Free vs Paid A Level Revision Resources
At A Level, free resources are often enough for Maths, science and some high-volume subjects, but they thin out quickly once a student needs structured support across essay subjects or a full two-year course. Start with free marked practice, then pay only if the real gap is teaching, accountability, or a course-like structure that the student will actually use.
This comparison is published by Revision Library, and Revision Library appears on the list below.
How this list was made
A parent deciding in September is buying a different thing from a parent deciding in April: one is weighing a course-long support system, the other is trying to remove a specific barrier before exams. The named resources were reviewed against the site's recorded evidence on 2026-09-17, with free access, account requirements, printable practice, marking and A Level subject breadth kept separate.
At a glance
| Site | Best for | Price | Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics and Maths Tutor (PMT) | Best for exam-style question sheets by topic | Free | No account |
| Revision Library | Best for free printable practice with mark schemes | Everything is free | No account |
| Save My Exams | Best for revision guides alongside practice papers | Free, with a paid tier | Free to browse; account for some tools |
| Cognito | Best for video-led revision across several qualification systems | Free | No account |
| Seneca Learning | Best for free AI-marked practice questions | Free, with a paid tier | Free to browse; account for some tools |
| Up Learn | Best for curriculum-mapped video revision through a school licence | Paid | Account required |
The full comparison
Physics and Maths Tutor (PMT)
Best for exam-style question sheets by topicPhysics and Maths Tutor (PMT) is a free resource site with revision notes, worksheets and past-paper questions sorted by topic and exam board, across maths, the sciences and several other GCSE/A Level subjects. It also sells separate paid tutoring, crash courses and printed workbooks alongside the free material.
PMT is the first free comparison point because its core notes, worksheets and past-paper questions are free and no-account, with strong reach across Maths, sciences and several other A Level subjects. Its paid tutoring, crash courses and printed workbooks are separate from the free resource bank.
Revision Library
Best for free printable practice with mark schemesIf your sixth former already has teachers, notes and a timetable, the first paid decision should be delayed until you have seen whether they can turn free work into marked work. Start with one subject in the free library, print a pack, mark it, and ask what the mark scheme showed rather than whether the session felt useful.
Revision Library is strongest when the family needs practice rather than another subscription. The A Level shelves for Maths, Psychology, Economics, Politics, Sociology, Business and Computer Science put printable questions and mark schemes in the same place.
That matters more at A Level than it first appears. A student can reread beautiful notes for an hour and still not know whether their working, evaluation or final paragraph would earn credit. Marked practice makes the problem visible, especially in subjects where parents cannot judge the content themselves.
The limit is teaching. If a topic has not been understood in class, Revision Library is not trying to replace the teacher or a taught course. For Maths, the A Level Maths revision plan and A Level Maths practice papers can organise practice; for Psychology, the A Level Psychology revision plan can help a student turn packs into a routine. If the student needs the lesson again, use a teaching resource first.
Browse free A Level practice →Save My Exams
Best for revision guides alongside practice papersSave My Exams is a revision platform for GCSE, IGCSE and AS/A Level, with revision notes, exam-style questions, flashcards, mock exams and past papers across more than two dozen subjects. A free account gives access to some content; a paid Premium tier unlocks the rest.
Save My Exams is worth considering when a student wants notes, questions, flashcards, mock exams and past papers in one account-led place. Its free account gives some access, while Premium content needs a paid subscription and account; no current Premium price was confirmed in the recorded source notes.
Cognito
Best for video-led revision across several qualification systemsCognito (previously at cognitoedu.org) is a free video-led revision platform spanning many subjects and qualifications, including GCSE, A Level, IB and AP, with revision notes, a large quiz bank, flashcards and AI-marked exam-style questions.
Cognito is a useful free option when a student needs a topic explained before trying questions. It is video-led and not mainly a printable worksheet site, so it works best beside written practice rather than instead of it.
Seneca Learning
Best for free AI-marked practice questionsSeneca Learning is a free-to-use revision platform with interactive courses, an AI-marked question bank and an AI study companion; a paid Premium upgrade adds further features. Its own level list runs from Primary and KS3 through the 11+, GCSE and iGCSE to A Level and the IB.
Seneca can help when a student responds to interactive courses and marked questions. It has a free core product with Premium features separately, but the recorded evidence did not confirm a current public Premium amount.
Up Learn
Best for curriculum-mapped video revision through a school licenceUp Learn is a paid online course platform for A Level and GCSE, built around video lessons with questions embedded in the teaching rather than around downloadable resources. Courses are bought directly by students and parents and worked through in an account, which puts it closer to a taught course than to a revision-resource library.
Up Learn is the paid course-shaped option here: sequenced video teaching with questions built in, bought directly by students and parents. That may be sensible if the missing piece is teaching and structure, but it is a much bigger commitment than downloading practice for one weak topic.
In the numbers
Free printable A Level packs across seven subjects, each with a full mark scheme
- A Level Maths
- 67
- A Level Psychology
- 101
- A Level Economics
- 60
- A Level Politics
- 58
- A Level Sociology
- 32
- A Level Business
- 23
- A Level Computer Science
- 19
How to choose
In September, be slow to buy panic. Ask your child to complete and mark free practice in two subjects first, then look at what failed. If they could not start because the content made no sense, a taught course may help. If they could start but avoided marking, paying for more content will not fix the habit.
In April, narrow the question. A full paid course may be too broad if exams are close and the student needs targeted repair. Use the free A Level revision websites guide to find no-cost coverage first, then add paid help only for the subject or topic that is still blocking progress.
Match the format to the problem. Printable packs from the A Level Economics library or A Level Politics library are useful when the student needs to write and mark answers. Video teaching helps when they cannot explain the idea. Interactive marking helps when nobody at home can check the first attempt.
Do not pay twice for the same job. If the school already provides a platform, check that first. If the student already has a strong notes site, spend the next hour on marked work from A Level Business, A Level Sociology or A Level Computer Science rather than another explanation.
If the decision is specifically about Maths, read the Year 12 versus Year 13 A Level Maths guide before buying anything. Early Year 12 usually needs topic security; late Year 13 needs mixed papers, timing and repair.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay for A Level revision resources?+
What should we try before paying?+
Are free A Level resources as strong as free GCSE resources?+
Is a paid course worth it close to exams?+
Revision Library resources in this article
Every link below appears in the article above. All of it is free to download, with a full mark scheme.
- Computer Science/library/a-level-cs
- A Level Maths revision plan/revision/a-level-maths-2027
- A Level Maths practice papers/practice-papers/a-level-maths
- A Level Psychology revision plan/revision/a-level-psychology-2027
- free A Level revision websites guide/blog/best-free-a-level-revision-websites
- A Level Economics library/library/a-level-economics
Related comparisons
Browse free A Level practice.
Every worksheet is free to download, with a full mark scheme and no card or account.