Compare Gradebooks

According to two independent sources, Compete, Inc. and Alexa Internet, Inc., more people
use Jupiter Grades than any other subscription-based hosted gradebook. No data is available for
gradebooks that schools must host themselves.

This table compares the most popular web-based gradebooks for individual teachers and districts.
Scroll down for an explanation of other types of gradebooks. Click the gradebook titles to see their
websites. Reviews were conducted by Jupiter.

See also FREE gradebooks.

Web-based Gradebooks	Jupiter Grades	Teacher Ease	GradeBook Wizard	Think Wave
Price per year or less for volume discounts	$49.95	$89.95	$49.00	$49.95
Reviewed on	07/11	07/11	07/11	07/11
Grading	GradeBook	GradeBook	GradeBook	GradeBook
Standards-based with rubrics and performance charts			no charts
Weighted grading periods (eg: Qtr1=40% Qtr2=40% Exam=20%)
Custom marks for excused, missing, etc.		not custom	not custom	excused only
Scores can be entered as percents, letter grades or rubrics			no percents
Drop low scores automatically
Curve grades
Show "what if" grades

Parent/Student Access	Jupiter Grades	Teacher Ease	GradeBook Wizard	Think Wave
Parent/student login with all classes summarized on one page			separate pages	separate pages
Email grades & messages to parents & students		no grades		web msg
Automatic alerts sent to parents (if absent, missing work, low grades)	email & text		email
Spanish translation of email, comments, standards, etc.

Easy to Use, Save Time	Jupiter Grades	Teacher Ease	GradeBook Wizard	Think Wave
Sample Measure: How many pages must load to grade the same assignment for three classes	3	10	10	9
Changes are saved automatically (so you don't need to click Save on every screen to save grades)
Undo/revert mistakes
Mobile version for iPhone, etc.
Transfer grades automatically if student transfers classes		not automatic
Team teachers can share class
Searchable help
Video tutorials				no audio

Security	Jupiter Grades	Teacher Ease	GradeBook Wizard	Think Wave
Alert if someone else logs into your account	email if suspicious	none	email if suspicious	check log
Restore grades from backups
TA login with limited access (to enter scores, homework & roll for you)

Administration	Jupiter Grades	Teacher Ease	GradeBook Wizard	Think Wave
Schoolwide report cards				additional cost
Lookup current grades of any student in all classes at once		one class at a time		additional cost
Schoolwide grade reports for GPA, eligibility, low grades, etc.
Schoolwide attendance tracking		daily only not period		additional cost
Import schedules from SIS
Export students & grades to data file for integration			spreadsheet only

Other Features	Jupiter Grades	Teacher Ease	GradeBook Wizard	Think Wave
Attendance
Seating Charts		limited	limited
Discipline Log & Referrals		no referrals	no referrals
Teachers & students can post files online		teachers only	teachers only
Lesson Plans				limited
Test scanner integration
Class Website

The above gradebooks are all web-based hosted solutions. Here are other types of gradebooks to consider:

Web-Based vs. Software

Web-based gradebooks run on a central server, which you access from your web browser on any computer. Software gradebooks are installed on your personal computer. Originally all gradebooks were software, like Easy Grade Pro, GradeQuick, MicroGrade, and Gradekeeper. But now schools use web-based gradebooks because no extra integration or synchronization is required to post grades online for parents and students, and it is easier to support. The only advantages of software gradebooks are that you can work offline and they are faster. Web-based gradebooks are hosted either in the cloud or on your district's server.

Cloud Hosted vs. Installed On Site

Cloud-hosted gradebooks run on the company's servers off-site. This is also called an ASP solution (application service provider) or SaaS (software as a service). Non-hosted gradebooks are installed on your district's server on-site. Originally all gradebooks were on-site, but since the advancement of the Internet and SSL, it is now more secure to host data off-site. Cloud-hosting includes complete maintenance, while on-site solutions require your IT staff to do more of the maintenance, so you would need to compare your internal IT costs against the external service costs of a cloud-hosted gradebook. Jupiter is cloud-hosted.

Standalone vs. All-in-One

Many student information systems (SIS) include a gradebook component as part of their all-in-one package. The advantage is that it is already integrated, and it is either free or low cost. The disadvantage is that most SIS companies do not put much effort into their gradebooks, so they are lacking in features and are not well-liked by teachers. For this reason many school districts instead choose to use a full-featured standalone gradebook from a different company, and optionally integrate it with their SIS. This is also called a best-of-breed solution. Jupiter SIS includes the full-feature gradebook.