Softwr

Learning Management · head to head

Pear Deck vs Udacity

Pear Deck logo

Pear Deck

Learning Management

Interactive presentations that engage every student

From
Free
Rated
-
Udacity logo

Udacity

Learning Management

Nanodegrees for in-demand tech skills

From
$249/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Pear Deck has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Pear Deck the Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year; Udacity expensive compared to many online learning alternatives at $249/month or annual commitments
  • They diverge on capability: Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Udacity covers Nanodegree programs.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Pear Deck and Udacity differ
AttributePear DeckUdacity
Starting priceFree$249/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome ExtensionWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20142011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Learning Management).

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 Pear Deck

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

Only in Udacity

  • Nanodegree programs
  • Real-world projects
  • Mentorship
  • Code review
  • Career services
  • Industry partnerships
  • Mobile learning
  • Enterprise platforms

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Pear Deck

  • Turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responsesnot Udacity
  • Running formative checks for understanding during classnot Udacity
  • Student paced review activities and assessmentsnot Udacity

Udacity

  • Tech skill developmentnot Pear Deck
  • Career transitionnot Pear Deck
  • Upskillingnot Pear Deck
  • Team trainingnot Pear Deck

Where each one falls short

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

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

Udacity

  • Expensive compared to many online learning alternatives at $249/month or annual commitments
  • Course certificates lose value after subscription ends if not continuously maintained
  • Limited offline access to course materials
  • May lack breadth of non-tech courses compared to general learning platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Pear Deck

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 question types
    • Real-time responses
    • Student-paced mode
  • Premium$149.99/month
    • All question types
    • Audio responses
    • Flashcard factory
  • School/District$undefined/month
    • All Premium
    • Admin dashboard
    • Rostering

Udacity

$249/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Udacity review.

Which should you pick?

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.

Choose Udacity if

  • You need nanodegree programs.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real-world projects.

Questions people ask

Is Pear Deck or Udacity better?
Neither clearly leads. Pear Deck starts at Free and Udacity at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pear Deck or Udacity?
Pear Deck has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Pear Deck and $249/month for Udacity.
Does Pear Deck or Udacity run on more platforms?
Pear Deck runs on Web, Chrome Extension. Udacity runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Pear Deck for free?
Yes. Pear Deck has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Udacity starts at $249/month.
What is Pear Deck best used for?
Pear Deck is most often used for turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responses, running formative checks for understanding during class, student paced review activities and assessments. Of those, turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responses and running formative checks for understanding during class are not what Udacity is typically brought in for.
What can Pear Deck do that Udacity cannot?
Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Real-time responses, Formative assessment, Student-paced mode. Udacity covers Nanodegree programs, Real-world projects, Mentorship, Code review. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Udacity: How is Udacity priced?

Udacity offers subscription-based pricing: $249/month or $846 for 4 months (approximately $212/month with 15% discount). One subscription covers 500+ courses and all 80+ Nanodegree and Executive programs. Month-to-month subscriptions are cancellable anytime.

Source
Udacity: Does Udacity offer degree programs?

Yes, Udacity offers a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence ($199 enrollment fee plus subscription) and MBA in AI Product Management, both priced under $5,000 total, approximately 90% cheaper than traditional programs.

Source

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