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LMS · head to head

Nearpod vs Skilljar

Nearpod logo

Nearpod

LMS

Interactive lessons that engage every student

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 Nearpod has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nearpod free plan limited to 40 student joins per lesson, restricting larger classroom use; 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: Nearpod covers Interactive slides, Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nearpod and Skilljar actually diverge.

Attributes where Nearpod and Skilljar differ
AttributeNearpodSkilljar
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, ChromebookWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Nearpod

  • Interactive slides
  • Virtual reality
  • Gamification
  • Polls
  • Open-ended questions
  • Draw It
  • Collaborate board
  • Reports

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.

Nearpod

  • Interactive lessonsnot Skilljar
  • Formative assessmentnot Skilljar
  • Student engagementnot Skilljar
  • Virtual learningnot Skilljar

Skilljar

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

Where each one falls short

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

Nearpod

  • Free plan limited to 40 student joins per lesson, restricting larger classroom use
  • Paid plans require annual commitment with limited monthly flexibility
  • Advanced collaboration features restricted to district/school level plans
  • VR features depend on student device compatibility

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

Nearpod

Free
  • SilverFree
    • 300 MB storage
    • 40 student joins per lesson
    • 22,000+ library resources
  • Gold$159/year
    • 1 GB storage
    • 75 student joins per lesson
    • AI Question Generator
  • Platinum$397/year
    • 5 GB storage
    • 90 student joins per lesson
    • Student notes capability

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 Nearpod if

  • You need interactive slides.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Chromebook.
  • You also want virtual reality.
Nearpod 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 Nearpod or Skilljar better?
Neither clearly leads. Nearpod 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, Nearpod or Skilljar?
Nearpod has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Nearpod and On request for Skilljar.
Does Nearpod or Skilljar run on more platforms?
Nearpod runs on Web, iOS, Android, Chromebook. Skilljar runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Nearpod for free?
Yes. Nearpod has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Skilljar starts at On request.
What is Nearpod best used for?
Nearpod is most often used for interactive lessons, formative assessment, student engagement, virtual learning. Of those, interactive lessons and formative assessment are not what Skilljar is typically brought in for.
What can Nearpod do that Skilljar cannot?
Nearpod covers Interactive slides, Virtual reality, Gamification, Polls. Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue, CRM data write-back, Certification with expiry, Domain and theme control.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Nearpod: What is included in Nearpod's free plan?

The free Silver plan includes 300 MB storage, 40 student joins per lesson, and access to core features with 22,000+ library resources.

Source
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.

Nearpod: Can I import existing presentations into Nearpod?

Yes, you can upload PowerPoints, Google Slides, and PDFs to make them interactive with Nearpod's tools.

Source
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.

Nearpod: Does Nearpod integrate with learning management systems?

Yes, Nearpod integrates with Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology, Blackboard, and other LMS platforms with single sign-on and rostering support.

Source
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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