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Education · head to head

Aeries Student Information System vs MasterClass

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
-
MasterClass logo

MasterClass

Education

Learn from the world's best

From
On request
Rated
-

The short version

  • 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.; MasterClass annual membership required with no option to purchase individual courses
  • They diverge on capability: Aeries Student Information System covers CALPADS reporting, MasterClass covers High-quality video.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Aeries Student Information System and MasterClass differ
AttributeAeries Student Information SystemMasterClass
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

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 MasterClass

  • High-quality video
  • Workbooks
  • Community
  • Mobile apps
  • Offline viewing
  • Smart TV apps
  • Session stories
  • Smart TV platforms

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 MasterClass
  • County offices of education that must support many small districts on one shared instancenot MasterClass
  • Districts with existing Microsoft SQL Server capability that prefer to keep the student record on their own infrastructurenot MasterClass
  • Replacing a legacy system where average daily attendance accuracy is directly tied to funding receivednot MasterClass

MasterClass

  • Learning from expertsnot Aeries Student Information System
  • Inspirationnot Aeries Student Information System
  • Skill developmentnot Aeries Student Information System
  • Entertainmentnot 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.

MasterClass

  • Annual membership required with no option to purchase individual courses
  • No instructor interaction or personalized feedback on student work
  • No hands-on exercises, assignments, or peer discussion with other students
  • Limited interactivity with focus on entertainment value over practical skill development
  • Difficult to cancel subscription according to customer reviews

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

MasterClass

On request
  • Individual$10/month
    • All classes
    • One device
    • Mobile access
  • Duo$15/month
    • All classes
    • Two devices
    • Offline viewing
  • Family$20/month
    • All classes
    • Six devices
    • All features

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 MasterClass if

  • You need high-quality video.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want workbooks.

Questions people ask

Is Aeries Student Information System or MasterClass better?
Neither clearly leads. Aeries Student Information System starts at On request and MasterClass at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aeries Student Information System or MasterClass?
Aeries Student Information System starts at On request and MasterClass at On request.
Does Aeries Student Information System or MasterClass run on more platforms?
Aeries Student Information System runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. MasterClass runs on Web, iOS, Android.
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 MasterClass is typically brought in for.
What can Aeries Student Information System do that MasterClass cannot?
Aeries Student Information System covers CALPADS reporting, Attendance accounting, Scheduling and gradebook, Self-hosted or hosted. MasterClass covers High-quality video, Workbooks, Community, Mobile apps.

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.

MasterClass: What is the pricing structure for MasterClass?

MasterClass requires an annual membership with no single-course purchase option. Standard plan costs $10/month, Plus is $15/month with offline access, and Premium is $20/month for up to 6 devices.

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.

MasterClass: How many courses are available on MasterClass?

MasterClass has over 200 video classes taught by celebrities and experts, with each course containing approximately 20 videos of about 10 minutes each plus detailed workbooks.

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.

MasterClass: Does MasterClass provide certificates or formal credentials?

No. MasterClass does not provide certificates upon completing a course, so it does not offer formal recognition for course completion.

Source
MasterClass: Do MasterClass courses include personalized feedback from instructors?

No. All MasterClass courses are pre-recorded videos, so there is no direct interaction with instructors or personalized feedback on student work.

Source
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