Best IB Physics study resources for students: 2026 picks
Tibertutor is the best overall study platform for IB Physics in 2026. It combines examiner-built content, syllabus-mapped tests, and progress analytics that no other platform in this shortlist matches. The IBO subject guide is the definitive syllabus standard every resource should be checked against, and the IB Questionbank (available via the Follett IB Store) is the primary source of official past questions. Everything else on this list sits alongside those two anchors.
Quick alternatives by need:
- Best free option: GradePod — free concept tutorials covering all topics, with a paid Exam Pack for structured practice
- Best for past-paper walkthroughs: PaperPlainz — detailed video worked solutions from an experienced IB teacher
- Best for multi-subject IB revision: Revision Village — strong breadth across IB subjects, particularly IB Mathematics
- Best for quick knowledge checks: GradeGorilla — short topic quizzes for rapid retrieval practice
Pro Tip: Before committing to any resource, download the official IBO subject guide and check that the platform’s topic numbering and command terms match the current syllabus. Mismatched content will cost you marks even when the underlying physics is correct.
Table of Contents
- How do the best IB Physics study resources compare?
- What does each resource actually offer?
- Why Tibertutor is the recommended pick for UK IB Physics students
- Which resource is right for you?
- What does IB Physics revision cost in the UK?
- Key takeaways
- Why examiner-built resources change how you revise
- Getting started with Tibertutor’s free trial
- Useful sources and official links
- FAQ
How do the best IB Physics study resources compare?
Judging a study resource on star ratings alone misses what actually matters: syllabus alignment, practice quality, and whether the content was built by people who have marked real IB exams. The four criteria used to evaluate each platform below are content quality, syllabus alignment to the current 2025 syllabus, practice quality (mark schemes, worked solutions, exam-style questions), and value relative to what a UK student pays.
A note on verification: syllabus alignment was checked against the IBO subject guide and, where platforms publish sample content, by reviewing topic coverage and command-term usage. Examiner involvement is stated where platforms make that claim publicly.
| Resource | Best for | Syllabus coverage | Content types | Practice quality | Analytics | Price / free trial | UK availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tibertutor | Integrated examiner-aligned revision with analytics | SL & HL, current 2025 syllabus, syllabus monitoring built in | Animated videos, notes, flashcards, cram sheets, topic tests, mock exams, IA exemplars | Examiner-created exam-style questions, mark schemes, worked solutions | Advanced analytics and progress tracking | Free 7-day trial; monthly, 6-month, yearly, or 24-month subscription | Full UK access; GBP payment available |
| GradePod | Free concept-first learning with optional paid practice pack | SL & HL, all 24 topics covered | Free tutorial videos, paid Exam Pack (past papers, annotated data booklet, mock exam) | Topic-sorted past papers with annotated mark schemes | None listed | Free tutorials; one-off Exam Pack purchase | UK accessible |
| Revision Village | Multi-subject IB revision, especially strong for IB Maths | SL & HL across IB subjects | Question bank, video solutions, notes | Large question bank; mark schemes included | Basic progress indicators | Subscription; school licences available | UK accessible |
| Save My Exams | Written notes and broad question bank practice | SL & HL; syllabus alignment varies by subject | Written revision notes, question bank, automated feedback | Broad question bank; mark schemes | Basic | Subscription; free sample content | UK accessible |
| PaperPlainz | Understanding worked solutions to past exam questions | SL & HL past paper coverage | Video walkthroughs of past paper questions | High volume of worked video solutions | None listed | Subscription or one-off access | UK accessible |
| RevisionDojo | Automated feedback on written exam responses | SL & HL written-answer practice | Written-answer practice, AI-assisted feedback | Exam-technique focused; command-term practice | Automated written feedback | Subscription | UK accessible |
| GradeGorilla | Quick retrieval practice and topic knowledge checks | Topic quizzes across SL & HL | Short topic quizzes | Rapid-recall format; limited mark-scheme depth | None listed | Free | UK accessible |
The table makes one pattern clear: Tibertutor is the only platform that combines examiner-created content, full syllabus monitoring, and advanced analytics in a single subscription. The others each do one or two things well.
What does each resource actually offer?
Tibertutor
Tibertutor is built by IB examiners and experienced educators, and that shows in the detail of its content. Every question is written to mirror the exact style, command terms, and mark-scheme logic of real IB Physics papers. The platform covers Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, so students revising across IB sciences can work within one ecosystem rather than juggling four different tabs.
What sets it apart is the integration. Animated instructional videos, detailed notes, flashcards, cram sheets, and exam-style topic tests all feed into a single analytics dashboard. That dashboard shows you exactly where your marks are being lost, topic by topic, so revision time goes where it is needed rather than where it feels comfortable.
