What Is CANVAS?

Canvas by Instructure is a learning management system for every stage and style of education. As the hub of your digital learning environment, Canvas offers complete LMS functionality including standards-based grade books, course content authoring, customizable assessments, mobile communication, video learning and digital badging, (just to name a few). Take teaching and learning to the next level with Canvas, the #1 educational software, and the foundation of the Instructure Learning Platform.

Who Uses CANVAS?

Available to institutions of all sizes and types, from individual K-12 classrooms to universities to companies with a blended or fully virtual environment.

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Reviews of CANVAS

Average score

Overall
4.5
Ease of Use
4.4
Customer Service
4.3
Features
4.4
Value for Money
4.5

Reviews by company size (employees)

  • <50
  • 51-200
  • 201-1,000
  • >1,001
Kelly
Kelly
Freelance Digital Design Expert in Mexico
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

CANVAS makes higher education accessible anywhere you have an internet connection!

5.0 3 years ago

Comments: CANVAS is very user-friendly and an all-around excellent way to engage in continuing education and life-long learning. Personally, as an older student, I love using CANVAS.

Pros:

While I am unsure of the College's side in using this software, for me, as a student, I love using CANVAS. I enjoy travelling and with an easy-to-use, school-issued/provided LMS (Learning Management System/Software), I can take many classes online from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. The mobile application is robust and incredibly convenient, allowing 99% all-the-same functionality as the desktop version. Students can even take online quizzes and finals using their internet-connected mobile device (Smartphone). It is very user-friendly and an all-around excellent way to engage in continuing education and life-long learning as an older (personally, 42 years) college student.

Cons:

The only drawbacks to CANVAS I experienced were a loss of data if the active internet connection broke while in the middle of completing/submitting assignments and quizzes. I know that CANVAS has since implemented an auto-save feature on the quizzes, so that part of the problem is resolved. Whether or not this is true of the assignment submissions, I honestly do not know at this time.

Amelia
Division Manager in US
Hospital & Health Care, 5,001–10,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Quality Improvements

4.0 2 weeks ago New

Comments: Fantastic experience! I have used Canvas for years. Every time I come back the improvements are noticeable and make for a better overall experience. At the start of a semester or course, it is a relief when I see I will be using Canvas over their competitors.

Pros:

Ease of use on student and teacher platform. Whether using mobile or desktop, the program works smoothly and integrates easily.

Cons:

Notifications are not as intuitive as others. If a teacher adds a note to each section of a rubric the student will get a notification for each section.

Nicholas
Civics teacher in US
E-Learning, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source
Source: SoftwareAdvice

Dissatisfied with the user-unfriendly quality of Canvas

3.0 last week New

Comments: I have been able to assimilate some of the features from Canvas, but I feel like I am a day late and a dollar short.

Pros:

I do NOT like Canvas. I can appreciate the features of syncing grades in Canvas to the gradebook, as well as a way to categorize things as formative and summative.

Cons:

Canvas is INCREDIBLY WORDY. It has too many hoops to jump through to learn it easily, too large of a menu of options, and too many limitations for users to change or tweak those options. Canvas is NOT EYE APPEALING nor CATCHY to the reader, thereby making the software very DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE. Students are more responsive to color-coded folders to find their options. We already compete with the business world as teachers to keep kids' attention as it is. My students are consistently LOST in Canvas, and if the truth were told, so is their teacher. In my previous district, we used Schoology. It has less reviews than Canvas, but that should not be a determining factor as to the software's effectiveness. Schoology allowed for color coded folders to be created by the teachers, and it could be designed according to theirs and their students' own creativity and design. Things could easily be dragged from one folder to another. s

Lawrance
Founder in US
Education Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The best student management software I’ve found so far

5.0 2 months ago

Comments: Canvas helps me to interact with students in real time. It also leading the way in mobile use as well.

Pros:

It is very intuitive to use and it syncs very well with other software I use. I use Canvas for my classes as well as using it as a graduate student.

Cons:

Nothing yet, once we learned hire to use it, became a tremendous asset

Ajit
scientists in India
Education Management, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

" Excellent tools for multimedia integration, analytics, and collaboration "

5.0 last month New

Comments: Canvas is a popular learning management system (LMS) widely used by educational institutions and businesses for delivering online courses and managing learning materials. Canvas is known for its user-friendly interface, customizable design, and mobile app that allows users to access course materials and communicate with others on the go. Overall, Canvas is a well-regarded LMS that many users have positively received.

Pros:

Canvas is often praised for its user-friendly interface, customizable design, and wide range of features. Many users appreciate the platform's flexibility, including its ability to integrate multimedia content, enable collaborative learning, and provide analytics to track student progress.

Cons:

Some common criticisms of Canvas include limited customization options for the user interface and course design, a steep learning curve for instructors and administrators, and occasional technical issues, such as slow load times or glitches with specific features. Some users have also reported difficulty integrating external tools or applications into the platform, and others have expressed concerns about the pricing structure, which can be costly for larger organizations.