Save My Exams vs Cognito: Full Comparison

As your exams creep closer, accessing an online revision platform to support your learning seems like a great idea. But with so many revision platforms out there, choosing the right one feels like another exam in itself.

Our comparison will help you choose the one that matches your learning style and provides all the resources and guidance you need. We're going to break down how Save My Exams and Cognito match up against each other. No fluff - just the facts you need to choose the platform that'll help you ace your exams.

Key Takeaways

• Subject coverage: Save My Exams covers 60+ subjects across GCSE, IGCSE, A Level, IB and AP, whilst Cognito also focuses on KS3 and entrance exams, but covers fewer subjects.

• Content approach: Save My Exams provides written revision notes with exam-board-specific content, whilst Cognito centres around video lessons for visual learners across maths and science subjects.

• Exam prep: Both Save My Exams and Cognito provide access to official past papers for the subjects they cover.

What Is Save My Exams?

Save My Exams is an online revision platform designed specifically for exam preparation. The platform focuses on providing examiner-written and exam-board-specific: 

• Revision notes - to provide learning overviews

• Practice questions - to hone exam technique

• Flashcards - for short burst revision

• Mock exams - to get used to exam timings

• Past papers and mark schemes - to understand what examiners award marks for

Students use Save My Exams to revise only what they need in a smarter way, with less overwhelm. Everything is organised by exam board and topic, so the site is easy to navigate and use.

And most importantly, students using Save My Exams report improving by an average of 2.6 grades, making it a popular choice for students serious about boosting their results.

What Is Cognito?

Cognito is an online revision platform that uses engaging video lessons and revision notes to provide comprehensive coverage of Key Stage 3, GCSE, A Level, IB, and AP science and maths subjects.

After watching each video, students answer follow-up questions to check their understanding. Other subjects - like humanities and languages subjects - are covered by the platform, but video lessons aren’t provided. 

Revision resources for all subjects include a combination of past papers, flashcards, revision notes, and quizzes.

Save My Exams vs Cognito: Feature Comparison

Both platforms have a clear focus on helping students nail their exams. However, they provide different resources, interfaces, and learning experiences.

Read on to discover our detailed comparison of Save My Exams vs Cognito.

Revision Notes and Content Quality

Exam Board and Specification Coverage

Save My Exams offers extensive exam board coverage. For GCSE and A Level, the platform covers major exam boards, including AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and WJEC.

The platform also provides resources for IGCSE (Cambridge and Edexcel), IB, and AP qualifications.

Every piece of content is matched to specific exam board specifications, so you only revise what actually appears in your exam.

Cognito covers fewer exam boards but still includes the major ones.

For GCSE, Cognito covers AQA, Edexcel, OCR Gateway, and OCR 21st Century.

For IGCSE, the platform covers Edexcel and CIE.

Even for those subjects that are yet to be expanded with very few learning resources, you can find official past papers to hone your exam practice.

Practice Questions and Exam Technique

Personalisation and Study Support

Save My Exams offers several personalisation features.

• The Strengths and Weaknesses tool analyses your activity as you complete mock exams, exam questions, and target tests. It highlights which areas need more practice.

• Target Test pinpoints your weak areas and helps you create personalised, exam-style tests.

• Your progress is automatically tracked, and you can return to your dashboard to see which topics you've covered.

Cognito also promotes a personalised learning approach.

• The platform encourages students to build their own flashcard decks, quizzes, and exam question banks.

• Cognito launched AI-powered marking in April 2025. Students can choose to use this or standard marking in their account settings.

• Progress bars on the lessons pages and quizzes make it easy to see how far through each course you are.

Ease of Use and Student Experience

Level Coverage

Cognito is a maths and science specialist and covers a comprehensive range of levels and qualifications, including US Sciences and Key Stage 3. While other subjects are covered, they don’t contain the same learning resource depth as Maths, Physics, Biology, or Chemistry courses.

Save My Exams specialises in UK and international secondary education qualifications, and provides examiner-written resources that match your exam board.

Subject Coverage

Check out the Save My Exams subject search function to see if your subject is covered on this revision platform. 

Pricing and Value for Money

* Always check current pricing on official pages, as offers can change. Information is correct at the time of writing. 

Pros and Cons of Save My Exams vs Cognito

Save My Exams

Cognito

Frequently Asked Questions

What are alternatives to Cognito?

Save My Exams is the first alternative you should consider if you need broader subject coverage beyond Maths and Sciences. You could also take a look at:

• MME Revise - another Maths and Science online revision specialist, with added English coverage.

• Seneca Learning - a free option that uses interactive learning and covers subjects from Key Stage 3 to A Level.

Is Cognito legitimate?

Yes, Cognito is a legitimate educational platform.

Cognito Education has a 4-star rating on Trustpilot (opens in a new tab) with over 400 reviews from students who have used the platform successfully.

Is Cognito free?

Mostly, yes. Cognito operates on a freemium model.

Cognito's free access includes the extensive video library, lessons, exam questions, and past papers. However, upgrading to Cognito Pro grants access to additional features like quizzes and flashcards.

Can I use Save My Exams and Cognito together?

Yes. Many successful students use multiple revision resources.

A smart approach is to use Cognito's video lessons to understand difficult concepts in Maths, Physics, Biology, or Chemistry initially, then use Save My Exams for exam-specific practice and technique.

For subjects beyond Maths and Sciences, Save My Exams has a broader range of revision resources for you to access.

Can parents and teachers use Save My Exams and Cognito?

Yes, both platforms welcome parents and teachers.

Teachers can use Save My Exams to set homework, create lesson materials, track student progress, and provide extra practice. The platform's Test Builder lets teachers create custom printable tests by filtering questions by topic, exam board, and difficulty.

Parents can use Save My Exams to support their children's revision, helping them focus on weak areas and tracking progress through the dashboard.

Cognito is also designed for both parents and teachers. Parents can encourage their children to complete video lessons, with progress bars helping identify what needs prioritising.

And, teachers can use Cognito's resources as supplementary material, assigning specific topics for homework or using past papers for mock examinations.

Save My Exams vs Cognito: Which Platform is Right For You?

Choosing between Save My Exams and Cognito comes down to your specific needs and learning style.

If you're studying Maths and Sciences and learn best through video explanations, Cognito's free platform offers excellent value. However, if you need comprehensive exam preparation across multiple subjects, Save My Exams is the stronger choice. Its exam-board-specific content, Smart Mark AI feedback, and extensive mock exams are designed to boost exam performance.

The best revision platform is the one you'll use consistently. Try both platforms (Save My Exams offers a free trial, and Cognito's main content is free) and see which one fits your revision style and exam goals.

References 

Trustpilot - Cognito (opens in a new tab)