Strengths:
- Examiner-created content with real mark-scheme alignment
- Syllabus monitoring that flags topic coverage against the current 2025 syllabus
- Advanced progress analytics not available on any other platform in this list
- IA exemplars and examiner mark schemes included
- Custom test builder for targeted practice
Worth knowing: The full feature set requires a paid subscription after the 7-day free trial.
GradePod
GradePod’s three-step study method — concept tutorials, exam technique videos, then structured past-paper practice — is well thought through. The free tutorial videos cover all 24 IB Physics topics, which makes it a genuinely useful starting point for students on a tight budget. The paid Exam Pack adds past-paper packs, an annotated data booklet, and a mock exam.
Strengths:
- Free full-syllabus concept tutorials
- Clear study checklists per topic
- Structured Exam Pack for the final revision phase
Worth knowing: No progress analytics; students must track their own performance.
Revision Village
Revision Village has built its reputation on IB Mathematics, and that breadth across subjects is its main draw for Physics students who are also revising Maths. The question bank is large, and school licences make it a common choice for IB coordinators.
Strengths:
- Strong multi-subject IB coverage
- School licence options
- Large question bank with mark schemes
Worth knowing: Physics content depth does not match the platform’s Maths offering.
Save My Exams
Save My Exams suits students who prefer reading over watching. Its written revision notes are clear and well-structured, and the question bank is broad. The automated feedback tools add a layer of self-assessment that purely static notes cannot offer.
Strengths:
- Extensive written revision notes
- Broad question bank across curricula
- Automated feedback on practice questions
Worth knowing: Syllabus alignment should be verified against the IBO subject guide, particularly for newer topic additions.
PaperPlainz
PaperPlainz does one thing and does it well: video walkthroughs of past paper questions with detailed worked solutions. If your main gap is understanding why a mark scheme awards marks the way it does, this is a focused supplement. High-quality resources that organise past-paper questions by topic and include worked solutions are consistently cited as one of the most effective revision tools, and PaperPlainz fits that description.
Strengths:
- High volume of worked past-paper video solutions
- Detailed explanation of mark-scheme logic
- Taught by an experienced IB teacher
Worth knowing: Limited to past-paper walkthroughs; no notes, flashcards, or analytics.
RevisionDojo
RevisionDojo focuses on exam technique rather than content coverage. Its AI-assisted feedback on written answers helps students practise command-term responses and understand where their phrasing falls short of examiner expectations. Useful as a supplement in the final six weeks.
Strengths:
- Automated critique of written answers
- Command-term focused practice
- Speeds up revision cycles for written-response questions
Worth knowing: Not a primary content platform; works best alongside a notes or video resource.
GradeGorilla
GradeGorilla offers free, short topic quizzes that are well suited to retrieval practice between study sessions. There is no mark-scheme depth or analytics, but for a quick knowledge check before moving to the next topic, it fills a gap without costing anything.
Strengths:
- Completely free
- Mini-topic quizzes for high-frequency retrieval
- Low-friction, no sign-up required for basic use
Worth knowing: Not suitable as a primary revision tool; best used for warm-up or end-of-topic checks.
Pro Tip: Spending at least as long reviewing a mark scheme as you spent attempting the question is one of the most reliable ways to improve your IB Physics score. Mark-scheme review time should equal or exceed your question attempt time, especially in the final six weeks.
Why Tibertutor is the recommended pick for UK IB Physics students
The case for Tibertutor rests on four things that, taken together, no other platform on this list offers simultaneously.
Examiner-built content. Every question, mark scheme, and worked solution is created by people who have marked real IB Physics papers. That means the command terms, the phrasing, and the mark-allocation logic all reflect what examiners actually reward, not what a well-meaning tutor guesses they reward.
Syllabus monitoring. The platform maps your progress against the current 2025 IB Physics syllabus topic by topic. You can see at a glance which topics you have covered, which you have tested, and which are still gaps. This is particularly useful for HL students managing a larger content load.
Advanced analytics. Tibertutor’s analytics dashboard is the most detailed in this comparison. It shows performance by topic, question type, and command term, so you can identify patterns in your errors rather than just knowing you got something wrong. No other platform in this shortlist offers this depth of insight.
