How does ReachLMS compare?
Canvas LMS power at a fraction of the direct price, without the complexity of self-hosting Moodle.
| Feature | Our Pick ReachLMS | Moodle | Blackboard / Brightspace | Canvas Free for Teachers / Google Classroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fully Managed Hosting | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Affordable Pricing | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Admin Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Intuitive UI | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Personalized Support | Yes | No | No | No |
| White-Label Mobile App Support | Yes | No | No | No |
| Premium Bible Resources | Yes | No | No | No |
| Pricing | $50/mo for 50 users | Free software + hosting* | Custom quote† | Free (limited) |
| See Plans → |
ReachLMS runs full open source Canvas LMS. Enterprise Canvas is typically quoted per institution rather than published as a simple seat plan — always confirm current pricing with your vendor. *Moodle can be self-hosted as free software, but you carry hosting, maintenance, and admin time; official MoodleCloud hosting publishes plans from $160 to $2,090 per year, capped at 750 users, with no option for custom plugins. †Blackboard and Brightspace are quote-based enterprise contracts. Always confirm current pricing with each vendor.
For your committee
Need the full comparison with Instructure Canvas?
Our 63-page due diligence pack covers feature parity, pricing tables and total cost of ownership, security, migration and contract terms, with screenshots throughout.
Why institutions choose ReachLMS
Predictable, transparent pricing
Enterprise Canvas is usually quote-based, not a clear seat plan. ReachLMS starts at $50 a month on Saver, Premium adds more room and extras, and larger institutions can run Dedicated from $650 a month with no per-seat fees.
No servers to run
Moodle’s software is free, but someone still has to host, update, and maintain it. ReachLMS is fully managed: we handle hosting, updates, backups, and support so your team can focus on teaching.
Real LMS power
Google Classroom handles simple assignment workflows well, but it isn’t a full LMS. ReachLMS gives you the complete Canvas feature set: rubrics, outcomes, blueprint courses, SIS synchronization, and SAML SSO.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Canvas LMS cost with ReachLMS?
It depends on the plan. Saver is $50 a month billed yearly ($60 billed monthly), with 50 active learners included and $0.50 for each extra learner. Premium is $80 a month billed yearly, with 80 active learners included and $0.80 for each extra learner. Dedicated starts at $650 a month, plus setup from $4,000. A starter server handles roughly 750 to 3,750 students, depending on how they study (full time, self-paced and so on). Larger institutions need larger servers, so contact us for a quote fitted to yours.
ReachLMS or Moodle for a small college?
Both are built on solid open source LMSs. For years, small colleges and seminaries often settled for Moodle on low-cost hosting because an enterprise Canvas deal was out of reach, even though Canvas is the LMS many leading universities choose. ReachLMS changes that. Saver puts full Canvas within reach from $50 a month, fully managed, so your teachers and students get the Canvas experience without you running servers.
Is Google Classroom enough?
Google Classroom is free and handles simple assignments well. But it lacks much of what a college or university needs from an LMS, such as structured modules, prerequisites, completion tracking, rubrics and outcomes. Many institutions move to a full LMS once their budget allows, and ReachLMS keeps that step affordable.
Can we switch from Moodle, Blackboard or Brightspace without losing courses?
Yes. On Dedicated, we move your courses for you as part of setup and check them before you go live. On Saver and Premium, you can move courses yourself or have us do it with a migration package: $600 for 1–10 courses, $1,500 for 11–25 courses, or $3,000 for 26–50 courses. For more than 50, contact us for a quote.
Make the switch today
We handle the migration, the setup, and the support. You focus on your learners.