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LMS · head to head

Canvas vs FireMonkey

Canvas logo

Canvas

LMS

Open-source LMS for engaging learning experiences

From
$5/student-year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FireMonkey logo

FireMonkey

Browser Extensions

User scripts and user styles in one Firefox extension

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only FireMonkey has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Canvas basic analytics lack predictive intelligence or advanced student success insights; FireMonkey firefox only, and requires a recent one: version 93 on desktop, 113 on Android.
  • They diverge on capability: Canvas covers Course management, FireMonkey covers Scripts and styles together.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Canvas and FireMonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Canvas and FireMonkey differ
AttributeCanvasFireMonkey
Starting price$5/student-yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidFirefox
CategoryLMSBrowser Extensions
Founded2008Unknown

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 Canvas

  • Course management
  • Assignment submission
  • Gradebook
  • Discussion forums
  • Quizzes
  • Mobile app
  • Video conferencing
  • Analytics

Only in FireMonkey

  • Scripts and styles together
  • Monaco editor with ESLint
  • Unlimited client-side storage
  • Global injection
  • Notifications and clipboard
  • Firefox for Android

What people use each for

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

Canvas

  • Online coursesnot FireMonkey
  • Blended learningnot FireMonkey
  • Course managementnot FireMonkey
  • Student assessmentnot FireMonkey

FireMonkey

  • Running user scripts and user styles without two separate extensionsnot Canvas
  • Restyling sites with CSS alongside scripted behaviour changesnot Canvas
  • Editing scripts in a full editor inside the browsernot Canvas
  • Injecting CSS globally across every sitenot Canvas
  • Managing a mixed library of scripts and styles from one dashboardnot Canvas

Where each one falls short

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

Canvas

  • Basic analytics lack predictive intelligence or advanced student success insights
  • Course structure is traditional and may not support competency-based or adaptive learning paths without supplementary tools

FireMonkey

  • Firefox only, and requires a recent one: version 93 on desktop, 113 on Android.
  • Not a drop-in replacement for Greasemonkey, Tampermonkey or Stylus. The project says so itself, so an existing library may need adjusting.
  • A much smaller user base than Tampermonkey or Violentmonkey, which means fewer people have hit the bug you are about to hit.
  • No Chrome, Edge or Safari build, so it cannot be the answer for anyone working across browsers.
  • Combining scripts and styles in one extension also combines the blast radius: one extension with permission to inject both into every page.

Pricing, plan by plan

Canvas

$5/student-year

No published plan breakdown. See the Canvas review.

FireMonkey

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • MPL-2.0 licensed
    • Unlimited scripts and styles
    • No account required

Which should you pick?

Choose Canvas if

  • You need course management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want assignment submission.
Canvas review

Choose FireMonkey if

  • You need scripts and styles together.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Firefox.
  • You also want monaco editor with eslint.
FireMonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Canvas or FireMonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Canvas starts at $5/student-year and FireMonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Canvas or FireMonkey?
FireMonkey has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/student-year for Canvas and Free for FireMonkey.
Does Canvas or FireMonkey run on more platforms?
Canvas runs on Web, iOS, Android. FireMonkey runs on Firefox.
Can I use FireMonkey for free?
Yes. FireMonkey has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Canvas starts at $5/student-year.
What is Canvas best used for?
Canvas is most often used for online courses, blended learning, course management, student assessment. Of those, online courses and blended learning are not what FireMonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Canvas do that FireMonkey cannot?
Canvas covers Course management, Assignment submission, Gradebook, Discussion forums. FireMonkey covers Scripts and styles together, Monaco editor with ESLint, Unlimited client-side storage, Global injection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Canvas: Does Canvas work offline?

Canvas has launched offline access for its student mobile app, allowing students to view pre-selected course content without internet. However, offline access is view-only and submissions require reconnecting to the internet.

Source
FireMonkey: What makes FireMonkey different from Violentmonkey?

It manages user styles as well as user scripts. The usual arrangement is a script manager plus a separate style manager such as Stylus; FireMonkey replaces both with one extension.

Source
Canvas: What integrations does Canvas support?

Canvas supports hundreds of external applications through its App Center using LTI standards, including video platforms, plagiarism detection tools, and digital textbooks through a standardized integration framework.

Source
FireMonkey: Which browsers does FireMonkey support?

Firefox only. Desktop requires Firefox 93 or later and Android requires 113, with an API minimum of 102.

Source
Canvas: How does Canvas handle course analytics?

Canvas provides built-in reporting that covers grades and student engagement, but lacks predictive analytics or advanced student success insights that some institutions require.

Source
FireMonkey: Is FireMonkey open source?

Yes, under the MPL-2.0 licence.

Source
FireMonkey: Will my existing Tampermonkey scripts work?

Not necessarily. The project states that while it shares functionality with Greasemonkey, Tampermonkey and Stylus, there are differences, so scripts and styles written for those may need adjusting.

Source
FireMonkey: What editor does FireMonkey use?

Current versions use the Monaco editor with ESLint, the same editor component that powers VS Code.

Source
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