OpenApply vs OpenEduCat

OpenApply supports school admissions from a family's first enquiry through enrolment. Parents can apply and re-enrol, track progress, receive updates and register for school events. It is positioned for international and independent schools, new schools, Greater China schools and school groups. The web application is hosted on OpenApply's servers and requires an internet connection and a modern browser with JavaScript enabled. OpenApply says application forms are built within 24–48 hours and typical implementation takes 4–6 weeks. Listed integrations include payment services such as Flywire, Alipay, WeChat and Stripe, alongside school systems including PowerSchool and iSAMS. Schools can export applicant and family information in PDF and Excel CSV formats; all stored information is exportable. A public API provides access to data and files. OpenApply says it is ISO 27001 compliant and encrypts data between users and its systems with SSL by default. Pricing is on request, with subscription fees based on enrolled student numbers. A free plan is listed, while the School Group Dashboard is an optional paid upgrade.

OpenEduCat is a modular education platform for institutions, available through cloud hosting or on-premise deployment. Institutions can select modules and add more as needed, with no per-student fees. Its systems connect student information with admissions, fees, library, hostel, and other institutional functions; the SIS supports real-time collaboration around student data. Community Edition supports standards and sign-on options including SCORM, xAPI, LTI 1.3, SAML, Shibboleth, OAuth2, Azure AD, and Google Workspace. The platform also lists assessments, certificates, API access, and Android and iOS apps. Its Free Edition has no learner cap or time limit, although capacity depends on hardware. The Free Edition uses the LGPL-3.0 license, with source code public on GitHub; institutions own their data and can self-host without student limits or license call-home. Self-hosting can use Linux, Python 3.10+, and PostgreSQL 14+. A 15-day trial is offered without a credit card. The listed Core plan is $489 a year, and the site lists a No Refund Policy.