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LMS · head to head

Padlet vs Pear Deck

Padlet logo

Padlet

LMS

Collaborate on digital walls and canvases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pear Deck logo

Pear Deck

LMS

Interactive presentations that engage every student

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Padlet the Internet Archive's capture of Padlet's premium plans page on 10 January 2020 named three distinct paid editions, Padlet Backpack for schools, Padlet Briefcase for businesses, and Padlet Pro for individuals, but the page itself carried no price figures.; Pear Deck the Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • They diverge on capability: Padlet covers Digital boards, Pear Deck covers Interactive slides.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Padlet and Pear Deck actually diverge.

Attributes where Padlet and Pear Deck differ
AttributePadletPear Deck
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWeb, Chrome Extension
Founded20082014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (LMS).

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 Padlet

  • Digital boards
  • Multimedia posts
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates
  • Privacy controls
  • Reactions
  • Comments
  • Export options

Only in Pear Deck

  • Interactive slides
  • Real-time responses
  • Formative assessment
  • Student-paced mode
  • Dashboard
  • Audio responses
  • Drawing
  • Vocabulary

Both cover

  • Google Classroom
  • Canvas
  • Schoology
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Padlet

  • Brainstormingnot Pear Deck
  • Collaborationnot Pear Deck
  • Portfoliosnot Pear Deck
  • Exit ticketsnot Pear Deck

Pear Deck

  • Interactive classroom presentations for teachersnot Padlet
  • Student practice and assessment toolsnot Padlet
  • Standards-aligned content delivery for schoolsnot Padlet

Where each one falls short

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

Padlet

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Padlet's premium plans page on 10 January 2020 named three distinct paid editions, Padlet Backpack for schools, Padlet Briefcase for businesses, and Padlet Pro for individuals, but the page itself carried no price figures.

Pear Deck

  • The Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • Pear Assessment Premium is a separate $125 per year purchase from Pear Deck Premium
  • Standards aligned content, district library and efficacy reports are only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • SIS and LMS integration is only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • School and district pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Padlet

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 padlets
    • Basic features
  • Pro$8/month
    • Unlimited padlets
    • Privacy controls
    • Custom branding
  • Team$12/month
    • Shared workspace
    • Admin controls
    • Priority support
  • Classroom$99/month
    • Unlimited padlets
    • Student accounts
    • No ads

Pear Deck

Free
  • Pear Start FreeFree
    • 40+ AI tools for teachers
    • unlimited usage
  • Pear Deck FreeFree
    • basic interactive presentations
    • anonymous responses
    • student-paced mode
  • Pear Deck Premium$149/year
    • Teacher Dashboard with named responses
    • drawing/draggable features
    • Reflect & Review
  • Pear Assessment FreeFree
    • basic assessment creation
    • autograding

Which should you pick?

Choose Padlet if

  • You need digital boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want multimedia posts.
Padlet review

Choose Pear Deck if

  • You need interactive slides.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension.
  • You also want real-time responses.
Pear Deck review

Questions people ask

Is Padlet or Pear Deck better?
Neither clearly leads. Padlet starts at Free and Pear Deck at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Padlet or Pear Deck?
Padlet starts at Free and Pear Deck at Free.
Does Padlet or Pear Deck run on more platforms?
Padlet runs on Web, IOS, Android. Pear Deck runs on Web, Chrome Extension.
Can I use Padlet for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Padlet best used for?
Padlet is most often used for brainstorming, collaboration, portfolios, exit tickets. Of those, brainstorming and collaboration are not what Pear Deck is typically brought in for.
What can Padlet do that Pear Deck cannot?
Padlet covers Digital boards, Multimedia posts, Real-time collaboration, Templates. Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Real-time responses, Formative assessment, Student-paced mode. Both handle Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Pear Deck: What is the price for individual teacher subscriptions?

Pear Deck Premium: $149/year; Pear Assessment Premium: $125/year. Pear Practice and Start have custom pricing for paid tiers.

Source
Pear Deck: Are there free versions available?

Yes, all Pear Deck products offer free teacher plans: Pear Start, Pear Deck, Pear Practice, and Pear Assessment are free for educators.

Source
Pear Deck: What features require payment in Pear Assessment?

Free version includes basic assessment creation and autograding. Premium ($125/year) adds advanced security, accessibility tools, state test interface mimicry, and rubric scoring.

Source
Pear Deck: Do schools get discounted pricing?

Yes, schools and districts receive custom pricing with additional features like standards-aligned content, shared libraries, and LMS integration.

Source
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