OpenEduCat vs Ellucian Banner Student

OpenEduCat8.5Visit Ellucian Banner Student8.3Visit

Higher score OpenEduCat #4 in Higher Education Software 8.5/10 Free plan · 15-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 0 of 4 features Visit OpenEduCat

vs

Ellucian Banner Student #5 in Higher Education Software 8.3/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Ellucian

• OpenEduCat fits best

  Institutions needing broad modular coverage

• Ellucian Banner Student fits best

  Established institutions needing registration and advising

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Side by side

Feature	OpenEduCat 8.5/10 Visit ↗	Ellucian Banner Student 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.5	8.3
Ranking	#4 in Higher Education Software	#5 in Higher Education Software
Best for	Institutions needing broad modular coverage	Established institutions needing registration and advising
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$489/yr	Pricing on request
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	15 days	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Mobile	Cloud
Platforms	Web, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android	Web
Support	Email, Live chat, Community, Docs	Docs
Integrations	13 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features OpenEduCat 0/4 · Ellucian Banner Student 0/4
Student information system	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Academic management	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Admissions tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Financial aid	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Mobile access	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free LGPL-3 Community Edition with self-hosted deployment and no per-user licensing Combines learning, student records, admissions, fees, library, HR, and finance modules Supports SSO, education integrations, REST API, and iOS and Android apps	Connects registration, records, advising, degree audit, and planning Supports dynamic catalogs, schedule planning, and block registration Integrates with Degree Works, Student Education Planner, and LMSs
Cons	Paid deployments require a $489 annual core license before modules Module and cloud user-pack costs are added separately Broad administrative coverage may exceed the needs of institutions seeking only an LMS	Designed for mid-market and enterprise institutions, not small teams Cloud deployment and web access may not suit institutions seeking other options Pricing requires contacting sales, making costs harder to compare
Our verdict	OpenEduCat brings learning management and education administration into one platform for schools, colleges, universities, vocational institutes, and education groups. Its coverage spans course delivery, assessments, certificates, student… Read the review →	Ellucian Banner Student brings core student information workflows together for higher education institutions, including students, faculty, advisors, staff, and administrators. Its scope covers course registration and enrollment, academic… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• OpenEduCat — where it wins

  • Free LGPL-3 Community Edition with self-hosted deployment and no per-user licensing
  • Combines learning, student records, admissions, fees, library, HR, and finance modules
  • Supports SSO, education integrations, REST API, and iOS and Android apps

  Where it doesn't

  • Paid deployments require a $489 annual core license before modules
  • Module and cloud user-pack costs are added separately
  • Broad administrative coverage may exceed the needs of institutions seeking only an LMS

• Ellucian Banner Student — where it wins

  • Connects registration, records, advising, degree audit, and planning
  • Supports dynamic catalogs, schedule planning, and block registration
  • Integrates with Degree Works, Student Education Planner, and LMSs

  Where it doesn't

  • Designed for mid-market and enterprise institutions, not small teams
  • Cloud deployment and web access may not suit institutions seeking other options
  • Pricing requires contacting sales, making costs harder to compare

• OpenEduCat8.5/10 · Free plan · 15-day trial

  A modular education suite with a free self-hosted edition and paid deployment options.

  Visit OpenEduCatFull verdict →
• Ellucian Banner Student8.3/10 · Pricing on request

  A broad student information system for registration, records, advising, and planning.

  Visit EllucianFull verdict →