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Education · head to head

Aeries Student Information System vs ClassDojo

Aeries Student Information System logo

Aeries Student Information System

Education

Student information system built around California state reporting for public school districts

From
On request
Rated
-
ClassDojo logo

ClassDojo

LMS

Build amazing classroom communities

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only ClassDojo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aeries Student Information System the core advantage is California specific. A district outside California pays for a system whose main differentiator does not apply to its state reporting obligations.; ClassDojo the AI homework helper, the 2,000 plus digital book library, detailed progress reports, memory albums and calendar sync are all restricted to the paid ClassDojo Plus subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Aeries Student Information System covers CALPADS reporting, ClassDojo covers Behavior tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aeries Student Information System and ClassDojo actually diverge.

Attributes where Aeries Student Information System and ClassDojo differ
AttributeAeries Student Information SystemClassDojo
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, IOS, Android
CategoryEducationLMS
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aeries Student Information System

  • CALPADS reporting
  • Attendance accounting
  • Scheduling and gradebook
  • Self-hosted or hosted
  • Parent and pupil portals
  • Query and report writer

Only in ClassDojo

  • Behavior tracking
  • Parent messaging
  • Class story
  • Student portfolios
  • Dojo points
  • Translation
  • School story
  • Mobile app

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aeries Student Information System

  • A Californian district that wants CALPADS submissions produced natively rather than by an external consultant each reporting windownot ClassDojo
  • County offices of education that must support many small districts on one shared instancenot ClassDojo
  • Districts with existing Microsoft SQL Server capability that prefer to keep the student record on their own infrastructurenot ClassDojo
  • Replacing a legacy system where average daily attendance accuracy is directly tied to funding receivednot ClassDojo

ClassDojo

  • classroom communication and behavior trackingnot Aeries Student Information System
  • teacher-parent communicationnot Aeries Student Information System
  • student engagement toolsnot Aeries Student Information System

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aeries Student Information System

  • The core advantage is California specific. A district outside California pays for a system whose main differentiator does not apply to its state reporting obligations.
  • The third party application ecosystem is smaller than that of the national vendors, so some education technology suppliers support it only through generic rostering rather than a native integration.
  • The self-hosted option shifts patching, backup and database administration to district staff, and districts that choose it for cost reasons often lack the staffing to sustain it.
  • The interface reflects a long product history and is dense, so training time for new registrars and office staff is longer than for more recently rewritten competitors.
  • Reporting flexibility depends on staff who understand the underlying data model, and when that person leaves, the district loses a large amount of undocumented institutional capability.

ClassDojo

  • The AI homework helper, the 2,000 plus digital book library, detailed progress reports, memory albums and calendar sync are all restricted to the paid ClassDojo Plus subscription
  • ClassDojo Plus is sold to families rather than to schools, so parents pay for the premium tier
  • The Plus page publishes no monthly or yearly price, only a 7 day free trial
  • No pricing is published for the school leader or district offerings

Pricing, plan by plan

Aeries Student Information System

On request
  • Aeries Student Information System$undefined/year
    • Quoted per pupil per year
    • Hosted and self-hosted licensing differ
    • Implementation and data conversion quoted separately

ClassDojo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Behavior points
    • Messaging
    • Class story
  • Plus$7.99/month
    • All free features
    • Beyond School
    • Dojo Islands
  • School$undefined/month
    • School story
    • Admin tools
    • Analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Aeries Student Information System if

  • You need calpads reporting.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want attendance accounting.

Choose ClassDojo if

  • You need behavior tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want parent messaging.

Questions people ask

Is Aeries Student Information System or ClassDojo better?
Neither clearly leads. Aeries Student Information System starts at On request and ClassDojo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aeries Student Information System or ClassDojo?
ClassDojo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Aeries Student Information System and Free for ClassDojo.
Does Aeries Student Information System or ClassDojo run on more platforms?
Aeries Student Information System runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. ClassDojo runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use ClassDojo for free?
Yes. ClassDojo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Aeries Student Information System starts at On request.
What is Aeries Student Information System best used for?
Aeries Student Information System is most often used for a californian district that wants calpads submissions produced natively rather than by an external consultant each reporting window, county offices of education that must support many small districts on one shared instance, districts with existing microsoft sql server capability that prefer to keep the student record on their own infrastructure, replacing a legacy system where average daily attendance accuracy is directly tied to funding received. Of those, a californian district that wants calpads submissions produced natively rather than by an external consultant each reporting window and county offices of education that must support many small districts on one shared instance are not what ClassDojo is typically brought in for.
What can Aeries Student Information System do that ClassDojo cannot?
Aeries Student Information System covers CALPADS reporting, Attendance accounting, Scheduling and gradebook, Self-hosted or hosted. ClassDojo covers Behavior tracking, Parent messaging, Class story, Student portfolios.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aeries Student Information System: Is Aeries usable outside California?

Yes, and it is in use in several other states, but the state reporting depth that makes it compelling in California is not replicated everywhere, so it competes on general merit elsewhere.

ClassDojo: Is ClassDojo free?

Yes, ClassDojo core platform is free for teachers forever; the service is positioned as a free tool for educators without required payment.

Source
Aeries Student Information System: Can we host it ourselves?

Yes. Aeries still supports district hosted deployment on Microsoft SQL Server, which is uncommon among current student information systems and is a genuine reason some county offices stay.

ClassDojo: What is ClassDojo Plus and how much does it cost?

ClassDojo Plus is the premium tier; specific pricing details are not published on the ClassDojo website and require direct inquiry with the company.

Source
Aeries Student Information System: How does it handle FERPA?

The district remains the data owner and controller of the education record. Aeries acts under district direction, and access is controlled through district assigned roles and permissions.

ClassDojo: Are parents charged to use ClassDojo?

ClassDojo does not charge parents for the service; the free platform includes parent-teacher communication features at no cost to families.

Source
ClassDojo: Why is ClassDojo free if there's a premium tier?

ClassDojo offers free core features to teachers to drive adoption; premium features for advanced needs or professional development are available as paid add-ons.

Source
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