Canvas LMS by Instructure is a cloud learning management system used by 4,000+ schools, with a free, self-hosted open-source version also available.
Canvas is a learning management system built by Instructure, founded in 2008 by BYU graduate students Brian Whitmer and Devlin Daley and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Canvas launched in 2011 as a cloud-native alternative to older on-premise LMS platforms and is now used by more than 4,000 institutions and roughly 28 million students, teachers, and administrators globally.
Canvas is unusual among major LMS platforms in that it is dual-licensed: Instructure sells a fully hosted, supported commercial version to institutions, while the same core codebase is released as free, open-source software under the AGPLv3 license, so technically capable organizations can self-host it without paying a licensing fee.
The platform's core is course and content management — modules, assignments, quizzes, and discussion boards — paired with a customizable Gradebook and SpeedGrader, which lets instructors view a submission, rubric, and grade field on one screen, annotate PDFs, and leave text or video feedback.
Mastery Paths and Instructure's Outcomes and Mastery Connect tools support competency-based learning that branches based on assessment performance. Canvas Studio adds video-based learning, and Canvas Commons lets instructors and institutions share course content with one another.
Canvas has one of the more extensively documented APIs in the LMS category and supports the LTI interoperability standard, connecting to more than 1,000 third-party educational tools. Native mobile apps for students and teachers cover assignment submission, discussions, grading, and mobile SpeedGrader.
Institutional pricing for the Instructure-hosted commercial version is not publicly published and is negotiated per contract based on factors like enrollment size; prospective customers need to request a quote from Instructure's sales team.
Because the core Canvas codebase is open source under AGPLv3, organizations with their own technical infrastructure can self-host Canvas at no licensing cost, though they take on the work of installation, maintenance, and support themselves rather than relying on Instructure's managed hosting and support.
The source code is free and open-source under AGPLv3 for organizations that self-host it. The fully hosted, supported commercial version sold by Instructure requires a paid institutional contract.
Canvas is built by Instructure, founded in 2008 by Brian Whitmer and Devlin Daley and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
SpeedGrader is Canvas's grading tool that shows a student's submission, rubric, and grade field on one screen, with PDF annotation and video feedback.
Yes, Instructure offers native iOS and Android apps for both students and teachers.
Yes, via its open REST API and support for the LTI standard, connecting to more than 1,000 third-party educational tools.