Canvas LMS vs Google Classroom comparison

Instructure and Google are both solutions in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category. Instructure is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.8, while Google is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.6. Instructure holds a 3.3% mindshare in LMS, compared to Google’s 2.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Instructure users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Google users who would recommend it.

Canvas LMS

Read 11 Canvas LMS reviews

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970 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Google Classroom

Read 26 Google Classroom reviews

1,273 Views
1,273 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Canvas LMS

Google Classroom

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Canvas LMS and Google Classroom are two leading e-learning platforms, with Canvas LMS offering more robust customization and flexibility, while Google Classroom is known for its simple user interface and seamless integration with Google Apps.

Features:Canvas LMS provides advanced customization, integration with Zoom, and powerful analytics tools, making it ideal for complex educational needs. Google Classroom offers seamless integration with Google Suite, allowing effortless use of Google Docs, Sheets, and more alongside intuitive usability, making it perfect for quick adoption and use in diverse settings.

Room for Improvement:Canvas LMS could enhance its user interface to reduce complexity for novice users and improve real-time collaboration features. Google Classroom could benefit from offering more advanced grading tools and better analytics, along with enriching offline accessibility options to enhance usability in varied teaching environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service:Google Classroom is favored for its easy deployment, leveraging existing Google Suite familiarity to quickly transition users online. Canvas LMS, while more complex, offers extensive customer support to assist with its deeper feature set and integration options, ensuring smooth implementation.

Pricing and ROI:Google Classroom is free and fits seamlessly within the Google ecosystem, resulting in minimal costs and immediate value. Canvas LMS, with its higher initial costs, justifies the investment for larger institutions through its extensive features and potential for high returns on educational deliverables, catering to more comprehensive institutional needs.

To learn more, read our detailed Canvas LMS vs. Google Classroom Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Canvas LMS vs. Google Classroom

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Canvas LMS

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

6th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Google Classroom

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

4th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Canvas LMS is 3.3%, down from 5.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Google Classroom is 2.8%, down from 6.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Google Classroom	2.8%
Canvas LMS	3.3%
Other	93.9%

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Featured Reviews

Lance Levin

Learning Magic Solutions | Managing Director at CTI

Comprehensive learning system transforms education with innovative features

The integration capability of Canvas LMS with other educational tools is probably the best for integration. They have thousands of apps that are already integrated with Canvas LMS. It uses a very simple API LTI method where you just have to input a number and then it's integrated. When assessing the analytics features and reporting features of Canvas LMS, they have comprehensive capabilities. They have reporting, attendance registers, and the back-end SIS system. The reporting is very easy and analytics is excellent. Regarding its mobile compatibility feature, Canvas LMS is probably the easiest to use. It's user-friendly and operates with simple copy and paste functionality. It operates similarly to Word, with no difficulty at all. It's extremely user-friendly. When speaking about scalability and flexibility, Canvas LMS is very scalable. Everything's on the AWS cloud, so content is not a problem offline. It's scalable because the largest universities in the world use it.

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Wafaa Salah

Professor at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees

User-Friendly Platform with Valuable Features but Needs Improvement in Pool of Questions and Statistics

The integration with Google Workspace is great because we have many tools such as Google Meet, Google Sheets, and Google Drive. However, the space is very limited. We purchased extra space until it reached 100 gigabytes. I have been using Google since having a Gmail account in 2001 when I was a student. Google Classroom allows me to make quizzes and assignments for students with random ordering, but I would appreciate having a pool of questions feature. For example, having 1000 questions and extracting 20 for each student would allow every student to have a different version. Currently, while using quizzes, every question appears to every student, though the order might differ. Adding the pool of questions would be beneficial. Having statistics while students take their exams would be helpful - showing how many students submitted, how many are in progress, and how many have not started the quiz. Having a log file to track students who opened documents would be valuable. In Moodle, I can see which students opened files, downloaded them, or watched videos. This feature is not available in Google Classroom, which is why I prefer other applications with more powerful statistics to trace student performance.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The product's flexibility is exceptional."

"The integration with Zoom is a notable feature. It allows for seamless access to live class sessions directly from Canvas after authentication, enabling quick entry into Zoom calls. You can also schedule Zoom calls or private recordings directly within Canvas, making it convenient, especially for situations like self-recording exams. Additionally, Canvas excels in collaboration and discussion capabilities. Users can engage in discussions on various topics, and there's the option to create custom groups for more focused interactions. These groups provide a level of privacy and isolation from the broader class, which is a significant advantage."

