Softwr

Software · head to head

Canvas vs Teachable

Canvas logo

Canvas

Software

Open-source LMS for engaging learning experiences

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

Teachable

Software

Create and sell courses online

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Canvas basic analytics lack predictive intelligence or advanced student success insights; Teachable starter plan charges 7.5% transaction fee, significantly higher than other plans
  • They diverge on capability: Canvas covers Course management, Teachable covers Course builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Canvas and Teachable actually diverge.

Attributes where Canvas and Teachable differ
AttributeCanvasTeachable
Starting price$5/student-year$29/month
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20082014

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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
  • Mobile app
  • Video conferencing
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in Teachable

  • Course builder
  • Certificates
  • Coaching products
  • Payment processing
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Email marketing
  • Zapier
  • ConvertKit

Both cover

  • Quizzes
  • Analytics
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Canvas

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

Teachable

  • Course creationnot Canvas
  • Coaching servicesnot Canvas
  • Digital productsnot Canvas
  • Membership sitesnot 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

Teachable

  • Starter plan charges 7.5% transaction fee, significantly higher than other plans
  • Student limits lift only at $10k+ annual sales for higher plans
  • No free tier, only 7-day trial
  • Custom plan requires sales contact with minimum $30k/year revenue

Pricing, plan by plan

Canvas

$5/student-year

No published plan breakdown. See the Canvas review.

Teachable

$29/month
  • Starter$39/month
    • 5 products
    • 100 active students
    • 7.5% transaction fee
  • Builder$89/month
    • 10 products
    • 1000 active students
    • 0% transaction fee
  • Growth$189/month
    • 50 products
    • 5000 active students
    • 0% transaction fee
  • Custom$null/month
    • Unlimited products
    • Dedicated success manager
    • Custom pricing

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 Teachable if

  • You need course builder.
  • You also want certificates.
Teachable review

Questions people ask

Is Canvas or Teachable better?
Neither clearly leads. Canvas starts at $5/student-year and Teachable at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Canvas or Teachable?
Canvas starts at $5/student-year and Teachable at $29/month.
Does Canvas or Teachable run on more platforms?
Canvas runs on Web, iOS, Android. Teachable runs on Web.
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 Teachable is typically brought in for.
What can Canvas do that Teachable cannot?
Canvas covers Course management, Assignment submission, Gradebook, Discussion forums. Teachable covers Course builder, Certificates, Coaching products, Payment processing. Both handle Quizzes, Analytics, Web support, IOS 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
Teachable: Does Teachable have a free plan?

Teachable offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, but no permanent free plan. The Starter plan costs $39/month (or $29/month annually).

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
Teachable: What are the transaction fees?

Starter plan charges 7.5% transaction fee. Builder, Growth, and Advanced plans charge 0% transaction fees. Additional payment processing fees of 2.9%-4.99% plus per-transaction charges apply depending on payment method.

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
Teachable: What integrations are available?

Teachable integrates with Zapier, Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, Google Analytics, Calendly, Zoom, and other tools via the App Hub.

Source
Teachable: How many courses can I create?

Starter plan allows 5 products, Builder allows 10, Growth allows 50, and Advanced allows 100 courses.

Source
Teachable: What is included in certificate features?

Course certificates are available starting on the Growth plan ($139/month annually). Certificates can be customized with branding and are generated automatically when students complete courses.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Canvas

More on Teachable

Keep looking

Other head to heads