CourseStorm vs Populi Financial Aid
CourseStorm
coursestorm.com
Populi Financial Aid
populiweb.comSide by side
| Figure | CourseStorm | Populi Financial Aid |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $99/mo | $1,999/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 8 | 1 |
| Spec score · Course Registration Software | 7.7 (#15) | 7.9 (#10) |
| Founded | 2011 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | The site lists CourseStorm at 148 Main St, Orono, Maine 04473. | Moscow, Idaho, United States |
| Integrations | Named integrations include Spektrix, Little Green Light, PatronManager, Neon One, Bloomerang, MailChimp, Constant Contact, WordPress, Google Calendar, and Zapier. | Populi lists a Web API, LTI, webhooks, and SSO for connecting school systems; its LMS supports Zoom and BigBlueButton video conferencing. |
| Security | CourseStorm states that its registration program is HIPAA and PCI compliant, uses 256-bit SHA-2 encryption for catalog communications, and maintains nightly and weekly data backups. | Populi describes 256-bit SSL-encrypted connections, encrypted backups, firewalls, proactive monitoring, password requirements, user access privileges, timed logouts, and record change logs. |
| Support | The pricing page lists a 24/7 help library, and its FAQ says live support is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. | Customer support and training are included; phone support is available Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time. |
Plans
CourseStorm
- Starter (yearly)$99 a month
- Starter (monthly)$119 a month
- Core (yearly)$169 a month
- Core (monthly)$219 a month
- Pro (yearly)$269 a month
- Pro (monthly)$329 a month
- All Access (yearly)$399 a month
- All Access (monthly)$499 a month
In their own words
CourseStorm
CourseStorm has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Populi Financial Aid
Populi Financial Aid is the financial aid feature in Populi, a hosted platform that also combines college academics, admissions, billing, donations, and reporting. Its Aid tools support packaging, disbursing, and reporting without a third-party servicer. The platform connects directly to the Department of Education for SAIG mailbox documents, COD award syncing, and response resolution. FAFSA information feeds student profiles and aid applications, where staff can review error codes, aid counselings, and MPNs. Other tools include Satisfactory Academic Progress reporting, preset disbursement timetables, built-in Pell tables, and batch disbursements. A financial aid API can connect to servicers and bring disbursed awards into student accounts. Populi is hosted and browser-based, needs no local installation, and says it works on Mac, Windows, and Linux computers. Support and training are included, with phone support Monday through Friday, 6 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time. The monthly price includes 2,000 GB of file storage and 200 GB of data transfer; extra amounts are charged separately. The pricing note says from $199/mo, while the listed Populi plan is $1,999 a month.