Best Academic Advising Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Ellucian Degree Works is ranked #1 of 20 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of EAB Navigate360 and FlightPath. The best-ranked option with a free plan is FlightPath. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Slate at $2,500/mo.
Helping students map progress and plan their studies involves both degree requirements and ongoing advising work. Compared on degree audit, degree planning, and student planning portal features, these products also differ in early alerts, intervention workflows, and mobile access. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing let you weigh cost alongside the advising capabilities you need. Ellucian Degree Works, EAB Navigate360, and FlightPath are among the named options, with Slate and Civitas Advising also available to compare. Consider how your institution handles planning and follow-up, then use these criteria to assess which functions align with that work.
20 academic advising software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Compare all 20 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Degree audit | Degree planning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ellucian Degree Works | 7.2 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | EAB Navigate360 | 6.8 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 3 | FlightPath | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | Slate | 6.8 | No | $2,500/mo | No | — | — | — |
| 5 | Civitas Advising | 6.7 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 6 | ConexED Retain | 6.6 | No | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| 7 | Stellic | 6.6 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 8 | Ellucian Advising | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | HighPoint Degree Planner | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 10 | Starfish | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| 11 | CoreCampus | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 12 | Ellucian Banner Student | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | Kuali Financials | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 14 | TracCloud | 6.4 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 15 | uAchieve Planner | 6.4 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Watermark Student Success & Engagement | 6.2 | No | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| 17 | AdviseU | 6.0 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | Kuali Advisor | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 19 | Upswing Advising & Early Alerts | 5.7 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 20 | Ellucian Smart Plan | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which academic advising software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Ellucian Degree Works is ranked #1 of 20 with a score of 7.2. EAB Navigate360 is second and FlightPath third.
How many of these have a free plan?
1 of the 20 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Slate has the lowest first paid tier we found: $2,500/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.