"The assessment tools in Canvas significantly contribute to educational outcomes by allowing instructors to create and manage assessments effectively."

"Its easy adaptability to whatever form or methodology you are using to teach is valuable. It tends to be seamless, and it is very much a self-intuitive product. It requires almost no instruction, and you can be fully up to speed and ready to run on it. You can bring someone in who has never worked with any online learning or LMS system, and in a week's timeframe, they would almost be fully functional because Canvas is so simple to use."

"It's easy to follow. It flows well, and it's easy to use."

"We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings."

"Canvas LMS is user-friendly. Its assessment tools help to find the weaknesses and strengths of students."

"I used a lot of other systems in my IT career and Canvas LMS truly has everything that I would look for in an enterprise system."

More Canvas LMS pros

"The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is the ability to meet people and it is online."

"Google Classroom is simple to use."

"When a teacher uploads material, all students connected to that class will receive the same information at the same time. I have found this to be a valuable feature. I also like that the material remains in Google Classroom until the teacher removes it. The UI is user-friendly, and you don't have to have prior experience to use the solution."

"Company-wise, the most important feature is that it is a product of Google. It is a part of Google Suite. With Google Classroom, you can easily embed a Google Sheet, Google Doc, or Google Form. You can easily create a quiz in Google Form. It is integrated with Google Drive. So, everything is on Google Drive, and you can easily use it. With single sign-on, you can use it with Google Apps as well."

"What I liked most about Google Classroom is it was very easy to communicate with the students and simple for me to learn even though it was the first time I was using it. I was able to learn the features very well by navigating through the different discussions forums and becoming proficient, not necessarily a master but knowledgeable in using the solution. The ease of use was the best feature."

"This solution integrates with all the other Google apps including Google Calendar and Google Docs. This makes it very easy to manage."

"The most valuable feature of Google Classroom is security."

"The product's initial setup phase was easy."

More Google Classroom pros

Cons

"The learning curve is not steep, but it is intermediate."

"The solution could be upgraded and improved."

"It would be nice to be able to do more real-time comprehensive reporting with Canvas LMS."

"The product could be integrated with a talent management system."

"The high-tech interactivity with other software, like ArcGIS or RSA Archer, can be better. It is not as easily compatible with them. You can put apps in it that the students can then access, but the routing of apps through the Canvas system slows down functionality on the other types of products."

"In our working, we are encountering many challenges with Canvas LMS. One of the major area is their business model which is having a very different pricing structure. The structure is made in such a way that the license fee is needed to be paid for the complete year even if the student has been enrolled for a programme of short duration. This structure is not conducive with our needs and hence, in the past few years, been increasing our costs manifold. Along with this, Canva LMS also lacks many functionalities such as notifications and adaptive learning. There is a specific issue with the licensing model that affects us in continuous education. The inability to reuse a license for the same course in different terms hinders our cost efficiency. For instance, if a program runs from January to April, we are required to pay for the license twice within the same academic year. This contrasts with other platforms like Hyper, where reusing a license is possible, allowing us to use the same license multiple times in different terms. Along with the use, we are exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into our processes, and Canvas LMS falls short in this regard. While some platforms allow connections with external AI services, Canvas does not currently offer built-in artificial intelligence capabilities, a feature we find valuable for enhancing the learning experience."

"Integrating more AI capabilities for the product could enhance its functionality, particularly in automating repetitive tasks and personalizing learning experiences."

"It would be good to be able to do teleconferencing within the LMS."

More Canvas LMS cons

"It would be helpful to add voice or audio capabilities to the classrooms instead of text only."

"I would like to see a better user experience, a more engaging interface, and more templates. Google should develop templates or at least encourage developers to share them. You'll only get a basic framework when you create a new course. You don't have different themes to choose from like you do in Moodle."

"There can often be language barriers when you're not dealing with local technical support, which can be challenging."

"The product must provide different plans for different customers so that we can pay for only what we use."

"There's room for improvement in the offline functionality. When you're working with a class, you can't close the class or perform certain tasks when you're offline."

"The product should provide features that allow teachers to be on video while taking the class."

"The initial setup of Google Classroom is straightforward. The deployment took us two to three months because we had to train the faculty."

"Students used to have points that were accumulated and the letter grades, such as A's, B's, C's, et cetera. Google Classroom should add a feature by which you can toggle in between both of them. It's more than only accumulated points, which are not going to mean that much for students unless there's a prize at the end or some type of reward for the effort. However, if there's a way to toggle in between allocating points versus allocating a grade, it would be nice."

