DERS vs Transparent Classroom
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DERS
This tool assesses the quality of learning environments for children aged 2.5 to 12. It measures environmental design and implementation against desired developmental outcomes, focusing on executive functions, literacy, and social-emotional growth.
- Measures learning environment quality
- Focuses on executive functions
- Assesses literacy development
- Evaluates social-emotional growth
- Research-based environmental attributes
- Classroom observation tool
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The DERS iOS app has been deprecated. New web based DERS is now available. http://www.ders-app.org for more info. The Developmental Environmental Rating Scale (DERS) measures the quality of learning environments offered in classrooms serving children between the ages of 2.5 and 12. It aligns environmental design and implementation with desired outcomes related to executive functions, literacy, and social-emotional development. The DERS consists of 60 research-based environmental attributes or observable behaviors (child and adult) aligned with five broad aspects of human development: initiation and concentration, inhibitory control, working memory, linguistic and cultural fluency, and social fluency and emotional flexibility. The assessment is administered in a 60-minute classroom observation, during which the assessor records the presence, magnitude, and/or frequency for each item. Schools can use the DERS internally to identify priorities for continuous improvement or externally as an assessment of environmental quality. The DERS was developed by researchers at the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector.
Transparent Classroom
This app facilitates online record-keeping and lesson planning for Montessori educators. It allows teachers to document classroom activities and student progress, while parents can view updates and share photos with educators.
- Online record-keeping
- Lesson planning
- Photo and video uploads
- Classroom activity tracking
- Concentration/work curve data recording
- Parent updates and photo sharing
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Transparent Classroom provides online record-keeping and lesson planning for Montessori guides. This app allows guides to: take and upload photos from their device to Transparent Classroom, view activity in the classroom, and record concentration/work curve data. Parents in Transparent Classroom can use the app to view notes and photos of their child(ren), receive notifications when more are published, and take photos of their children to send to their teachers.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: DERS at 5.0 against Transparent Classroom's 1.2. Transparent Classroom's advantage is ratings volume (54 vs 4) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
DERS holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Transparent Classroom has 54 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.
DERS ships an update every 5 months, Transparent Classroom every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DERS | Transparent Classroom |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | 1.2 (54 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 54 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 0 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | National Centre for Montessori in the Public Sector, Inc. | Transparent Classroom, Inc. |
Customer experience
DERS
Transparent Classroom
In-app purchases
DERS
No in-app purchases
Transparent Classroom
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is DERS free?
Is Transparent Classroom free?
Which has better reviews, DERS or Transparent Classroom?
Do DERS or Transparent Classroom have ads?
Which is updated more often, DERS or Transparent Classroom?
Other comparisons
