The best software for teachers

Being a teacher can be incredibly rewarding, but it also can be tough. Even in ideal situations when teachers have a clear curriculum and well-behaved students — which is a combination that’s hard to find — the job requires a lot of time and energy.

Thankfully, technology has come a long way in recent years, and there are many types of solutions that provide much-needed education support inside (and outside) the classroom. Keep reading to learn about the best software for teachers that’s currently available on the market.

The best software for teachers: Types and examples

1. Data collection tools 

Information collection is a huge part of education — from the admissions process to homework assignments. Some of the best software tools for teachers are found in this category because information collection is an integral part of a teacher’s daily life. These tools help teachers collect answers to test questions, student surveys, and more.

However, collecting information isn’t enough — teachers and administrators also need to be able to analyze it and derive meaning from it. Many data collection tools come with data analysis features that make it easy to spot trends and anomalies, which can help teachers make decisions for the future of the classroom.

Here are our top picks for data collection tools for teachers.

Jotform

Jotform, a powerful form builder, is a prime example of a data collection tool. You can build a Jotform form for all kinds of classroom needs: quizzes, student progress reports, and even field trip permissions. There are hundreds of prebuilt templates you can customize to meet your exact needs.

Distribute forms, collect responses, and keep everything organized in one place with Jotform. Get started with a Jotform education template today.

Best for: Educators, administrators, parents, and students who want a simple way to collect and analyze data

Key features

• Hundreds of education-related templates for teachers and administrators
• Conditional logic
• Multiple question types and widgets, including video- and audio-capture fields
• Report-building tools
• Electronic payment and e-signature collection

Pricing

Jotform offers a free plan and multiple paid plans starting at $34 per month. There’s also a 50 percent discount for educators.

Google Forms

Google Forms, part of the Google Workspace suite of products, is a simple and intuitive data collection tool that can benefit the education sector. It’s great for quizzing students, collecting contact details from parents, and more.

Best for: Schools that use Google Workspace

Key features

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality
• Multiple question types
• Customizable themes
• Some conditional logic options
• Seamless integration with other Google Workspace apps like Google Sheets

Pricing

Google Forms on its own is free to use, and it’s included with Google Workspace.

Qualtrics

Qualtrics is an experience management software that includes data collection tools as part of its suite. School districts have used it to survey teachers and staff, gather feedback from students about their learning experiences, ask parents about program offerings, and more.

Best for: Large educational institutions with specific goals for improving student, parent, or teacher experiences

Key features

• Advanced data analytics and reporting tools
• Survey question library
• Integration with many learning management solutions
• Enterprise-grade security

Pricing

Qualtrics offers multiple product suites and pricing plans. Contact the sales team for pricing details. 

2. Learning management systems 

A learning management system, or LMS, is a software tool that helps teachers manage their online coursework. These systems help teachers build, store, and deliver online curriculum. This can include everything from syllabi and digital notes to video instructions and online assessments.

“On the student end, an LMS not only enables students to learn, study, and take assessments but also to receive feedback,” says Scott Winstead, education technology expert and founder of My eLearning World. “This means that, in addition to being graded, students can review notes from the teacher about their work.”

Winstead says Blackboard is one of the most popular LMSs. It includes student profiles, calendars, student and group management, grading features, content management, collaboration capabilities, and more. “It’s known for its ability to offer extremely customized learning experiences.”

Here are a couple of our top choices for LMS applications for teachers.

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a learning management solution with a focus on collaboration and communication. It enables teachers to deliver learning resources, communicate with parents and other teachers, and provide valuable feedback on student assignments.

Best for: Schools and educational institutions that use the Google Workspace suite of tools

Key features

• Custom classrooms, assignments, and grading for students
• Real-time feedback
• Assignment submission for students
• Daily or weekly summaries
• Ability to support a variety of content types such as videos, images, forms, and more

Pricing
Google Classroom is part of the Google Workspace suite of tools, which offers different tiers of pricing for teachers, administrators, and institutions.

Canvas LMS

Canvas LMS offers solutions for all types of educational scenarios, from kindergarten to higher education to corporate learning. It comes with additional tools such as a course catalog and digital badging credentials.

Best for: Schools looking for an all-in-one LMS with advanced features

Key features

• Hub for classroom assignments, resources, grades, and more
• Interactive data analytics and reports
• Personalized content delivery for students
• Accessible learning tools for students with different needs
• Hundreds of integrations

Pricing

Canvas LMS offers a free trial. Contact its sales team for a demo and for custom pricing details.