Value for money. A subscription gives you animated videos, detailed notes, flashcards, cram sheets, topic tests, mock exams, IA exemplars, examiner mark schemes, and a custom test builder in one place. Compared with buying separate resources for each of those functions, the subscription cost is straightforward to justify.
| Feature | Tibertutor |
|---|---|
| Examiner-created content | Yes |
| Syllabus monitoring (2025 syllabus) | Yes |
| Animated instructional videos | Yes |
| Topic tests and mock exams | Yes |
| Advanced progress analytics | Yes |
| IA exemplars and mark schemes | Yes |
| Custom test builder | Yes |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial |
Pro Tip: Avoid the common mistake of jumping straight to full timed mock exams. Use Tibertutor’s topic tests first to identify weak areas, then work through topic-by-topic past paper practice with mark-scheme review before attempting a full timed paper in the final four to six weeks. This sequence builds genuine understanding rather than false confidence.
Which resource is right for you?
Decision checklist
Work through these questions before choosing:
- How much time do you have? Less than six weeks means you need a platform with analytics to prioritise fast, not one that requires you to work through everything linearly.
- Are you SL or HL? HL students need a resource that explicitly covers additional HL topics and flags them clearly.
- Do you prefer video or written content? Video-first learners will get more from Tibertutor or GradePod; note-readers from Save My Exams.
- Do you need progress tracking? If yes, Tibertutor is the only platform in this list with advanced analytics.
- What is your budget? GradeGorilla and GradePod’s tutorials are free; everything else requires a subscription or one-off purchase.
- Does your school have a site licence? Check with your IB coordinator before paying individually.
- Do you need cross-subject coverage? Tibertutor covers IB Biology, Chemistry, and Physics; Revision Village adds IB Mathematics.
- Are you preparing for the IA as well as written papers? Tibertutor includes IA exemplars; most other platforms do not.
Three study paths
Urgent revision (under six weeks). Start with a Tibertutor diagnostic topic test to identify your three weakest areas. Focus all practice there first, using the analytics dashboard to track improvement. Reserve mock exams for the final two weeks.
Steady improvement (two to four months). Follow the concept-check, topic-practice, timed-paper sequence: use Tibertutor’s videos and notes for concept clarity, then move to topic-sorted past paper questions with mark-scheme review, then full timed papers in the final four to six weeks. This is the study flow most high-achieving IB Physics students follow.
Exam-focused final push (four to eight weeks). Combine Tibertutor topic tests with PaperPlainz worked solutions for any question types you are still dropping marks on. Use RevisionDojo for written-answer command-term practice. Run a full timed mock every ten days.
Red flags to watch for
- Topic numbering or command terms that do not match the current 2025 IB Physics syllabus
- No mark schemes or worked solutions provided
- HL material missing or labelled as “coming soon”
- No UK payment options or unclear pricing
- Video content that has not been updated since the previous syllabus cycle
Syllabus alignment is non-negotiable: mismatched command terms or legacy topic numbering will cost marks even when the underlying physics is correct. Always cross-check a resource’s topic list against the official IBO subject guide before committing.
What does IB Physics revision cost in the UK?
Price bands across the platforms in this comparison fall into four broad categories.
- Free: GradeGorilla (all quizzes free), GradePod concept tutorials (all 24 topics free); these are genuinely free, not free samples with a paywall after two topics.
- One-off purchase: GradePod’s Exam Pack is a one-off payment covering past-paper packs, an annotated data booklet, and a mock exam. Pricing is listed on the GradePod site.
- Monthly or annual subscription: Tibertutor, Revision Village, Save My Exams, PaperPlainz, and RevisionDojo all operate on subscription models. Tibertutor offers monthly, 6-month, yearly, and 24-month (full-course) options, with a free 7-day trial before any payment is required.
- School site licences: Tibertutor and Revision Village both offer school-wide licences. If your school subscribes, individual access may already be included — worth checking with your IB coordinator before paying personally.
UK students pay in GBP on most platforms, though some international platforms price in USD. Tibertutor’s subscription is accessible from the UK with standard payment methods. VAT treatment varies by platform and purchase type; check at checkout if you are purchasing through a school account.
Some platforms provide free, full-syllabus tutorials while others offer only limited free samples. GradePod is the clearest example of the former; most subscription platforms offer a trial period rather than ongoing free access.
A practical note: many third-party video series are excellent but may use outdated command terms or older syllabus sequencing. Cross-check video content against the IBO subject guide rather than assuming current alignment, especially for free resources that have not been recently updated.
