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Education · head to head

Gimkit vs Hapara

Gimkit logo

Gimkit

Education

Game-based learning built by students

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 Gimkit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: Gimkit covers Game modes, Hapara covers Highlights.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gimkit and Hapara actually diverge.

Attributes where Gimkit and Hapara differ
AttributeGimkitHapara
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, ChromeOS, iOS, Android
Founded2017Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Gimkit

  • Game modes
  • In-game currency
  • Live games
  • Assignments
  • Reports
  • Question import
  • Audio questions
  • Game themes

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.

Gimkit

  • Review gamesnot Hapara
  • Formative assessmentnot Hapara
  • Student engagementnot Hapara
  • Test prepnot Hapara

Hapara

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

Where each one falls short

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

Gimkit

Nothing recorded yet. See the Gimkit review.

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

Gimkit

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 kits
    • Basic game modes
  • Pro$9.99/month
    • Unlimited kits
    • All game modes
    • Reports
  • School/District$undefined/month
    • All Pro features
    • Admin tools
    • Rostering

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 Gimkit if

  • You need game modes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want in-game currency.
Gimkit 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 Gimkit or Hapara better?
Neither clearly leads. Gimkit 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, Gimkit or Hapara?
Gimkit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Gimkit and On request for Hapara.
Does Gimkit or Hapara run on more platforms?
Gimkit runs on Web, IOS, Android. Hapara runs on Web, ChromeOS, iOS, Android.
Can I use Gimkit for free?
Yes. Gimkit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hapara starts at On request.
What is Gimkit best used for?
Gimkit is most often used for review games, formative assessment, student engagement, test prep. Of those, review games and formative assessment are not what Hapara is typically brought in for.
What can Gimkit do that Hapara cannot?
Gimkit covers Game modes, In-game currency, Live games, Assignments. Hapara covers Highlights, Teacher Dashboard, Workspace, Filter.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

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.

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