# PowerSchool Mobile vs Canvas Parent

PowerSchool Mobile and Canvas Parent both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 44% of PowerSchool Mobile's written reviews are positive against 9% of Canvas Parent's. PowerSchool Mobile also leads on chart position (#16 vs unranked) and ratings volume (930K vs 112K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

PowerSchool Mobile holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PowerSchool Mobile has 930K ratings behind it against 112K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of PowerSchool Mobile's written reviews are positive against 9% of Canvas Parent's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | PowerSchool Mobile | Canvas Parent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (930K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powerschool-mobile/id973741088/reviews)** | [4.4 (112K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canvas-parent/id1097996698/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **930K** | 112K |
| Positive reviews | **44.3% of reviews** | 9.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#16** | — |
| Size | 112 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PowerSchool Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057394489) | [Instructure Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/418441198) |

## What reviewers say

### PowerSchool Mobile

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/powerschool-mobile/id973741088)

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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- 📚 Incomplete or outdated information on the app

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### Canvas Parent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canvas-parent/id1097996698)

This app allows parents and guardians to monitor their child's academic progress, communicate with teachers, and receive important updates. It helps families stay involved in their student's education by tracking grades, assignments, and feedback.

**Highlights:** Message teachers directly, View grades and assignments, Receive real-time notifications, See teacher feedback, Use calendar view for upcoming tasks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Convenient for tracking assignments and grades
- 👍 Allows communication with teachers
- 🤖 Useful for remote/virtual learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
- 🤯 Confusing and not user-friendly
- 🔍 Lack of visibility into student work and progress
- 🔀 Inconsistent implementation across teachers and schools
- 🤖 Struggles with remote/virtual learning needs

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent log-out issues
- Inability to access account or find school
- Delayed or inaccurate display of assignment statuses and grades
- Calendar view and other key features not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to view submitted assignments and teacher feedback
- Better organization and sorting of assignments by due date
- Improved communication and coordination between parents, students, and teachers
- More consistent and intuitive user experience across the platform


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PowerSchool Mobile free?

PowerSchool Mobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Canvas Parent free?

Canvas Parent is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PowerSchool Mobile or Canvas Parent?

PowerSchool Mobile is rated higher. PowerSchool Mobile averages 4.6 out of 5 from 930K ratings, while Canvas Parent averages 4.4 from 112K ratings.

### Do PowerSchool Mobile or Canvas Parent have ads?

Neither PowerSchool Mobile nor Canvas Parent shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PowerSchool Mobile or Canvas Parent?

PowerSchool Mobile ships an update monthly, and Canvas Parent monthly. Most recently, PowerSchool Mobile was updated on October 19, 2026 and Canvas Parent on October 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*