More Google Classroom cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The platform can be expensive for smaller organizations with fewer students."

"Canvas LMS is an affordable solution."

"The pricing of Canvas is satisfactory for my university. We have negotiated a good price, especially considering that we are a large university with twenty-six campuses across the country. Canvas offers a favorable pricing model for academic institutions, and the cost is reasonable. However, in continuous education, the challenge lies not in the price itself but in the business model. The requirement to pay for the entire year when our students may only use the license for a shorter duration creates challenges. The inability to adjust the licensing based on actual usage is a significant drawback for us, making the effective cost higher compared to other platforms like Hyper Learning"

"Canvas LMS is low-priced compared to other vendors."

"For Google Classroom, you don't need to pay for its license because they offer free access to the platform."

"Google Classroom is free to use."

"There are competitors that offer free solutions, making the price of Google Classroom high."

"The solution is affordable."

"Google Classroom is a free solution."

"I'm using a free version of Google Classroom, so it's a product I don't pay for."

"We did not need a license to use Google Classroom."

"Google Classroom is a free solution. There is paid version that has more options, the cost is approximately eight dollars per student per month."

More Google Classroom pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

21%

Educational Organization

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

22%

University

16%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	14
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	10

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Canvas LMS?

We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Canvas LMS?

There are some disadvantages with Canvas LMS and always improvements to be made. That comes with technology. As technology improves, the product will improve. Regarding features that Canvas LMS cou...

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What advice do you have for others considering Canvas LMS?

Canvas LMS is the best solution because they have enabled scaleability and cutting edge technology transfer through Thomas Bravo, a multi-billion dollar company and will soon have the financial the...

See all answers

What do you like most about Google Classroom?

The product's UI is good and user-friendly.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Google Classroom?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Google Classroom?

I'm not creating classrooms using Google Classroom, as I join courses that other professors have created. Our university works with Outlook and Teams, but I still use Google Classroom when joining ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Acorn PLMS vs Canvas LMS

Compared 12% of the time

Moodle vs Canvas LMS

Compared 11% of the time

Cornerstone Learn vs Canvas LMS

Compared 9% of the time

SAP SuccessFactors Learning vs Canvas LMS

Compared 7% of the time

Kajabi Course vs Canvas LMS

Compared 7% of the time

More Canvas LMS Competitors

Moodle vs Google Classroom

Compared 36% of the time

Blackboard Learning Management vs Google Classroom

Compared 17% of the time

EduWave vs Google Classroom

Compared 11% of the time

Schoology Learning vs Google Classroom

Compared 9% of the time

Thinkific Plus vs Google Classroom

Compared 8% of the time

More Google Classroom Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Canvas LMS

January 2026

Download Canvas LMS product report

Buyer's Guide

Google Classroom

January 2026

Download Google Classroom product report

Overview

Canvas LMS is a comprehensive learning management system that enhances the educational experience. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows educators to create and manage courses, assignments, and assessments. Canvas enables seamless communication and collaboration between students and teachers. It supports various multimedia formats, making it easy to incorporate engaging content into lessons. Canvas also provides a mobile app, ensuring accessibility on the go. Its built-in analytics and reporting allow educators to track student progress and identify areas for improvement. Canvas LMS can integrate with other educational tools and platforms, enhancing its functionality. Canvas LMS is a powerful and versatile platform that empowers educators to deliver effective and engaging online learning experiences.

Instructure

Google Classroom is an online learning platform that allows teachers to create and manage virtual classrooms. With Google Classroom, teachers can easily distribute assignments, communicate with students, and provide feedback. Students can access their assignments, submit their work, and collaborate with their peers all in one place. The platform integrates seamlessly with other Google tools like Google Drive and Google Docs, making it easy for students to create and share their work. Google Classroom also provides a streamlined workflow for teachers, allowing them to save time and stay organized. Google Classroom is a user-friendly and efficient tool that enhances the learning experience of teachers and students alike.

Google

Sample Customers

Pragmatic Group, MRWED Training and Assessment, RedHill Education

Google Classroom is used in major urban school districts throughout the United States, including: * Los Angeles Unified School District * Chicago Public Schools * New York City Department of Education * Houston Independent School District * Miami-Dade County Public Schools * Dallas Independent School District * Broward County Public Schools * Clark County School District (Las Vegas) * Philadelphia School District

Buyer's Guide

Canvas LMS vs. Google Classroom

December 2025

Free Report: Canvas LMS vs. Google Classroom

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