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LMS · head to head

Schoology vs Skilljar

Schoology logo

Schoology

LMS

LMS that connects learning with the bigger picture

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skilljar logo

Skilljar

LMS

Customer education platform that treats training completion as a commercial signal in the CRM

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Schoology has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Schoology schoology (now PowerSchool's Schoology Learning) gates its full feature set behind a separate Enterprise package; the free version is a limited LMS tier, per the vendor's own archived K-12 page (2019), with no dollar figure published for the Enterprise upgrade.; Skilljar pricing is an enterprise annual commitment, so a first certification pilot costs more than it can demonstrate and teams should prove the programme elsewhere first.
  • They diverge on capability: Schoology covers Course management, Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Schoology and Skilljar actually diverge.

Attributes where Schoology and Skilljar differ
AttributeSchoologySkilljar
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
Founded2009Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 Schoology

  • Course management
  • Gradebook
  • Assessment builder
  • Discussion boards
  • Resources library
  • Parent portal
  • Analytics
  • Mobile app

Only in Skilljar

  • Branded course catalogue
  • CRM data write-back
  • Certification with expiry
  • Domain and theme control
  • Self-paced and instructor-led
  • Engagement analytics

What people use each for

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

Schoology

  • Course deliverynot Skilljar
  • Assessmentnot Skilljar
  • Collaborationnot Skilljar
  • Parent communicationnot Skilljar

Skilljar

  • A software company whose support ticket volume is driven by customers who were never trainednot Schoology
  • Customer success teams that want training engagement visible next to renewal risk in Salesforcenot Schoology
  • Partner certification programmes where credentials must expire and be renewednot Schoology
  • Reducing time to first value during onboarding by giving customers self serve training before implementationnot Schoology

Where each one falls short

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

Schoology

  • Schoology (now PowerSchool's Schoology Learning) gates its full feature set behind a separate Enterprise package; the free version is a limited LMS tier, per the vendor's own archived K-12 page (2019), with no dollar figure published for the Enterprise upgrade.

Skilljar

  • Pricing is an enterprise annual commitment, so a first certification pilot costs more than it can demonstrate and teams should prove the programme elsewhere first.
  • The commercial value depends on the Salesforce integration being properly configured, and companies with messy CRM data get engagement reporting joined to accounts that do not reflect reality.
  • It is built for external audiences, so using it for internal employee compliance means paying for capability that internal training does not need.
  • Content authoring is not a strength, so most customers licence an authoring tool separately and run two content workflows.
  • Attribution remains contested. The platform shows that trained accounts renew better, but establishing that training caused the renewal rather than that engaged customers train more is a problem the reporting cannot solve for you.

Pricing, plan by plan

Schoology

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Course management
    • Assignments
    • Gradebook
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • SIS integration
    • Analytics
    • Standards alignment

Skilljar

On request
  • Skilljar$undefined/year
    • Annual enterprise contract, quoted
    • Entry point sits well above self-serve course platforms
    • Implementation and integration services quoted separately

Which should you pick?

Choose Schoology if

  • You need course management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want gradebook.
Schoology review

Choose Skilljar if

  • You need branded course catalogue.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want crm data write-back.
Skilljar review

Questions people ask

Is Schoology or Skilljar better?
Neither clearly leads. Schoology starts at Free and Skilljar at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Schoology or Skilljar?
Schoology has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Schoology and On request for Skilljar.
Does Schoology or Skilljar run on more platforms?
Schoology runs on Web, IOS, Android. Skilljar runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Schoology for free?
Yes. Schoology has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Skilljar starts at On request.
What is Schoology best used for?
Schoology is most often used for course delivery, assessment, collaboration, parent communication. Of those, course delivery and assessment are not what Skilljar is typically brought in for.
What can Schoology do that Skilljar cannot?
Schoology covers Course management, Gradebook, Assessment builder, Discussion boards. Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue, CRM data write-back, Certification with expiry, Domain and theme control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Skilljar: How is Skilljar different from a corporate LMS?

A corporate learning platform reports on employees for compliance. Skilljar reports on customers for retention and expansion, and writes that activity into the CRM so account teams see it.

Skilljar: Do learners need accounts before they can browse?

No. Catalogues can be public so prospects and customers browse and enrol without a sales conversation, which is a large part of the self serve onboarding case.

Skilljar: Is it worth it for a small customer education team?

Usually not at the start. The contract floor assumes an established programme, so prove the value on a cheaper platform and move once retention or revenue evidence exists.

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