Edmodo
Element
| Feature | Edmodo | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free only | Free / from $5/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | k12-teachers, students, parents, school-districts | open-source-teams, governments, privacy-focused-orgs, developers |
| Founded | 2008 | 2017 |
| Class Groups | ✓ | ✗ |
| Assignments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Quizzes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Messaging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Resource Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Parent Accounts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Encrypted Messaging | ✗ | ✓ |
| Voice Video Calls | ✗ | ✓ |
| Spaces | ✗ | ✓ |
| Bridges | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Federation | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Edmodo Pros
- Free for all users
- Safe social learning environment
- Easy for students to use
- Good parent communication
✗ Edmodo Cons
- Limited advanced LMS features
- Less active development recently
- Basic assessment tools
✓ Element Pros
- Decentralized architecture
- End-to-end encryption
- Self-hosting option
- Bridges to other platforms
✗ Element Cons
- Complex setup for non-technical users
- Smaller ecosystem
- Performance can lag on large rooms
The Verdict
Edmodo is built for k12 teachers and students, with a focus on class-groups and assignments. Element targets open source teams and governments and leads with encrypted-messaging and voice-video-calls.
Edmodo uses custom enterprise pricing, while Element starts at $5/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Element edges out on user ratings (4.2 vs 3.8). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Element has a slight overall edge — but if free for all users matters most to you, Edmodo may still be the right call.