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ThinkWave

thinkwave.com

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Spec score 8.7 #5 of 49 in School Management Software

What it is

ThinkWave is cloud-based school administration software combining student administration, grades, attendance, teacher gradebooks, and student and parent portal access. Teachers can post assignments and handouts, collect student work online, and upload files up to 25 MB each; the school system includes 100 GB of storage. It generates customizable report cards and transcripts from grades, comments, attendance, and custom student data. Grading options include points, letter, pass-fail, and custom scales, with assignment weighting and term averages. Schools can send messages and announcements by class, group, or school, including group email. ThinkWave also offers a free online gradebook. Its platforms include Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. A free 30-day trial of the school administration software includes all features. ThinkWave says it uses password-protected accounts and SSL encryption, stores data in Google Cloud data centers, and does not sell user data. Paid subscribers can get email support; support videos, FAQs, and a quickstart guide are also listed.

Spec sheet

What it does
ThinkWave is a cloud school-management system combining administration, teacher gradebooks, student and parent access, attendance, assignments, messaging, reports and transcripts.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Product
ThinkWave provides cloud-based school administration software with integrated teacher gradebooks and a free online gradebook.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Deployment
ThinkWave is entirely web based, requires no installed client software or school server, and is deployed through browser logins and emailed access codes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Trial
ThinkWave advertises a free 30-day trial of its school administration software with all features available during the trial.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Integrations
ThinkWave's blog says its gradebook integrates with Google Apps, Microsoft Teams and other digital tools.Read 14 Oct 2026 · blog.thinkwave.com
Security
The privacy policy states that ThinkWave uses SSL transmission encryption, password-protected accounts and Google App Engine hosting.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Privacy
ThinkWave says it does not sell student or other user data to third parties.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Support
ThinkWave lists support by email for paid subscribers and publishes support videos, FAQs, and a quickstart guide.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Headquarters
Sebastopol, California, United StatesRead 28 Sep 2026 · thinkwave.com
Founded
1997Read 28 Sep 2026 · thinkwave.com
Administrator features
Administrators manage students, classes, schedules, attendance, custom data, enrollment and multiple academic years.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
API and SDKs
The official sitemap and support index expose feature, FAQ and report resources but no public API, SDK or developer-documentation section.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Assignments
Teachers can post assignments and handouts, collect student work online, and upload files up to 25 MB each; the school system includes 100 GB of storage.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Attendance
Attendance types can be customized and recorded daily or by period, with support for standard, cyclical and weekly schedules.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Browser and device support
Official pages list Chrome, Firefox, Safari and other modern browsers on PC, Mac, Linux, iPad, iPhone and Android devices.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Communication
The system can send messages and announcements to students and parents by class, group, or school, including group email.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Company size on LinkedIn
LinkedIn lists ThinkWave, Inc. as privately held with 51–200 employees and headquarters in Sebastopol.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Data export
Student, attendance, grade and custom-field data can be exported in CSV, while structured custom reports can be exported as PDF.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Data sharing
The privacy policy says ThinkWave will not sell or share personal information outside ThinkWave, Inc., subject to stated legal and school-request exceptions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Documentation and support
Support materials include videos, a Quickstart PDF, FAQs, screen-by-screen guides, release notes and email support for paid subscribers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Extensibility
Schools can add custom fields, custom grade scales, custom calculations, custom report cards and custom transcripts.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Gradebook
Teachers can use points, percentages, letter grades, pass/fail, check-style and custom grading scales with weighted assignment types.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Grading
Teachers can use points, letter, pass-fail, and custom grading scales, with assignment type weighting and term averages.Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Homework workflow
Teachers upload assignments and handouts, while students submit homework online and files are organized by assignment and date.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Hosting
ThinkWave says its data runs on Google App Engine with redundant servers and continuous backups across multiple U.S. data-center locations.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Integrations and exports
The school system exports student, attendance, grade, and custom-field data in CSV format; the maker pages opened did not name third-party product integrations.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Licence model
ThinkWave presents the product as a proprietary, paid subscription with an all-inclusive license covering administration, gradebooks, access, support and upgrades; no open-source license is identified.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Limit: co-teacher access
G2 reviewers reported that shared classes may require sharing a login because co-teachers cannot be added cleanly without exposing other grade data.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: custom grading complexity
A Capterra reviewer found nontraditional grade scales cumbersome, with workaround-heavy setup for numeric and check-style grades and insufficient documentation.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Limit: discipline workflow
A Capterra reviewer said the product lacks a built-in discipline system and wished teachers could submit grades directly.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Limit: performance and updates
G2 reviewers reported slow performance, difficult organization and cases where parents said updated grades did not appear immediately.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: support responsiveness
A Capterra reviewer reported unanswered emails and phone support directing users back to email, and said the school planned to switch products.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Maker headquarters
ThinkWave states that it is headquartered in Sebastopol, California, north of San Francisco.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Maker history
ThinkWave says ThinkWave, Inc. was established in 1997 and incorporated in Delaware in 1998.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Messaging
Messages and announcements can target the whole school, groups, classes or individual students, with email delivery and file attachments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Parent and student portal
Password-protected student and parent views show day-to-day results, attendance, final grades, upcoming assignments and teacher messages.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Praise: ease and time savings
Capterra reviewers describe the product as easy to use, helpful for organizing assignments and saving time on grades, transcripts and attendance.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Praise: transparency and grading
G2 reviewers praise configurable grading, real-time student/parent visibility, emailed PDF reports and improved teacher effectiveness.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Capterra
4.2 out of 5 from 16 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · capterra.com
Rating on G2 product reviews
2.6 out of 5 from 6 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on G2 seller profile
3.4 out of 5 from 12 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on GetApp
4.2 out of 5 from 16 reviews.Read 14 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Release note
The November 1, 2025 release notes list sitewide autosave, a modernized interface, customizable colors/logos/dark mode and an enhanced dashboard.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Reports
The report builder combines custom fields, calculations, tags, transfer history and sorting, and reports can be created in any language.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
School management
The school system combines student administration, grades, attendance, teacher gradebooks, and student and parent portal access.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Storage limit
Administrator pages state that each uploaded file may be up to 25 MB and that 100 GB of online storage is included.Read 14 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
Who it serves
ThinkWave says its software is used by K–12 schools as well as colleges, trade schools, homeschool networks, international schools, and training programs.Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com

