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LMS · head to head

ClassDojo vs Hapara

ClassDojo logo

ClassDojo

LMS

Build amazing classroom communities

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hapara logo

Hapara

Education

Classroom visibility and workflow layer over Google Workspace for Education

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ClassDojo has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Hapara the product is a Google Workspace companion, so a district that moves to Microsoft 365 or runs mixed platforms loses most of the value it paid for.
  • They diverge on capability: ClassDojo covers Behavior tracking, Hapara covers Highlights.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ClassDojo and Hapara actually diverge.

Attributes where ClassDojo and Hapara differ
AttributeClassDojoHapara
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, ChromeOS, iOS, Android
CategoryLMSEducation
Founded2011Unknown

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 ClassDojo

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

Only in Hapara

  • Highlights
  • Teacher Dashboard
  • Workspace
  • Filter
  • Guided browsing sessions
  • Activity snapshots

What people use each for

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

ClassDojo

  • classroom communication and behavior trackingnot Hapara
  • teacher-parent communicationnot Hapara
  • student engagement toolsnot Hapara

Hapara

  • A Chromebook district where teachers cannot see what pupils are doing during independent worknot ClassDojo
  • Schools running differentiated instruction that need different groups to receive different resources without three separate assignmentsnot ClassDojo
  • Departments that want lesson scoped site restrictions rather than a district wide filter changenot ClassDojo
  • Giving teachers access to pupil Drive work without asking every pupil to share every document manuallynot ClassDojo

Where each one falls short

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

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

Hapara

  • The product is a Google Workspace companion, so a district that moves to Microsoft 365 or runs mixed platforms loses most of the value it paid for.
  • Live tab monitoring is a surveillance capability with no technical boundary at the school gate, and unless the district configures and publishes a monitoring window, take home devices are watched at home by default expectations rather than by explicit policy.
  • It layers on top of district filtering rather than replacing it, so schools still pay for a separate filtering and safeguarding product and manage two sets of rules.
  • Value depends entirely on teachers using it in the moment. Schools that buy it without sustained classroom coaching see licences renewed on the basis of installed count rather than actual use.
  • Pupil awareness of monitoring changes behaviour in ways the analytics do not show, and older pupils move activity to personal phones, which produces a dashboard that looks compliant and is not.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Hapara

On request
  • Hapara Instructional Suite$undefined/year
    • Quoted per pupil per year
    • Modules bundled or taken separately
    • Multi-year district agreements typical

Which should you pick?

Choose ClassDojo if

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

Choose Hapara if

  • You need highlights.
  • You work on Web, ChromeOS, iOS, Android.
  • You also want teacher dashboard.
Hapara review

Questions people ask

Is ClassDojo or Hapara better?
Neither clearly leads. ClassDojo starts at Free and Hapara at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ClassDojo or Hapara?
ClassDojo has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for ClassDojo and On request for Hapara.
Does ClassDojo or Hapara run on more platforms?
ClassDojo runs on Web, IOS, Android. Hapara runs on Web, ChromeOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use ClassDojo for free?
Yes. ClassDojo has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hapara starts at On request.
What is ClassDojo best used for?
ClassDojo is most often used for classroom communication and behavior tracking, teacher-parent communication, student engagement tools. Of those, classroom communication and behavior tracking and teacher-parent communication are not what Hapara is typically brought in for.
What can ClassDojo do that Hapara cannot?
ClassDojo covers Behavior tracking, Parent messaging, Class story, Student portfolios. Hapara covers Highlights, Teacher Dashboard, Workspace, Filter.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Hapara: Does Hapara monitor pupils at home?

It can, on school managed devices, if the district configures it that way. Districts should define and publish a monitoring window, because the product does not impose one.

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
Hapara: Is it FERPA and COPPA aligned?

Yes. Hapara contracts as a school official under FERPA, relies on district consent for COPPA, and is a Student Privacy Pledge signatory. That does not decide how widely a district should configure monitoring.

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
Hapara: Do we still need a web filter?

Yes. Hapara adds class and lesson level control on top of district filtering. It is not a replacement for a filtering and safeguarding platform.

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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