Canvas LMS
Canvas LMS is a flexible digital learning management platform designed to simplify teaching and improve student achievement through open, extensible, and highly integrated tools for schools and universities worldwide.
Skilljar
Skilljar is an external learning management system designed to help companies onboard, train, and retain customers and partners through branded online training experiences and data-driven insights.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Canvas LMS | Skilljar |
|---|---|---|
| Website | instructure.com | skilljar.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Custom |
| Starting Price | Free | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2008 | 2013 |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City, USA | Seattle, USA |
Overview
Canvas LMS
Canvas LMS helps you create a digital learning environment that actually works for your students and teachers. Instead of fighting with clunky interfaces, you get a clean, intuitive workspace where you can build courses, manage assignments, and provide meaningful feedback. It acts as the central hub for your entire classroom, connecting all your favorite digital tools and content in one reliable place.
You can easily track student progress with visual gradebooks and data-driven insights that show you exactly where learners need extra help. Whether you are managing a single K-12 classroom or a massive university system, the platform scales to meet your needs without becoming overly complex. It focuses on saving you time on administrative tasks so you can spend more energy on actual instruction and student engagement.
Skilljar
Skilljar is a specialized platform built specifically for external training, helping you turn your customers into power users. Unlike internal HR tools, it focuses on the unique needs of customer education, providing a branded environment where your users can access on-demand courses, live certifications, and self-paced learning paths. You can easily create a professional training portal that matches your brand identity without needing a developer.
The platform solves the challenge of customer churn by ensuring your users actually know how to use your product. You can track exactly how training impacts your bottom line by connecting learning data directly to your CRM. It is built for mid-market and enterprise companies that need to scale their education programs globally while maintaining a high-quality, seamless experience for their external partners and clients.
Overview
Canvas LMS Features
- SpeedGrader Preview student submissions and provide targeted feedback with rubrics or video comments in half the time.
- Mobile Learning Apps Access your courses, submit assignments, and stay connected with your students from any iOS or Android device.
- Integrated Media Recorder Record and post video or audio messages directly within your courses to create a more personal learning experience.
- Canvas Catalog Create a branded marketplace to showcase and sell your courses to a wider audience with ease.
- Mastery Paths Automatically release specific content to students based on their performance to provide a truly personalized learning journey.
- Open API Access Connect your existing tech stack effortlessly with an open ecosystem that supports hundreds of third-party integrations.
Skilljar Features
- Branded Training Portals. Create a fully customized learning site that matches your company's look and feel for a consistent user experience.
- Course Management. Build and organize multimedia courses including videos, PDFs, and interactive quizzes to keep your learners engaged.
- Certification Engine. Design and automate the delivery of professional certificates to reward your customers for mastering your software.
- Live Event Integration. Manage your webinars and in-person training sessions alongside your on-demand content in one central calendar.
- Data Analytics. Track learner progress and engagement levels with detailed reports that show you which content performs best.
- E-commerce Tools. Sell your training courses or certifications directly through the platform with built-in payment processing and promo codes.
Pricing Comparison
Canvas LMS Pricing
- Create and host courses
- Quizzes and assignments
- SpeedGrader access
- Standard Canvas features
- Mobile app access
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Custom branding and UI
- SIS integration support
- Advanced analytics
- 24/7 technical support
- Admin management tools
Skilljar Pricing
Pros & Cons
Canvas LMS
Pros
- Clean and modern interface is easy to navigate
- Mobile apps are highly reliable for students
- Excellent integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
- SpeedGrader significantly reduces time spent on manual grading
Cons
- Initial course setup can be time-consuming
- Notification settings can be overwhelming for new users
- Advanced customization requires some technical knowledge
Skilljar
Pros
- Purpose-built specifically for external customer and partner training
- Deep integrations with Salesforce and other major CRM platforms
- Highly customizable interface allows for seamless brand alignment
- Excellent customer success team provides proactive implementation support
Cons
- Higher price point compared to general-purpose learning systems
- Initial setup and customization can require significant time
- Reporting interface can feel complex for new administrators