Plans and prices

Free Solo Gradebook Free Does not expire · no stated limits on students, classes, or assignments · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · thinkwave.com
School 1–15 students $17 a month monthly 1–15 students · administrators, teacher gradebooks, student/parent access Read 14 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
School 16–35 students $32 a month monthly 16–35 students Read 14 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 151–175 teachers $32.95 a year $32.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 126–150 teachers $33.95 a year $33.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 101–125 teachers $34.95 a year $34.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 76–100 teachers $35.95 a year $35.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 51–75 teachers $36.95 a year $36.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 20–50 teachers $37.95 a year $37.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 10–19 teachers $38.95 a year $38.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 2–9 teachers $39.95 a year $39.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com
Premium Gradebook — 1 teacher $49.95 a year $49.95 per teacher / year 100 GB online storage · ad-free · uploads up to 25 MB per file Read 7 Oct 2026 · store.thinkwave.com

Every ThinkWave plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Combines administration, grades, attendance, and portals
  • Customizable report cards and transcripts
  • Supports multiple grading scales and term averages
  • Includes 100 GB of school-system storage
  • Free online gradebook does not expire

Limits

  • Student work uploads are limited to 25 MB per file
  • Paid-subscriber support is by email
  • Third-party product integrations are not named

Who it suits

ThinkWave says it serves K–12 schools, colleges, trade schools, homeschool networks, international schools, and training programs. It may suit institutions seeking student records, grading, attendance, and family communication in one system.

ThinkWave in depth

Read the full write-up

ThinkWave is cloud-based school administration software with gradebooks, attendance, reporting, and family portals. It suits schools and education programs that need those records and communications in one system; the free standalone gradebook is a lower-commitment option. The main qualification is the free school plan’s 15-student limit, so larger schools need to weigh the per-teacher paid plans.

Overview

ThinkWave brings student administration, grades, attendance, teacher gradebooks, and student and parent access into a shared system. Teachers can post assignments and handouts, collect student work online, and send messages or announcements to a class, group, or whole school. That combination is more useful to schools coordinating records and family communication than to teachers seeking only a place to enter marks.

The product serves K–12 schools, colleges, trade schools, homeschool networks, international schools, and training programs. Its reach across those settings makes it worth considering beyond conventional schools, but the appropriate plan depends on teacher count and the free school plan’s student cap.

Key features

Teachers can grade with points, letter, pass-fail, or custom scales, weight assignment types, and calculate term averages. Customizable report cards and transcripts use grades, comments, attendance, and custom student data, helping schools turn classroom records into formal reporting without maintaining those inputs separately.

Assignment tools support handouts, online work collection, and uploads up to 25 MB per file; the school system has 100 GB of storage. The per-file ceiling is practical for ordinary classroom documents, while schools distributing larger materials will need another approach. Messages and announcements can be directed by class, group, or school, including group email.

