Contents
When it comes to online revision tools, two of the most popular options are Save My Exams and Seneca. Both platforms are designed to help students prepare more effectively, but they take very different approaches. Save My Exams focuses on exam-board-specific notes, questions, and worked solutions, while Seneca uses interactive resources and memory science to boost recall.
In this guide, we’ll compare their features, subjects, and pricing so you can decide which one best fits your revision needs.
Overview of Each Platform
What Is Save My Exams (SME)?
Save My Exams is a premium revision platform designed for GCSE, IGCSE, and A Level students. Its main strength is providing exam-board-specific resources, so everything is tailored directly to the syllabus you’re studying. These resources include concise revision notes, topic questions, model answers, and complete past papers. The focus is always on exam technique, helping students learn not only the content but also how to apply it in the way examiners expect.
This makes Save My Exams ideal for students who want structured, exam-focused revision and a clear path from learning the content to practising exam-style questions.
What Is Seneca Learning?
Seneca Learning is a free, interactive learning platform that covers subjects from KS3 through to A Level. Instead of notes and exam papers, it uses short explanations, quick-fire questions, and gamified quizzes to make revision feel more like a game. The platform is based on principles from cognitive science, such as active recall and spaced repetition, to boost memory retention.
Seneca is particularly useful for quick learning and topic overviews, making it a popular choice for students who want to review content in short bursts or reinforce knowledge between lessons.
Key Differences
Category | Save My Exams | Seneca Learning |
Level coverage | GCSE, IGCSE, IB, AP and A Level | KS3, GCSE, IGCSE, and A Level |
Subject coverage | Wide range with exam-board-specific pathways across sciences, maths, humanities, and languages. | Very broad coverage with exam-board-specific courses across major boards (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, CIE, Eduqas) |
Resource variety | Revision notes, topic questions with worked answers, past papers, model answers, flashcards. | Interactive courses with retrieval practice, auto-marked quizzes, class assignments, and gamified learning. |
Content quality | Written by teachers & examiners; tightly aligned to exam boards. | Exam-board-specific courses built around memory science (active recall, spacing/interleaving). |
Pricing | Limited free access & trial; full access via paid membership.* | Free core platform with optional Premium upgrades.* |
* Always check current pricing on official pages, as offers can change. Information is correct at the time of writing.
Which Platform Is Right for You?
Both Save My Exams and Seneca are excellent revision tools, but they suit different kinds of learners. The best choice depends on your goals, your learning style, and whether you’re a student, parent, or teacher.
For Students
If you prefer comprehensive, structured, exam-focused revision, Save My Exams is likely to be your best option. Its exam-board-specific revision notes, exam questions, flashcards, and past papers give you the tools to prepare in a way that directly mirrors exam expectations.
Because teachers and examiners have written all the resources, you can rely on the accuracy of everything on the site. There are helpful ‘examiner tips’ on pretty much every page, giving you the kind of insight that you get in the classroom when a teacher provides tips and tricks to make your learning that little bit easier.
If you prefer quick, interactive learning, Seneca might work better. Its quizzes and gamified activities are designed to boost memory and make revision more engaging. It’s particularly good for consolidating content in short bursts, or as a way to break up more intensive revision sessions.
Verdict: Many students use both – Seneca for rapid recall and SME for deep, exam-focused practice.
For Parents
Parents looking to support revision often find Save My Exams helpful because of its clear structure and worked answers, which make it easier to check understanding and guide study sessions. The paid plan also offers access to comprehensive resources across all subjects and levels.
Seneca is free at its core level, making it a great budget-friendly option. It includes a parent platform so you can monitor your child’s study time, assignment completion and scores, making it easier to see how much your child is engaging with revision. Premium adds extra courses and learning tools, but progress tracking itself is free.
For Teachers
Save My Exams provides ready-to-use classroom resources, including past papers, topic questions, Smart Mark AI marking and our test builder. These can be set for homework or used in lessons to reinforce exam preparation.
Seneca offers classroom management tools, such as the ability to set assignments and monitor student progress in real time. For teachers who want to track homework completion or run interactive quizzes, Seneca can be effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both SME and Seneca together?
Yes. Many students combine the two: Seneca for quick-fire recall and Save My Exams for structured revision and exam-style practice.
Which platform is better for last-minute revision?
Seneca is ideal for rapid review and testing yourself under time pressure.
Save My Exams is better if you need to sharpen your exam technique with past papers and model answers.
Is Save My Exams free?
Save My Exams offers some free resources, but most content is available through a paid subscription.
Do either platforms align with specific exam boards?
Both platforms are aligned with specific exam boards.
Save My Exams resources are built to match precisely all the major exam board specs. Seneca also offers exam-board-specific courses across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, CIE and others.
Final Thoughts
Both Save My Exams and Seneca can be powerful revision tools, but they serve slightly different purposes. Save My Exams is the stronger choice if you want structured, exam-focused resources with practice questions and detailed model answers. Seneca, on the other hand, is best for quick, interactive learning that keeps revision engaging and reinforces memory through active recall.
The good news is that you don’t have to choose just one. Many students use Save My Exams to ensure their revision is complete, to practise questions and refine exam technique. Then they turn to Seneca for quizzes to test their knowledge. Try both, see which suits your learning style, and use them together to give yourself the best chance of exam success.
Pricing and features can change; check websites for the latest details.
Sign up for articles sent directly to your inbox
Receive news, articles and guides directly from our team of experts.
Share this article