Canvas: how it compares

Finding the right LMS can shape your entire teaching and learning experience.

With over 1,800 G2 reviews, Canvas stands out for usability, support, and innovation. Compare Canvas with Moodle, D2L, and Blackboard to discover which platform best fits your institution’s goals.

See how Canvas stacks up on G2 or schedule a discovery call to learn in more detail.

Learn more

How did you hear about us?

Canvas alternatives & comparisons

Moodle

Moodle is a widely used, open-source LMS that offers flexibility and has a large developer community. Compared to modern cloud-based solutions, it requires considerable maintenance, development support and investments to allow for deep technical customisations and full control.

Canvas comparison to Moodle bar graph visual. Meets requirements, Canvas is 87% to Moodle's 85%. Ease of use, Canvas rates 85% to Moodle's 77%. Ease of Admin, Canvas rates 83% to Moodle's 78%. Quality of Support, Canvas rates 85% to Moodle's 77%. Product Direction, Canvas rates 88% to Moodle's 70%

Blackboard

Blackboard has a long history in higher education, offering extensive integrations and a familiar, enterprise-grade LMS environment. Its traditional interface and established workflows serve institutions that value consistency and familiarity over a more modern, streamlined experience.

Side by side bar graph comparison in the following five categories. Meets requirements, Canvas rates 87% to Blackborad’s 82%. Ease of use, Canvas rates 85% to Blackboard’s 78%. Ease of admin, Canvas rates 83% to Blackboard’s 74%. Quality of Support Canvas rates 85% to Blackboard’s 74%. Product direction, Canvas rates 88%, to Blackboard’s 67%

D2L

D2L Brightspace is recognised for its robust analytics and adaptive learning capabilities, appealing to data-driven institutions. Its structured course design and intricate workflows are best suited to institutions with a large administrative capacity to manage and configure more complex setups

Side by side comparison of Canvas vs D2L. Meets requirements, Canvas ranks 87% to D2L’s 86% Ease of use, Canvas ranks 85% to D2L’s 84% Ease of admin, Canvas ranks 83% to D2L’s 83% Quality of Support, Canvas ranks 85% to D2L’s 84% Product Direction, Canvas ranks 88% to D2L’s 85%

A Learning Management System that leads the way

Designed for real teaching and learning

What educators need, built right in

Simple educator workflows

SpeedGrader

Grade student submissions, leave comments, and annotate documents, all in one place. SpeedGrader makes it easier to give critical, contextual feedback and interact productively with students.

SpeedGrader

Message Learners who...

Connect with students based on instructor-defined criteria, and deliver support when and where it's needed.

Canvas LMS

Gradebook

More than just marks, Gradebook offers a clear view of learner progress. Educators can enter marks, manage assignments, adjust weightings, and customise how they view and organise data.

Canvas Gradebook
Administrative efficiencies

Blueprint courses

Scale engaging curriculum across your school, district, or institution, and push course updates with a single click. Great instructional design and centrally managed courses just got infinitely easier to deploy.

Canvas Blueprint Courses

Customizable feature settings

Create secure and managed teaching and learning spaces that adapt to different user groups and reflect your institution's branding, hierarchy, and roles.

Canvas Customizable feature settings
Data and insights

Canvas Data

Get access to raw, event-level data files—ideal for building customised dashboards, running advanced queries, and integrating with your institution’s data warehouse.

Canvas Data

In-app reporting

Get real-time visibility into course activity, student progress, and engagement trends—without ever leaving Canvas.

Canvas In-app reporting
Free mobile apps

Student

Learners can stay up to date, on the go, on any device.

  • View grades and course content
  • Submit assignments
  • Use to-do lists and calendars
  • Send and receive messages
  • Post to discussions
  • Watch videos
  • Take quizzes
Canvas Student App

Teacher

Educators can facilitate courses from anywhere.

  • Browse submissions and provide feedback with the app-embedded mobile SpeedGrader.
  • Post announcements, send messages, and participate in course discussions.
  • Change due dates, publish assignments, and edit course content.
Canvas Teacher App

Parent

In the Schools Canvas world, parents get at-a-glance visibility into their child's education.

  • View assignment descriptions and due dates
  • View course announcements
  • Set reminders for assignments
  • See grades for assignments and courses
Canvas Parent App

Don’t just take our word for it

An image of ACU's Melbourne campus and the ACU logo

Australian Catholic University

Australian Catholic University chose Canvas LMS to modernise its learning environment and deliver a consistent, data-informed experience across campuses in Australia and Rome.

Watch the video
A woman adorned with red and blue circular designs as her background, emphasizing a bold and artistic expression.

De La Salle University

For De La Salle University graduate student Deanna Balatbat, education has always been more than just academics. It has been a path to independence, connection, and possibility. But that path hasn’t been easy.

Watch the video
HAU student at computer

Holy Angel University

When a typhoon sweeps through Pampanga, or a transport strike halts the morning commute, learning at Holy Angel University (HAU) doesn’t grind to a halt.

Watch the video
Canvas by Instructure

Your experts in education

Ready to explore what Canvas can do for your school?

Connect with the team