Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PowerSchool VS Canvas LMS

Compare PowerSchool VS Canvas LMS and see what are their differences

PowerSchool logo PowerSchool

PowerSchool provides a K-12 education technology platform for operations, classroom, student growth, and family engagement.

Canvas LMS logo Canvas LMS

Canvas is the trusted, open-source learning management system (LMS) that's revolutionizing the way we educate. Take Canvas for a test drive with our free, two-week trial account. Sign up now! Call 800-203-6755.
  • PowerSchool Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-21
  • Canvas LMS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-11

  www.instructure.comSoftware by Instructure

PowerSchool features and specs

  • Comprehensive Student Information System
    PowerSchool provides a holistic view of student data, including grades, attendance, assignments, and demographic information, enabling educators to monitor and support student progress effectively.
  • Customizable Reporting
    The platform allows for the creation of custom reports, which can cater to the specific needs of schools and districts, providing relevant insights and data for decision-making.
  • Parent and Student Access
    PowerSchool offers portals for both parents and students, enhancing communication and engagement by allowing access to real-time academic and attendance information.
  • Integrations
    PowerSchool integrates with a variety of third-party educational tools and services, providing a seamless experience for users and expanding its functionality.
  • Mobile App
    The availability of a mobile app ensures that stakeholders can access important data and updates on the go, increasing accessibility and convenience.

Possible disadvantages of PowerSchool

  • Cost
    PowerSchool can be expensive, particularly for smaller schools or districts with limited budgets, potentially making it less accessible for all educational institutions.
  • Complexity
    The system's wide array of features and capabilities can be overwhelming for new users, necessitating training and a learning curve to fully utilize its potential.
  • Customization Challenges
    While customizable, making and managing custom solutions can sometimes be complex and require technical expertise, which might not be readily available.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users report performance issues such as slow loading times and occasional downtime, which can disrupt access to essential information.
  • Customer Support
    There have been occasional complaints about the quality and responsiveness of customer support, which can be a critical factor when issues arise.

Canvas LMS features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Canvas LMS offers a clean and intuitive user interface, making it easy for educators and students to navigate the platform without extensive training.
  • Mobile Accessibility
    Canvas LMS has dedicated apps for iOS and Android, allowing users to access course materials, submit assignments, and participate in discussions on the go.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Canvas LMS can seamlessly integrate with numerous third-party tools and services, including Google Drive, Microsoft Office 365, and various plagiarism detection tools.
  • Customizable Modules
    Educators can tailor the learning modules to fit the course requirements, including multimedia content, quizzes, and assignments.
  • Robust Analytics
    The LMS provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, enabling educators to monitor student progress and adjust teaching strategies accordingly.
  • Scalability
    Canvas LMS is suitable for institutions of all sizes, from small schools to large universities, thanks to its scalable architecture.

Possible disadvantages of Canvas LMS

  • Cost
    Canvas LMS can be expensive for some institutions, especially small ones with limited budgets, due to its subscription-based pricing model.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While Canvas LMS is easy for basic use, mastering its more advanced features may require additional training for both educators and administrators.
  • Occasional Performance Issues
    Users have reported occasional lag and performance issues, particularly during peak usage times, which can disrupt the learning process.
  • Limited Offline Access
    Students and educators can face challenges accessing course materials offline, which can be a drawback in areas with inconsistent internet connectivity.
  • Support Response Time
    Some users have experienced slow response times from customer support, which can be frustrating when urgent assistance is needed.

PowerSchool videos

PowerSchool Assessment: How to Allow Students to Review Exam

More videos:

  • Demo - Powerschool Grade Review Demo

Canvas LMS videos

An Overview of Canvas LMS

More videos:

  • Review - Canvas LMS NEW UPDATES in 2020

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PowerSchool and Canvas LMS)
Education
59 59%
41% 41
Online Education
100 100%
0% 0
Online Learning
30 30%
70% 70
Other Education Tech
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare PowerSchool and Canvas LMS

PowerSchool Reviews

Top 15 educational software to streamline the learning process
PowerSchool is a popular administration and student information system. It streamlines administrative operations, provides real-time student performance and attendance analytics, and facilitates communication between educators, parents and students. PowerSchool helps educational institutions make data-driven decisions, improve operational efficiency, and improve...

Canvas LMS Reviews

10 Best Google Classroom Alternatives: Which Should You Choose?
Canvas is an open-source learning management system for teaching, learning, and even designing. Within a single platform, the program provides content, grades, communication tools, and analytics. What makes this option so appealing is that it offers several customizability and integration options. Canvas is more feature-rich than most of its competitors and provides a unique...
Top 15 educational software to streamline the learning process
Canvas lets teachers design, organize, and deliver course content easily. Its flexible and adaptable online and mixed-learning environment encourages student and instructor cooperation. Canvas simplifies course and student progress management, letting educators focus on education and giving students a seamless learning experience.
10 Best Moodle Alternatives to Jumpstart Your Courses
Canvas LMS by Instructure is a learning management system designed to maximize the learning process and enhance students’ knowledge. It has a Canvas mobile app, so you can monitor students’ responses and react to them quickly, see and add announcements, and track learners’ attendance on the go.
Source: sendpulse.com
10 Best Moodle Alternatives in 2024
Canvas LMS also offers a mobile app and a fair amount of flexibility. There is a learning curve but this can be solved with online videos and training material that are readily available.
Source: cloudassess.com
The 10 Best Moodle Alternatives & Competitors (Updated for 2024)
Canvas LMS hosts robust social learning features like interactive discussion boards, forums, instant messaging, and video and audio notes. These help learners collaborate and share their learning experiences.
Source: www.docebo.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PowerSchool and Canvas LMS, you can also consider the following products

Teachable - Create and sell beautiful online courses with the platform used by the best online entrepreneurs to sell $100m+ to over 4 million students worldwide.

Talent LMS - A super-easy, cloud LMS to train your employees, partners, customers or students.

Clever - syncing between education applications for K-12 schools

Docebo - Docebo Learning Management System is the best cloud LMS system on the market for online training. AICC SCORM xAPI compliant. Mobile elearning platform

Claroline - Claroline is a collaborative eLearning and eWorking platform.

Moodle - Moodle is the world's most popular learning management system. Start creating your online learning site in minutes!