CommonLit vs Teach Starter

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.

Teach Starter is a web-based library of teaching resources, classroom tools, and educator apps for K–6 teachers. Its collection covers curriculum-aligned printable and digital worksheets, activities, games, and classroom materials across subjects including English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health, fine arts, languages, and social-emotional learning. Resources come in formats such as Google Slides, PowerPoint, PDF, Word, and Google Sheets. With Plus, teachers get editable resources, lesson plans that combine materials with differentiation and assessment guidance, and unit plans that group lessons. Teach Starter Studio supports creating and adapting resources and display materials. The Free plan costs nothing, requires no credit card, and limits downloads to free resources, which are non-editable. Plus costs $6.08 a month, billed $73 yearly. School Plan costs $73 a year per teacher, requires at least five teachers, and includes Plus and one administrator account. Plus resources and digital tools remain available only during the subscription period.