai, Trustpilot, August 2026
- Applicants spend time on listings that turn out to be closed.Reiss Browning, Trustpilot, September 2026
- The free app shows ads and adverts from employers.StudySmarter help center
What users write in reviews, not our rating. Most recent Trustpilot reviews are about the job board, and app reviews are mostly on the App Store. The study app is free with ads, and Premium starts with a 7-day trial.
StudySmarter reviews
- Application
“I made an application through StudySmarter and it is way easier and quicker than expected.”
Anna Berti · 13 September 2026 · App Store - There was no date for closing
“Spent an evening filling it out, then I did some more research and I think it closed a year ago.”
Reiss Browning · 11 September 2026 · App Store - Fake and nonexistent jobs
“They are flooding Google with advertisements for unavailable jobs which have been filled months or even years ago.”
Paul B · 17 August 2026 · App Store
Latest news
Contacts and company data
- Generalinfo@studysmarter.de
- Supportsupport@studysmarter.de
- Sales and advertisingsales@studysmarter.de
- Help centerstudysmarter.zendesk.com
- PressNewsroom
- Careersstudysmarter.de/karriere
- Legal entity
- StudySmarter GmbH, Bahnbogen 21, 81671 Munich, Germany
- Commercial register
- HRB 237579, Local Court of Munich
- VAT ID
- DE316914192
- Registered
- 14 December 2017, as StudySmarter UG
- Share capital
- €26,664 (November 2022)
- Brand
- Wordmark VAIA, registered in 2024 and 2025
- Public funding
- €141,442, 2022
StudySmarter vs Knowunity, StuDocu and others
| StudySmarter |  Knowunity |  StuDocu |  Quizlet |  Brainly |  simpleclub | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 | 2019 | 2013 | 2005 | 2009, Kraków | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Munich | Berlin | Amsterdam | San Francisco | New York | Grünwald, near Munich |
| Model | Free with ads, Premium subscription | Free with ads, Pro subscription | Free, Premium subscription | Free with ads, Quizlet Plus | Free with ads, Brainly Plus | Subscription |
| Yearly plan, App Store | — | €83.99 (DE), $49.99 (US) | $79.99 (US) | $44.99 (US) | $39.99 (US) | €69.99 (DE) |
| App Store rating | 4.5 DE (9K) | 4.6 DE (60K) | 4.8 US (6K) | 4.8 US (1.1M) | 4.7 US (284K) | 4.4 DE (13K) |
Prices and ratings from the App Store on 6 October 2026, in the store named in each cell. Apple does not always label the billing period, so yearly prices are the yearly items shown in the store. Founding years from Wikipedia and the companies’ websites.
Alternatives to StudySmarter
- Knowunity🇩🇪 Germany Notes from school students and an AI tutor, free with ads, Pro from €83.99 a year in Germany, from Berlin. →
- StuDocu🇳🇱 Netherlands Students share lecture notes, summaries and past exams, mostly for university, from Amsterdam. →
- simpleclub🇩🇪 Germany A learning app for school and vocational training, by subscription, from Germany. →
-
GoConqr🇮🇪 Ireland Students and teachers create and share study resources, from Dublin. → - QuizletUnited States Flashcards with AI study modes, free with ads, Quizlet Plus at $44.99 a year on the US App Store. ↗
How we built this profile
- Sources. Facts come from the company’s own website, press room, imprint and careers page, from Wikipedia, the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot. Every source is listed on the page.
- Checks. Kinescope checked every number on 6 October 2026. Prices, ratings and job counts change, and we refresh them with each update.
- Our words. Descriptions are written by the Kinescope team. Quotes from reviews are marked with the author and source, and we do not rate the company ourselves.
- Corrections. The company can send new facts or corrections, and we update the profile.
Other study tools companies
- Knowunity🇩🇪 Germany
- Brainly🇵🇱 Poland
- StuDocu🇳🇱 Netherlands
- GoConqr🇮🇪 Ireland
-
Scribbr🇳🇱 Netherlands -
StudyGo🇳🇱 Netherlands
More EdTech from Germany
-
BabbelLanguage learning -
LingodaLanguage learning -
SpeexxCorporate learning -
SofatutorK-12 learning -
MasterplanCorporate learning -
CoachHubCorporate learning
Is this your company?
Send us new facts, products, numbers or a fresh logo, and we will update the StudySmarter profile on the EdTech map.
<a href="https://kinescope.com/edtech-map/studysmarter"><img src="https://kinescope.com/images/edtech-badge.svg" alt="Featured on Kinescope EdTech Map" width="220" height="56"></a> StudySmarter FAQ
Host your courses on Kinescope.
DRM, a white-label player and analytics for online schools and EdTech platforms.