ThinkWave says accounts are password protected, data transmission uses SSL encryption, and stored data is hosted in Google Cloud data centers. It also says it does not sell student or other user data to third parties. CSV exports cover student, attendance, grade, and custom-field data, useful for moving records into spreadsheet workflows. Support for paid subscribers is by email, with videos, FAQs, and a quickstart guide also published.

Pricing

ThinkWave is freemium, with a free 30-day trial of the school administration software that includes all features. The separate Free Solo Gradebook costs nothing and does not expire; it has no stated limits on students, classes, or assignments and allows uploads up to 25 MB per file. That is the clearest fit for an individual teacher who needs grading rather than the school-wide administration system.

Premium Gradebook pricing is billed per teacher per year, with 100 GB online storage, ad-free use, and uploads up to 25 MB per file. The rate is $49.95 a year for 1 teacher, $39.95 a year for 2–9 teachers, $38.95 a year for 10–19, $37.95 a year for 20–50, $36.95 a year for 51–75, $35.95 a year for 76–100, $34.95 a year for 101–125, $33.95 a year for 126–150, and $32.95 a year for 151–175 teachers. Larger teacher bands reduce the per-teacher rate; the one-teacher tier is materially more expensive per teacher than the largest listed tier.

The school administration trial gives a way to evaluate the full feature set for 30 days, but the free solo gradebook and paid Premium Gradebook are gradebook options, not equivalent substitutes for school administration. The school system’s free-plan cap is 15 students, so schools above that size should not assume the free route will serve their enrollment. Paid school administration pricing is custom pricing; the general paid-from figure is 17/mo.

Platforms

ThinkWave supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, giving schools options across mobile devices and desktop operating systems.

Who it's for

ThinkWave is a stronger fit for schools and education programs that want grading, attendance, student and parent portals, and reporting in one system. Admissions and enrollment are also supported. The free standalone gradebook is a sensible starting point for an individual teacher, while schools that need the broader administration tools should use the 30-day trial to assess them and budget for a paid plan if 15 students is not enough.

It is a weaker fit for a school that needs to stay on a free plan at more than 15 students, or for buyers who require named third-party integrations: ThinkWave offers CSV exports, but no third-party integrations are identified.

Pros and cons

Pro: Grades, attendance, portals, reporting, and school-wide communications sit together, reducing the need to split those workflows across separate tools.

Pro: The free standalone gradebook does not expire and has no stated student, class, or assignment limits.

Pro: Flexible grading scales and customizable report cards and transcripts support different grading approaches and school reporting needs.

Con: The school system’s free plan is capped at 15 students, a serious restriction for most larger institutions.

Con: Paid Premium Gradebook rates are per teacher per year, and the single-teacher tier costs more per teacher than the larger-volume tiers.

Con: CSV exports are provided, but buyers seeking named third-party integrations may find that insufficient.

Alternatives

For a dedicated gradebook, compare ThinkWave with Gradebook Software; schools evaluating broader administration platforms can also browse School Management Software.

Choose SimpleGradebook if its free plan and Android, iOS, and web coverage suit your needs; its maker is identified as Newcastle Technologies and the service is described as 100% Canadian owned and operated.

Vidyapeeth360 Digital Gradebook is worth considering for an INR-priced option: its free tier covers up to 100 students and 29 of 58 modules, while Essentials is ₹99 a year, billed ₹99 per student, a year.

Choose Smart Teacher if its free plan’s three-class limit, unlimited students, three planning schemes, 10 AI credits a month, and 100 MB fit the work better; it runs on Android and web and is priced in GBP for Pro.

Gradebook.ng offers a web-only free plan for up to 50 students with essential grade management, making it an option for buyers whose needs fit that narrower scope.

iVake Gradebook is an alternative for Indian institutions seeking campus operations for up to 200 students at ₹8 a month, billed ₹8 per student / month; it has no free plan.

Gradekeeper is a paid alternative at $20, paid once, with no annual renewal and web and desktop versions plus future versions at no additional cost.

iGradePlus Enterprise School Management System may suit buyers looking at enterprise school management; its sample annual price is 3055.00 USD for 400 students, with unlimited teachers and administrators.

Verdict

Choose ThinkWave if your school or education program needs gradebooks, attendance, family access, reporting, and communications together, and the teacher-based pricing and enrollment limits fit. Its broad school workflow and durable free gradebook are the strongest reasons to start; look elsewhere if you need a free school system for more than 15 students or rely on named third-party integrations.

Verdict

ThinkWave covers classroom records, family access, reporting, and school communications. Its free gradebook and 30-day full-feature trial provide separate ways to start; check which plan fits the school’s needs.

Where Specifiction places it

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