Moodle

Moodle is an open-source learning management platform that enables educators to create a custom platform to meet the specific needs of their students and curriculum.

Best for: Educators and administrators with platform development knowledge or resources

Key features

• Fully customizable platform
• Powerful integrations with other learning tools
• Mobile-compatible interface
• Open-source plug-ins that use AI
• Can be adapted to suit any level of education

Pricing

Moodle is available for free. Note that there will be costs involved for hosting, developing, and maintaining your Moodle platform.

3. Online teaching platforms

Winstead says online teaching platforms are the “lifeblood” of virtual education. They allow teachers to connect with students to deliver course materials in both live and on-demand formats. These platforms often feature virtual learning and collaboration-focused tools so students can work with their peers. 

If this description sounds like an LMS, that’s because it is. Winstead says online teaching platforms are similar to LMSs, but they do have some distinctions. “In general, LMSs are more robust in functionality — they’re more complex systems. They typically allow for additional capabilities such as file storage, file sharing, messaging, and more. Online teaching platforms tend to focus on just course delivery.”

Udemy is one example of an online teaching platform. “It makes creating and uploading courses an easy task,” says Winstead.

Here are some other top teaching platforms.

Teachable

Teachable is a teaching platform for more than just classroom educators — entrepreneurs and businesses often use it too. It supports the building and selling of educational courses of all types. 

Best for: Educators who don’t work in a traditional school environment

Key features

• No-code platform for creating courses, digital downloads, and coaching content
• Website builder
• Online payments
• E-commerce optimization tools
• Subtitles and translations for course material

Pricing

Teachable has a free plan as well as three paid plans starting at $39 per month.

 OpenLearning

OpenLearning is an AI-powered platform that enables educators to create, deliver, and sell online courses to their audience. It provides a social learning experience, thanks to features like OpenLearning chat, interactive widgets, comments, likes, kudos, and gamification metrics.

Best for: Educators and institutions that want to reach a wider audience

Key features

• Drag-and-drop functionality for building media-rich courses
• Collaborative group work assignments
• Course progress tracker
• Certificates and micro-credentials
• Course branding and sales landing pages

Pricing

OpenLearning has three paid plans starting at $146 per month; the lowest-priced plan allows up to 100 learners and two educators. 

Podia

Podia is a platform that enables educators to create, share, and sell courses while scaling their business. It comes with a number of marketing solutions to help you reach a wider audience.

Best for: Educators who are starting a teaching business

Key features

• Multimedia course creation
• Website and landing page builder
• Email marketing templates
• Various course plans including bundles and drip content
• Online payments

Pricing

Podia has a free plan as well as three paid plans starting at $9 per month.

4. Video conferencing tools

Video conferencing tools make the virtual learning environment as interactive as possible. “Without videoconferencing, students can feel alienated, as they lack face time with both the teacher and other students,” Winstead explains.

These tools enable students to not only watch teachers deliver lectures but also to see other students. Videoconferencing tools allow for live student participation, as teachers can see each student (assuming their webcams are turned on) and let them ask questions. They also feature breakout rooms that let students work in small groups. All these features help mimic an in-person classroom environment.

“Zoom is probably the most popular video conferencing tool,” says Winstead. “It’s useful for delivering live lectures, providing face-to-face tutorials, and creating breakout rooms for small group collaborations.”

Learn more about our picks for top video conferencing tools for teachers.

Zoom

Zoom enables educators to connect with students anywhere in the world. In addition to video, users have access to a team chat, phone, whiteboard, and more to make communication more collaborative.

Best for: Educational institutions that have virtual classes

Key features

• Virtual meetings
• Online whiteboard
• Artificial intelligence companion for highlighting important information and more
• Virtual working spaces
• Enterprise-grade security and privacy

Pricing

Zoom meetings for education costs $90 per year per license, with a minimum requirement of 20 licenses.

Class Collaborate

Class Collaborate (formerly Blackboard Collaborate) is part of the Blackboard LMS. It’s a simple web conferencing tool for lessons and meetings for students of all ages and skill levels.

Best for: Educational institutions that use the Blackboard LMS

Key features

• Interactive whiteboards
• Chronological hand-raise notifications
• Extensive live chat
• On-demand polls
• Moderated breakout sessions

Pricing

Contact Class Collaborate for a demo and for pricing details.

Webex

Webex is a leading video conferencing tool that many educational institutions use, and organizations in many other industries consider it a useful tool as well. It has a suite of related products, such as video messaging and calling.

