Comparison

Canvas by Instructure vs PowerSchool Mobile

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Canvas by Instructure

Access your courses and stay organized with this learning app. Track assignments, submit work, participate in discussions, and even study offline. It supports integrated tools and accessibility features for a seamless educational experience.

Highlights
  • View grades and track assignments
  • Submit assignments and take quizzes
  • Join class discussions
  • Download courses for offline access
  • Receive push notifications and reminders
  • Integrated classroom tools and dark mode
Features
Read full description

Your learning, anywhere. Stay connected to your courses with the official Canvas app for learners. Whether you’re in class, commuting, or offline, Canvas helps you stay organized and engaged. Note for instructors: For teaching and grading features, use the Canvas Teacher app. What you can do • Organize: View grades, track assignments, homework, and schoolwork; get reminders, push notifications and add customizable widgets for quick access • Engage: Send messages, join class discussions and collaborate with classmates in real time • Learn: Submit assignments, PDFs, docs, and media files for teachers to annotate in SpeedGrader, take quizzes, and watch videos on the go • Offline: Download full courses and keep studying even without internet • Integration & inclusivity: Use integrated classroom tools (LTIs), enjoy dark mode, and rely on built-in accessibility for everyone (VPAT 2.2 compliant) • Lifelong learning: Support for continuous learning, career-focused skill based learning programs, and AI-powered learning experience via Career experience Trusted by over 40 million learners worldwide.

About

PowerSchool Mobile

Access real-time student information like grades, assignments, and attendance with an updated interface. Features customizable dashboards, calendar views for assignments, and notification management for parents, guardians, and students.

Highlights
  • Real-time student data access
  • Updated user interface and dashboard
  • Customizable dashboard widgets
  • Class assignment calendar view
  • Push and email notifications
  • Student profile management
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Built for convenient access to real-time student information like grades, assignments, and attendance, the PowerSchool Mobile App provides enhanced functionality for parents, guardians, and students. • Get easy access to the most important student data with an updated user interface, dashboard, and improved app structure • Use new dashboard widgets for quick access to important information including: GPA, Class Overview, Assignments Due, Assignments Graded, Attendance, School Bulletins, Meal Balance, and Fees • Customize the dashboard by reordering or hiding widgets to prioritize the information that is most important to you • Access class information and grades across terms and drill-down to detailed views of class assignments, attendance, and standards • View class assignments for the week or month in a new calendar view, and drill-down to assignment details • Manage push and email notifications, student profiles, access school information, and more PowerSchool is the leading K-12 education technology provider of solutions that improve the education experience for 100 million students, teachers, and parents in over 70 countries around the world. IMPORTANT! To access the PowerSchool Mobile App, your school district must be using the PowerSchool Student Information System. If you are not sure what SIS your school is using, contact your school or district. PLEASE NOTE • Requires iOS version 13.0 or higher • Access to PowerSchool is controlled by school administration • Requires a wireless connection or mobile data plan • Users must consent to receive push notifications when connecting to servers outside of the United States • Meal Balance totals are only available if your school uses the PowerLunch meal management feature in the PowerSchool SIS

Screenshots

Canvas by Instructure4 screens
PowerSchool Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

Canvas by Instructure and PowerSchool Mobile both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 44% of PowerSchool Mobile's written reviews are positive against 27% of Canvas by Instructure's. PowerSchool Mobile also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Canvas by Instructure's advantage is chart position (#3 vs #10). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Canvas by Instructure against 4.6 for PowerSchool Mobile. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.8M and 930K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 27% of Canvas by Instructure's written reviews are positive against 44% of PowerSchool Mobile's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Canvas by Instructure ships an update every 3 weeks, PowerSchool Mobile monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Canvas by Instructure versus PowerSchool Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCanvas by InstructurePowerSchool Mobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.8M ratings) — better4.6 (930K ratings)
Positive reviews26.8% of reviews44.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.8M — better930K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#3 — better#10
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS18.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size209 MB112 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperInstructure Inc.PowerSchool Group LLC

Customer experience

Canvas by Instructure

All ratings2,768,036 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.7%
Written reviews1,465 reviews
Positive26.8%
Neutral12.1%
Negative61.2%

PowerSchool Mobile

All ratings930,033 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative8.0%
Written reviews1,759 reviews
Positive44.2%
Neutral8.4%
Negative47.4%

User reviews

Canvas by Instructure

From 2.8M App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 📚 Easy access to course materials
  • 💻 Convenient mobile access
  • 📊 Helpful grade tracking
  • 🔔 Useful notification system

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🔁 Resets when switching apps
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate
  • 🙈 Lack of customization options
  • 🗓️ Calendar issues

PowerSchool Mobile

From 930K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to access grades and assignments
  • 👍 Convenient for parents to monitor student progress
  • ⏰ Timely notifications of grade updates

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent sync issues and glitches
  • 🕰️ Slow app performance and loading times
  • 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data usage
  • 📚 Incomplete or outdated information on the app

Bugs and requests

Canvas by Instructure

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App freezing and crashing
  • Inability to view all course content
  • Inconsistent behavior across devices
  • Unreliable assignment submission
  • Syncing issues between app and website

Requested features

5 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved discussion board functionality
  • Ability to edit posts/comments
  • Integration with personal calendars
  • More granular notification controls

PowerSchool Mobile

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inconsistent display of grades and assignments
  • Password reset issues and login problems
  • Crashes and app freezes

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to view grade history and trends
  • Integration with other school platforms
  • Customizable notification settings
  • Improved user interface and navigation

In-app purchases

None

Canvas by Instructure

No in-app purchases

None

PowerSchool Mobile

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Canvas by Instructure free?
Canvas by Instructure is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PowerSchool Mobile free?
PowerSchool Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Canvas by Instructure or PowerSchool Mobile?
Canvas by Instructure is rated higher. Canvas by Instructure averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.8M ratings, while PowerSchool Mobile averages 4.6 from 930K ratings.
Do Canvas by Instructure or PowerSchool Mobile have ads?
Neither Canvas by Instructure nor PowerSchool Mobile shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Canvas by Instructure or PowerSchool Mobile?
Canvas by Instructure ships an update every 3 weeks, and PowerSchool Mobile monthly. Most recently, Canvas by Instructure was updated on September 24, 2026 and PowerSchool Mobile on September 24, 2026.
Which is more popular, Canvas by Instructure or PowerSchool Mobile?
Canvas by Instructure currently peaks at #3 in the App Store charts, and PowerSchool Mobile at #10. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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