11. Google Classroom
Google
A hosted classroom platform that is part of Google Workspace for Education. Education Fundamentals includes Classroom alongside Docs, Gmail and Meet. Paid editions add features such as analytics and originality reports (labelled premium on Google's page).
The free part: Education Fundamentals is available at no charge for qualifying institutions and includes Classroom.
Education Plus is $6.00 per user per year (as of 2026-10-27).
Watch for It is set up through a school's Google Workspace for Education account, and the page does not list the eligibility rules for a qualifying institution.
Visit Google Classroom ↗ Facts read on the maker’s page.
A widely used LMS from Instructure with a gradebook, SpeedGrader and apps for students, teachers and parents. Canvas Lite is a free account for an individual educator teaching their own class, tutoring or piloting a course. Instructure also publishes an open-source Canvas (AGPLv3) on GitHub that a school can run itself.
The free part: Canvas Lite is free to get started for individual educators; the page does not list its usage limits.
The main product comes in tiers with no prices shown; you request a demo or contact Instructure.
Watch for Self-hosting the open-source release means installing and running it yourself, following the instructions on its wiki.
Visit Canvas ↗ Facts read on the maker’s page.
33. Microsoft Teams for Education
Microsoft
A hosted app that combines video, chat, assignments, class materials and notes. Educators can create class and staff teams. Microsoft describes it as free with a valid, active institution email address.
The page calls the education version free with a valid, active institution email address.
Watch for Sign-in requires a school already on Office 365 for Education with Teams turned on, or an accredited academic institution.
Visit Microsoft Teams for Education ↗
Free, open-source LMS software. You can download and run it on your own server with no licensing costs, subscribe to the maker's hosted MoodleCloud, or pay a Moodle Certified Partner to host and support it.
The free part: The software is free to download and install on your own server.
MoodleCloud is a subscription with plans up to 750 users and 50 GB (as of 2026-10-27); the page shows no prices. Partners charge fees.
Watch for Self-hosting needs suitable hardware and the technical skill to run it securely online.
Visit Moodle ↗ Facts read on the maker’s page.
55. Schoology Learning
PowerSchool
A hosted K-12 LMS that brings curriculum, assignments, assessments and communication together, with family accounts and standards-based grading. It works with PowerSchool products and, via OneRoster, other student information systems, and has a simplified elementary experience.
No pricing is shown; the page directs you to speak to an expert.
Watch for The page mentions no free version, so a small school has to go through a sales conversation.
Visit Schoology Learning ↗
A hosted LMS marketed to several sectors including K-12, with tools and analytics for personalized learning in its K-12 offering.
No prices are listed; the page directs you to request a demo or contact sales.
Watch for K-12 is one of several sectors on the page, and pricing is by request only.
Visit Brightspace ↗
A K-6 classroom platform with a paid LMS plan covering core teaching and learning, a gradebook and family communication. Higher plans add the Seesaw Library and AI tools.
The pricing page shows no prices and says licences are only available for schools or districts.
Watch for The pricing page describes no free tier and says it does not offer paid teacher licences.
Visit Seesaw ↗ Facts read on the maker’s page.
A fully open-source LMS overseen by a community. It offers lessons, quizzes, assignments, files and communication tools. The commercial affiliates Longsight, Learning Experiences and EDF develop, host and support it.
The page states no prices and does not say that use costs nothing; it links to a Try Sakai page.
Watch for The page says commercial affiliates host it but does not describe hosting options, so confirm cost and support before committing.
Visit Sakai ↗
How we chose
We weighed these, most important first. The order is our judgement against them, not a score or a vote, and a different teacher could reasonably order it differently.
- Free to start. Whether a small school, co-op or single teacher can begin without a quote, as stated on the maker's pages.
- Open source or hosted. Who has to run the server: you, or the maker. Each entry says which.
- Effort for a small team. How much IT skill the page implies, such as a server to run or rostering to set up.
- Fit for K-12. Whether the maker's page describes a K-12 or classroom use.
- Price clarity. Whether a price is published or the product is quote-only.
We took no money, free products or affiliate commissions for any place on this list, and no link here carries a tracking code. Every fact was read on the maker’s own page on October 27, 2026; prices carry that date because they change. See how we choose and the ad-free promise.