KnowFi or NotebookLM:
learn it or practise it?

What NotebookLM does well

In NotebookLM you create a notebook and add sources such as PDFs, Google Docs, websites or videos. You then ask questions in a chat and get answers with references to the relevant passages. On top of that there are study aids like summaries, study guides and audio overviews.

That makes NotebookLM strong when you are getting into a topic: getting an overview, asking about connections, condensing long texts. It runs in the browser and needs a Google account.

Where KnowFi is different

KnowFi is built for the moment you work through practice questions: past papers, problem sets, study quizzes. Instead of typing out a question, you press a shortcut.

• Question straight from the screen: KnowFi captures the practice question wherever it is, in any app or website.
• No window switching: the answer appears as a small icon in the menu bar, the reasoning one click away.
• Built for question types: single choice, multiple choice and open questions with a model answer.
• Local files: you select PDF, text and Markdown files on your Mac. No Google account needed.

Which tool when?

If you want to understand and structure new material, NotebookLM is a good choice. If you already know the material and want to check with practice questions whether it has stuck, KnowFi is faster because it works without a detour through a chat window.

You can use both: work through a chapter with NotebookLM, then practise with KnowFi and the same PDFs. How to set up the practice phase is covered in the guide to active recall.