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Head-to-head · Academic Advising Software

Watermark Student Success & Engagement vs Ellucian Advising

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Watermark Student Success & Engagement #3 in Academic Advising Software 8.4/10 Pricing on request ✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Watermark
Ellucian Advising #6 in Academic Advising Software 8.0/10 Pricing on request ✓ 2 of 5 features Visit Ellucian

Watermark Student Success & Engagement leads on 0 checks, Ellucian Advising on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreWatermark Student Success & Engagement · 8.4/10
  • Most featuresWatermark Student Success & Engagement · 4 of 5

Watermark Student Success & Engagement scores higher on our rubric for academic advising software: 8.4 against 8.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.

Watermark Student Success & Engagement is the better fit for institutions needing mobile student success tools. Ellucian Advising is the better fit for institutions focused on alerts and advising operations.

  • Watermark Student Success & Engagement fits best

    Institutions needing mobile student success tools

  • Ellucian Advising fits best

    Institutions focused on alerts and advising operations

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Watermark Student Success & Engagement 8.4/10 Visit ↗ Ellucian Advising 8.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.4 8.0
Ranking #3 in Academic Advising Software #6 in Academic Advising Software
Best for Institutions needing mobile student success tools Institutions focused on alerts and advising operations
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price Pricing on request Pricing on request
Free plan Not checked yet Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud
Support Tickets, Live chat, Phone, Community, Docs · 24/7 Docs
Integrations 11 integrations 2 integrations
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Watermark Student Success & Engagement 4/5 · Ellucian Advising 2/5
Degree audit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Degree planning ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Early alerts ✓ ✓
Intervention workflows ✓ ✓
Student planning portal ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Mobile access Mobile Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Combines alerts, interventions, advising records, pathways, and planning
  • Native iOS and Android student app available as an add-on module
  • Integrates with major SIS, LMS, calendar, survey, and analytics tools
  • AI alerts and indicators help identify at-risk students
  • Case management and task automation support advising workflows
  • Dashboards, scheduling, and communications connect advising activity
Cons
  • Pricing requires institutional quotes rather than published plan rates
  • Academic Planning is an add-on module with subscription-dependent availability
  • Degree auditing is not part of the documented positioning
  • Pricing requires contact with sales rather than published plan comparisons
  • Its strongest emphasis is advising operations and student alerts
  • Institutions may need to assess fit for broader academic planning needs
Our verdict

Watermark Student Success & Engagement brings advising, early alerts, engagement tracking, predictive risk indicators, intervention management, reporting, and student communication into one higher-education platform. It is designed for…

Read the review →

Ellucian Advising is advising software for colleges and universities, with tools for faculty, advisors, and higher-education teams supporting student progress. Its core capabilities include AI-powered alerts and dynamic indicators for…

Read the review →
  1. Watermark Student Success & EngagementAcademic Advising Software 8.4Pricing on request
  2. Ellucian AdvisingAcademic Advising Software 8.0Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Watermark Student Success & Engagement — where it wins

    • Combines alerts, interventions, advising records, pathways, and planning
    • Native iOS and Android student app available as an add-on module
    • Integrates with major SIS, LMS, calendar, survey, and analytics tools

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires institutional quotes rather than published plan rates
    • Academic Planning is an add-on module with subscription-dependent availability
    • Degree auditing is not part of the documented positioning
  • Ellucian Advising — where it wins

    • AI alerts and indicators help identify at-risk students
    • Case management and task automation support advising workflows
    • Dashboards, scheduling, and communications connect advising activity

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires contact with sales rather than published plan comparisons
    • Its strongest emphasis is advising operations and student alerts
    • Institutions may need to assess fit for broader academic planning needs
  • Watermark Student Success & Engagement8.4/10 · Pricing on request

    A broad advising and engagement suite for institutions prioritizing mobile student support.

    Visit WatermarkFull verdict →
  • Ellucian Advising8.0/10 · Pricing on request

    A strong fit for institutions prioritizing alerts, case management, and advising operations.

    Visit EllucianFull verdict →

More comparisons

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update