Key takeaways
Tibertutor is the strongest single platform for IB Physics revision because it is the only option that combines examiner-built content, syllabus monitoring, and advanced analytics in one subscription.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Examiner-built content matters | Tibertutor’s questions and mark schemes are created by IB examiners, ensuring real alignment with how papers are marked. |
| Syllabus alignment is non-negotiable | Always verify a resource’s topic numbering and command terms against the current 2025 IBO subject guide before using it. |
| Sequence your practice correctly | Follow concept check, then topic-by-topic past paper practice with mark-scheme review, then full timed mocks in the final four to six weeks. |
| Free options exist but have limits | GradePod tutorials and GradeGorilla quizzes are genuinely free; neither offers analytics or examiner-created exam-style questions. |
| Tibertutor for integrated revision | Tibertutor’s 7-day free trial gives access to topic tests, analytics, and examiner resources — the most complete starting point in this comparison. |
Why examiner-built resources change how you revise
There is a version of IB Physics revision that feels productive but does not move your grade. Watching a clear YouTube explanation of wave interference, feeling like you understand it, then getting the exam question wrong because you used the wrong command term or missed the mark-scheme’s specific phrasing — that cycle is familiar to most IB students.
The difference examiner-built content makes is not about the physics itself. It is about the gap between understanding a concept and knowing how an examiner expects you to demonstrate that understanding. A resource built by someone who has marked thousands of IB Physics scripts knows exactly where students lose marks: not on the physics, but on the precision of the response. That knowledge is embedded in every question and mark scheme on Tibertutor in a way that generic revision content simply cannot replicate.
There is also a subtler benefit. Examiners know which topics generate the most marking variation — the areas where student responses cluster around partial credit rather than full marks. Practising those areas with examiner-created questions, and reviewing the mark scheme carefully, builds the habit of precision that separates a 5 from a 7. Developing an effective study workflow around that kind of deliberate practice is what makes the difference in the final weeks. The platforms that cannot offer that level of content quality are useful supplements, but they should not be your primary revision tool.
Getting started with Tibertutor’s free trial
Tibertutor offers a 7-day free trial with no payment required upfront. For IB Physics students, the most effective way to use those seven days is to treat them as a structured diagnostic rather than a browse.
Start by taking an IB Physics topic test in your weakest area. The analytics dashboard will show you exactly where marks are being lost, which gives you a clear priority list for the rest of your revision. From there, open the syllabus checklist to confirm your topic coverage against the 2025 syllabus, and run at least two more topic tests in areas you feel less confident about. If you are also revising IB Biology or Chemistry, the same subscription covers those subjects, so you can explore the biology tests and see how the platform’s cross-subject integration works in practice.
Subscription options after the trial include monthly, 6-month, yearly, and 24-month (full-course) plans. School licences are available for IB coordinators. Visit the student page to see current pricing and start your trial.
Useful sources and official links
These are the authoritative references worth bookmarking alongside any revision platform.
- IBO Physics subject brief — the official overview of the DP Physics course structure, skills, and assessment approach. Use this to confirm what the current syllabus requires.
- IB Questionbank (via Follett IB Store) — the official source of past IB exam questions, organised by topic and year. Your school may already have access; check with your IB coordinator. Use it to separate legacy questions from current-syllabus questions before practising.
- MyRevisionAgent IB Physics guide — a detailed guide to the current syllabus with practical advice on avoiding common revision mistakes, including the data booklet trap and command-term misuse.
- GradePod IB Physics resources — useful for free concept tutorials and for understanding the three-step study method (concept, technique, practice).
- Physics.plus revision guide — a topic- and assessment-style checklist that helps align study sessions with exam question types and command terms. Particularly useful for practising examiner habits rather than just content coverage.
- IB exam tips and strategies — general IB exam technique guidance applicable across IB sciences.
FAQ
What is the best free IB Physics study resource?
GradePod offers free concept tutorial videos covering all 24 IB Physics topics, making it the strongest genuinely free option for content learning. GradeGorilla provides free topic quizzes for retrieval practice.
Does Tibertutor cover the current 2025 IB Physics syllabus?
Yes. Tibertutor includes syllabus monitoring that maps student progress against the current 2025 IB Physics syllabus, with content created by IB examiners to reflect current command terms and topic structure.
When should I start doing full timed mock exams?
Reserve full timed mocks for the final weeks before your exams. Before that, topic-by-topic past paper practice with careful mark-scheme review builds stronger understanding than timed papers attempted before topic mastery.
Can I use these resources for both SL and HL IB Physics?
All seven platforms in this comparison cover both SL and HL content, though the depth of HL coverage varies. Tibertutor, GradePod, and Revision Village explicitly address HL topics; always verify HL coverage for your specific topics before committing to a platform.
Are IB Physics study resources available to UK students in GBP?
Most platforms in this comparison are accessible from the UK. Tibertutor supports UK payment in GBP. Some international platforms price in USD; check the checkout currency before purchasing, particularly for school licence orders.