Best for: Educational institutions that hold virtual, in-person, and hybrid classes and events

Key features

• Meetings and webinars
• Digital whiteboards
• In-person and hybrid events
• One-tap scheduling and joining
• Closed captioning

Pricing

Webex has a free plan as well as a number of plans starting at $14.50 per license per month.

5. Classroom management software

Classroom management is another area that’s important for teachers. Tools in this category focus more on interactivity and student behaviors than curriculum — students get feedback from teachers and can earn rewards based on positive behaviors. “Classroom management software also goes beyond the classroom by enabling parents to log in and view their child’s behavioral performance,” says Winstead.

Winstead calls out ClassDojo as a useful example of classroom management software. The tool features media-sharing capabilities for students, private messaging, student group assignments, and more.

Here are some other classroom management tools to look into.

Lumio

Lumio is a learning platform that offers teachers different ways to engage with their students and enable them to collaborate with each other. For example, teachers can quickly and easily enhance lessons involving traditional PDFs or Google Slides with interactive activities, games, group workspaces and assessments.

Best for: K–12 educators

Key features

• Interactive learning experiences like activities and games
• Digital group workspaces
• Formative assessments
• Real-time insights
• Easy integrations with other apps like Canva and Slides

Pricing

Lumio has a free plan as well as two paid plans starting at $59 per year.

Hapara

Hapara is a classroom management software that makes online learning both fun and safe for students. It’s a great tool for building students’ digital citizenship skills.

Best for: K–12 educators who use Google Workspace, Canvas, and/or Schoology (which integrate seamlessly with Hapara)

Key features

• Chrome browser screen monitoring
• Power AI web filter to block specific search categories, keywords, and URLs
• Visual learning tools
• Comprehensive teacher dashboard
• Personalized learning experiences

Pricing

Contact Hapara for pricing details. 

Classroomscreen

Classroomscreen is an online whiteboard that educators can use to keep students engaged and focused. It also helps students to manage their time more effectively through timer widgets.

Best for: Educators who need a solution for keeping students on track

Key features

• Digital whiteboard templates
• Digital clock and timer
• Lesson planning tools
• Gamification
• Interactive polls

Pricing

Classroomscreen has a free plan as well as a paid plan for $29.90 per year. 

6. Registration and admissions solutions

“These solutions are similar to CRM [customer relationship management] software that businesses would use,” Winstead explains. “While they’re primarily targeted for administrator use with attendance monitoring and tuition management, teachers often use them for specific tasks, such as taking attendance and accessing student information.”

An example of student enrollment software is Blackbaud, which Winstead says many private schools and higher education institutions use. “Blackbaud includes everything an institution needs to identify, engage, and enroll students. You can accept digital applications, communicate with applicants throughout the enrollment process, and schedule meetings and campus tours.”

These registration and admissions solutions are also worth checking out.

Finalsite Enrollment

Finalsite Enrollment is an admissions and enrollment software that supports schools at every stage of the admissions journey, from attracting prospective students to billing for tuition.

Best for: Private K–12 schools that require registration and admissions support

Key features

• Admissions and enrollment software
• Mass communication tools for email and newsletters
• Content management system (CMS) for school websites
• Tuition billing software
• In-house marketing services

Pricing

Contact Finalsite for pricing details.

Teachmint

Teachmint is an integrated LMS that offers admissions and enrollment features in addition to student tracking, exam management, fee management, and other features.

Best for: Educational institutions that need an LMS platform that has admissions and enrollment capabilities

Key features

• Systematic lead nurturing
• Student status tracking
• Fee collection
• Student admissions portal
• SMS reminder functionality

Pricing

Teachmint has three paid plans. Contact its sales team for pricing details.

PowerSchool Enrollment

Part of the PowerSchool suite of products, PowerSchool Enrollment enables schools to manage the entire enrollment process while saving time and reducing overall costs.

Best for: Schools that use the PowerSchool suite of products

Key features

• Automated data entry
• Mobile-responsive interface
• Online payments
• Resource management tools
• Customized reports

Pricing

Contact PowerSchool for a demo of PowerSchool Enrollment and pricing details.

The best software for your classroom

The tools on this list are sure to support your teaching goals while engaging students and benefiting administrators and parents. Remember to review the feature sets of each tool to determine if it can support you in the classroom in the areas you need, and compare the pricing with the other tools in that category. Many tools come with free trials and plans, so try them out first to see if they can do the job you need.