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LMS · head to head

Canvas vs Greasemonkey

Canvas logo

Canvas

LMS

Open-source LMS for engaging learning experiences

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

Greasemonkey

Browser Extensions

The original userscript manager, for Firefox

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Greasemonkey 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; Greasemonkey firefox only. There is no Chrome, Edge or Safari build and there never has been.
  • They diverge on capability: Canvas covers Course management, Greasemonkey covers Userscript execution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 17 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Canvas and Greasemonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Canvas and Greasemonkey differ
AttributeCanvasGreasemonkey
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 Greasemonkey

  • Userscript execution
  • Built-in script editor
  • GM. API
  • @resource support
  • Script localisation
  • Firefox for Android

What people use each for

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

Canvas

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

Greasemonkey

  • Restyling or de-cluttering a site you use dailynot Canvas
  • Automating a repetitive action on a web applicationnot Canvas
  • Adding a missing feature to a site you do not controlnot Canvas
  • Running userscripts on Firefox for Androidnot Canvas
  • Writing and testing your own scripts in the browsernot 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

Greasemonkey

  • Firefox only. There is no Chrome, Edge or Safari build and there never has been.
  • Its API diverged from the Tampermonkey conventions most shared scripts are written against, so a script from a sharing site may need adjusting to run.
  • The dashboard is plainer than Tampermonkey's, with no diff view when a script updates itself.
  • No cloud sync of the kind Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey offer; moving machines means exporting.
  • A userscript manager can read and rewrite every page you visit, so the security of the arrangement depends entirely on the scripts you choose to install.

Pricing, plan by plan

Canvas

$5/student-year

No published plan breakdown. See the Canvas review.

Greasemonkey

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Unlimited scripts
    • Built-in editor
    • 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 Greasemonkey if

  • You need userscript execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Firefox.
  • You also want built-in script editor.
Greasemonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Canvas or Greasemonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Canvas starts at $5/student-year and Greasemonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Canvas or Greasemonkey?
Greasemonkey has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/student-year for Canvas and Free for Greasemonkey.
Does Canvas or Greasemonkey run on more platforms?
Canvas runs on Web, iOS, Android. Greasemonkey runs on Firefox.
Can I use Greasemonkey for free?
Yes. Greasemonkey 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 Greasemonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Canvas do that Greasemonkey cannot?
Canvas covers Course management, Assignment submission, Gradebook, Discussion forums. Greasemonkey covers Userscript execution, Built-in script editor, GM. API, @resource support.

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
Greasemonkey: Is Greasemonkey still maintained?

Yes. Version 4.14 was released on 2 June 2026, and the project has an active repository, bug tracker and discussion groups.

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
Greasemonkey: Does Greasemonkey work on Chrome?

No. It is a Firefox extension and has never shipped for Chrome. Violentmonkey and Tampermonkey are the equivalents there.

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
Greasemonkey: Will Tampermonkey scripts run in Greasemonkey?

Often, but not always. Greasemonkey's API diverged from the conventions most shared scripts are written against, so a script may need its header or its GM calls adjusted.

Source
Greasemonkey: Does Greasemonkey run on mobile?

On Firefox for Android, from version 4.12. There is no iOS build, because Firefox on iOS cannot load extensions of this kind.

Source
Greasemonkey: What is the GM API?

The set of functions a userscript manager exposes to scripts, named after Greasemonkey, which defined it. Greasemonkey supports the promise-based GM. form including GM.xmlHttpRequest and GM.registerMenuCommand.

Source
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