Overview

Gradelink combines academic management with school operations and teaching and learning tools. Administrators, admissions teams, business offices, teachers, parents and students, and dioceses or districts are all among its intended users. That makes it more than a gradebook: the same system covers classroom records, student administration, and tuition workflows.

Implementation support is a practical advantage for schools replacing or consolidating systems. Personalized phone and email support, staff training, help-site access, and automatic software updates are included. After receiving requested materials, Gradelink says it imports school data and sets up report cards, GPA, attendance, terms, gradebooks, and transcripts within 5–10 business days.

Key features

Academics and student records

Attendance, class scheduling, gradebooks, lesson plans, standards-based grading, report cards, and transcripts cover the core academic record. Demographic and medical records, student photos, and IEP tracking extend that recordkeeping beyond grades. This combination suits schools that want classroom and student information managed together, rather than separate systems for each.

Billing and integrations

Accounts receivable, billing statements, automated lunch billing, incidental billing, and multiple tuition rates give business offices tools for recurring and incidental school charges. Integrations include Apple School Manager, FACTS Tuition Management, Google Classroom, Microsoft School Data Sync, and NCEA reporting. Google Classroom grade syncing is available to all Gradelink users at no extra charge, while ClassLink automatically syncs rosters.

Family access and safeguards

The iOS and Android Student/Parent app shows schedules, grades, attendance, and upcoming homework, but requires Gradelink Standard Service. Web and mobile connections use SSL encryption, backups run nightly to local and remotely encrypted storage, and each school has a separate database. Gradelink’s terms say it will not sell School Personal Information or use or disclose it for commercial or marketing purposes.

Pricing

Gradelink SIS starts at $106 / mo, with a $275 one-time setup fee. The quote calculator example is for 25 enrolled students, and enrolled student count affects the quote, so the starting figure is not a universal school price. The subscription is monthly and can be canceled at any time without penalty. Standard Service is required for add-ons.

The separate Gradelink Payments plan is $0/mo; transaction fees may be covered by the school or passed to families. SmartSend Pro is $16.67/mo for unlimited texts, emails, and voice messages, and requires Gradelink SIS. EnrollMe is $20.83/mo plus $497 setup for online enrollment and custom forms. Those add-ons expand an SIS subscription rather than serving as substitutes for it.

There is no free plan. Schools that need admissions forms or multi-channel messaging should compare those add-on costs with their needs; schools seeking only core records should focus on the SIS quote, setup charge, and student count.

Platforms

Gradelink supports Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. The Student/Parent app is specifically available on iOS and Android, and requires Standard Service.

Who it's for

Gradelink is best suited to schools that want one system spanning academic records, student administration, family access, and tuition billing, with implementation and ongoing support included. Its role coverage also makes it relevant to schools serving administrators, teachers, admissions and business staff, and parents or students. A school that does not need that breadth should weigh the subscription and setup cost against a more focused or free alternative.

Pros and cons

Pros: Academic records, student information, and multiple tuition workflows sit in one SIS, reducing the need to split those functions across products.
Pros: Phone and email support, staff training, and a defined 5–10 business day setup process can help schools manage implementation.
Pros: Google Classroom grade syncing is included at no additional charge, and ClassLink roster syncing is automatic.
Cons: The $106 / mo starting subscription and $275 one-time setup make it a paid commitment before add-ons; the SIS quote also varies with enrolled student count.
Cons: The mobile app requires Standard Service, which matters to families who expect app access as part of the base SIS price.
Cons: EnrollMe adds $497 setup, while SmartSend Pro and EnrollMe add recurring charges, increasing costs for schools that need those functions.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Student Information Systems and School Management Software.

RosarioSIS is worth considering for schools seeking free self-hosted software and willing to manage updates and the PHP and SQL database requirements themselves.
openSIS offers a free, open-source downloadable Community Edition for schools prepared to install and manage it independently.
Gibbon is a free, open-source school platform for schools that can self-manage hosting.
Aeries SIS is another paid SIS option for schools seeking a district-oriented quote.
Fedena is an alternative with a free plan and a paid Standard plan priced at $999.00 USD per year.
EMBASE Pro Suite may suit institutions seeking a 14-day full-access trial; it is available only to verified institutional email addresses ending in .edu.in.
Populi Financial Aid is a paid alternative with a month-to-month plan at $1999.00 USD per month.
Wisenet is another paid option, with a $160.00 AUD per month annual subscription and a minimum initial two-year term.

Verdict

Choose Gradelink if your school wants academic records, student administration, and billing joined in one system, and values support and setup alongside that breadth. Its strongest case is the range of school workflows under one SIS; look elsewhere if you need a free system, want to avoid setup costs, or do not need enough of that range to justify a student-count-based subscription.

	EMPOWER SIS	Gradelink
Paid from		$16.67/mo
Platforms	self-hosted, Web	Android, iOS, macOS, Web, Windows
Attendance tracking	Yes	Yes
Gradebook	Yes	Yes
Fee management	Yes	Yes
Admissions and enrollment	Yes	Yes
Free plan		No
Paid from		106 /mo
Parent portal		Yes

EMPOWER SIS vs Gradelink

EMPOWER SIS

Gradelink