Canvas by Instructure vs openSIS
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, and integrations.
Quick Verdict
Canvas by Instructure offers fewer features (15 vs 141) and fewer integrations (1 vs 8). Starting price: Canvas by Instructure at Contact Sales vs openSIS at $5/mo. Canvas by Instructure has 13 unique features while openSIS has 139 unique features, with 2 features in common.
| Canvas by Instructure | openSIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning Management System | Learning Management System |
| Total Features | 15 | 141 |
| AI-Powered Features | 0 | 1 |
| Starting Price | Contact Sales | $5/mo |
| Pricing Tiers | 0 | 4 |
| Integrations | 1 | 8 |
| Shared Features | 2 | |
| Shared Integrations | 0 | |
| Data Quality | 40% | 90% |
Feature Comparison by Category
Academic Management (0 vs 56)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Admin Attendance Override | ||
| Admin Grade Entry | ||
| Advance Attendance Marking | ||
| Anomalous Grading | ||
| Assignment Exemption | ||
| Attendance Categories | ||
| Attendance Comments | ||
| Attendance Tracking | ||
| Before/After School Programs | ||
| Bulk Class Attendance | ||
| Calendar Day-Based Scheduling | ||
| Calendar Management | ||
| Course Manager | ||
| Course Time Variations | ||
| Course Tracks |
Accessibility (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility Standards |
Administration (1 vs 2)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Customizable Feature Settings | ||
| Staff Impersonation | ||
| Student Impersonation |
Admissions (0 vs 4)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions & Applicant Processing | ||
| Admissions Dashboard Analytics | ||
| Application Forms Builder | ||
| Student Re-enrollment |
Analytics & Reporting (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Data | ||
| In-app Reporting |
Communication (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Message Students Who |
Communication & Portals (0 vs 8)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Powered Messaging | ||
| Announcement & Notice Management | ||
| CRM Functionality | ||
| Multichannel Communication | ||
| Parent Information Portal | ||
| Student Comments & Internal Notes | ||
| Student Portal | ||
| Teacher Portal |
Core Management (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Staff Management | ||
| Student Information Management |
Course Management (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Blueprint Courses |
Course Marketplace (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Catalog |
Customization (0 vs 6)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Fields & Categories | ||
| Custom Modules | ||
| Custom School Subdomain | ||
| List of Values (LOV) Management | ||
| School Data Entry & Custom Fields | ||
| White Label |
Data Management (0 vs 6)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Data Backup | ||
| Bulk Student Import | ||
| Data Deletion & Account Removal | ||
| Data Export | ||
| Data Export in Excel | ||
| Mass Student Information Updates |
Document Management (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Student Files & Documents Cabinet |
Finance & Billing (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Billing & Subscriptions |
Grading & Assessment (2 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Gradebook | ||
| SpeedGrader |
Health & Safety (0 vs 3)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Records Management | ||
| Mental Health Information Management | ||
| Student Health & Wellness Tracking |
Infrastructure (1 vs 1)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-Based Infrastructure | ||
| Cloud-based Infrastructure |
Integration (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party Integrations |
Integrations (0 vs 3)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps Integration | ||
| LMS Integration (Bidirectional) | ||
| QuickBooks Integration |
Localization (0 vs 2)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Multilingual Support | ||
| Timezone & Date Format Settings |
Mobile (3 vs 2)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Apps | ||
| Parent Mobile App | ||
| Responsive Design | ||
| Student Mobile App | ||
| Teacher Mobile App |
Reporting & Analytics (0 vs 7)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Report Builder | ||
| Data Visualization | ||
| Data Warehouse & Business Intelligence | ||
| District Dashboard | ||
| Intuitive Dashboard | ||
| Progress Reports | ||
| State Reporting |
School Administration (0 vs 3)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom Room Management | ||
| School Copy/Template Feature | ||
| WASH Information Management |
Search & Navigation (0 vs 1)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Student Search |
Security & Administration (0 vs 7)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Data Isolation (Dedicated Database) | ||
| Data Privacy & Compliance | ||
| Password Security | ||
| Role-Based Access Control | ||
| Single Sign-On (SSO) | ||
| System Access Logs | ||
| User Login Features |
Staff Management (0 vs 4)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple School Employment | ||
| Staff Emergency Contacts | ||
| Subject & Grade Level Teaching | ||
| Teacher Certification Tracking |
Student Management (0 vs 15)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline & Behavior Management | ||
| Enrollment History Tracking | ||
| Enrollment Rolling Retention | ||
| Estimated Graduation Date | ||
| Family & Custody Management | ||
| Home and Mailing Address | ||
| Home-Schooled Student Integration | ||
| Multiple Contact Information | ||
| Multiple School Enrollment | ||
| School Transfer | ||
| Sibling Grouping | ||
| Student Demographics | ||
| Student Identification | ||
| Student Photo & ID Card Generation | ||
| Student Special Indicators |
Support & Services (0 vs 7)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated Account Manager | ||
| Free Switchover Service | ||
| Multichannel Support | ||
| On-Premises Training | ||
| Support Portal Access | ||
| Support Videos | ||
| White-Glove Implementation |
Video & Multimedia (1 vs 0)
| Feature | Canvas by Instructure | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Studio |
Unique Features
Only in Canvas by Instructure (13)
Accessibility Standards
Customizable Feature Settings
Canvas Data
In-app Reporting
Message Students Who
Blueprint Courses
Canvas Catalog
SpeedGrader
Third-party Integrations
Parent Mobile App
Student Mobile App
Teacher Mobile App
Canvas Studio
Only in openSIS (139)
Admin Attendance Override
Admin Grade Entry
Advance Attendance Marking
Anomalous Grading
Assignment Exemption
Attendance Categories
Attendance Comments
Attendance Tracking
Before/After School Programs
Bulk Class Attendance
Calendar Day-Based Scheduling
Calendar Management
Course Manager
Course Time Variations
Course Tracks
Custom Date Range Scheduling
Degree Audit & Graduation Requirements
Exam Grade Tracking
Full Day & Half Day Attendance
GPA Calculation
+ 119 more unique features
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