CommonLit vs Formative
CommonLit
commonlit.org
Formative
formative.comSide by side
| Figure | CommonLit | Formative |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $350/mo | $20.75/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Google Workspace Teacher Resources Software | 8.5 (#7) | 7.9 (#13) |
| Audience | CommonLit describes its instructional materials as supporting literacy development for students in grades 3–12, while CommonLit 360 serves grades 6–12. | The platform supports individual teachers, whole schools, district teams, and students across K-12 grades and subjects. |
| Class size | There is no limit on students in a CommonLit class, though the support center recommends capping classes at 100 for best performance. | Formative says there is no limit to the number of students that can be added to a class. |
| Integrations | CommonLit lists Clever, ClassLink, Canvas, and Google Classroom integrations; Canvas integration is limited to eligible paid school packages. | Formative integrates with Google Classroom, Clever, ClassLink, Canvas, and other LMS/SIS platforms for rostering, single sign-on, and assignment syncing. |
| Support | Paid school plans list priority teacher support and a dedicated success manager among their support features. | The Help Center is available 24/7, and users can contact [email protected] for assistance. |
Plans
CommonLit
- CommonLit DigitalFree
- Spark$4,200 a year
- Core$7,200 a year
- Elevate$12,800 a year
Formative
- Free TeacherFree
- Classroom Plan$20.75 a month
- Small School Plan$260.42 a month
- Balanced Assessment by FormativePriced on request
In their own words
CommonLit
CommonLit is a nonprofit literacy provider offering teaching materials and an English language arts program for schools. Its Text Library gives teachers access to thousands of free literary works and texts from diverse and contemporary authors. CommonLit 360 is a full-year, standards-aligned curriculum for grades 6–12, combining reading, writing, speaking, and listening around complete texts and grade-level tasks. It includes three benchmark assessments for tracking students’ reading growth and proficiency during the school year. The materials support literacy development for grades 3–12, while the 360 curriculum covers grades 6–12. Listed integrations include Clever, ClassLink, Canvas, and Google Classroom; Canvas is limited to eligible paid school packages. Google Classroom can import classes and students, post assignments to the class stream, and export scores to the gradebook. The Digital plan is free for teachers and students. School plans are listed at $4,200 a year, $7,200 a year, and $12,800 a year, each with a one-year commitment.
Formative
Formative is a web platform for creating interactive lessons, assigning assessments, and seeing student progress as responses arrive. It serves individual teachers, schools, districts, and K-12 students across subjects. Luna AI can generate standards-aligned activities from prompts, PDFs, or documents, then provide hints and feedback. More than 20 technology-enhanced question types and multimedia formats support varied assessments. Teachers receive live response data to identify misconceptions and adjust instruction during learning. Integrations with Google Classroom, Clever, ClassLink, Canvas, and other LMS or SIS systems support rostering, single sign-on, and assignment syncing. Formative says it complies with FERPA, COPPA, and other K-12 privacy standards; student information is not sold, and student work is not sent to a public chatbot. Access requires a current Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browser and stable high-speed internet. The Free Teacher plan costs nothing. Classroom Plan costs $20.75 a month, billed annually, and a 14-day trial is listed. There is no stated limit on students added to a class.