Best bulb Alternatives in 2026
The top bulb alternatives are Mahara, Digication ePortfolio and PebblePad: 15 eportfolio software our editors would look at instead of bulb, in our ranking order.
bulb: A low-cost multimedia portfolio platform with classroom workflows and education integrations. Where it falls short: the free plan limits sharing to 10 pages.
Switching from bulb? For most eportfolio software buyers the best bulb alternative is Mahara, built for organizations wanting flexible open-source portfolios. Qridi Learning Portfolio offers the most user limit (499 users).
Why People Look for a bulb Alternative
- The Free plan limits sharing to 10 pages
- The Free plan limits uploaded content to 2GB
- Admin dashboards and dedicated support are limited to the school tier
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallMahara9.4
Organizations wanting flexible open-source portfolios
Visit Mahara - Best free optionMahara9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Mahara - Most user limitQridi Learning Portfolio8.3
499 users
Visit Qridi Learning Portfolio
All 15 bulb Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forOrganizations wanting flexible open-source portfolios
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 7.6
A broad portfolio and assessment workspace for organizations that value open-source control.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Mahara -
Best forInstitutions needing a mature, full-featured platform
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 7.6
A mature ePortfolio suite for portfolio creation, assessment, analytics, and institutional integrations.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Digication -
Best forLarge institutions needing deep portfolio workflows
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 7.6
A broad ePortfolio and assessment platform for institution-wide learning workflows.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
9.1/10★★★★★Visit PebblePad -
Best forSchools needing collaborative portfolio workflows
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 7.6
A collaborative K–12 portfolio platform spanning evidence, assessment, feedback, and reporting.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit SpacesEDU -
Best forSchools needing family-connected portfolios
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 7.6
A family-connected portfolio platform with reflection, assessment, dashboards, and schoolwide plans.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Seesaw -
Best forApprenticeship programs needing mobile assessment
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 7.6
A broad apprenticeship eportfolio for evidence, assessment, progress tracking and offline mobile work.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Onefile -
Best forInstitutions focused on evidence and feedback cycles
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 7.6
A structured portfolio workspace for evidence, feedback, assessment, and sharing.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Portflow -
Best forEnterprise programs needing mobile assessment
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 7.6
A configurable ePortfolio for mobile evidence collection, assessment and competency tracking.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit MyProgress -
Best forSchools wanting transparent per-student pricing
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 7.6
A focused portfolio platform for schools that need evidence, assessment and clear pricing.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Qridi -
Best forTeacher-training and licensure programs
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.1 vs 7.6
A comprehensive ePortfolio and licensure platform for educator preparation programs.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Watermark -
Best forBrightspace users needing integrated portfolios
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 7.6
A mature Brightspace portfolio tool with strong assessment workflows and a legacy-product caveat.
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit D2L -
Best forUniversities needing assessment-rich eportfolios
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 7.6
A broad, assessment-focused eportfolio system for universities and professional education.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit CompMS -
Best forMedical education programs needing EPA workflows
- Better than bulb:
- Editor score 7.7 vs 7.6
A mature portfolio platform for medical education programs with EPA and feedback workflows.
- Single sign-on
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Scorion -
Best forInstitutions needing branded portfolio publishing
A branded portfolio system for institutions that connect student work to outcomes.
- Single sign-on
- Assessment tools
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Clean Catalog -
Best forAssessment-led programs needing low-cost portfolios
A low-cost web platform for evidence-led assessment, feedback and quality assurance.
- Feedback workflows
- Assessment tools
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit AssessEEZ
bulb Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to bulb?
Mahara: #1 in our Eportfolio Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad portfolio and assessment workspace for organizations that value open-source control.
Is there a free alternative to bulb?
Yes. Mahara, SpacesEDU and Seesaw Digital Portfolios have a free plan or a free tier.
Why do people look for bulb alternatives?
The Free plan limits sharing to 10 pages; The Free plan limits uploaded content to 2GB; Admin dashboards and dedicated support are limited to the school tier.
Which bulb alternative has the most user limit?
Qridi Learning Portfolio, with 499 users.
How do I switch from bulb?
Export your data from bulb (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel bulb.
How to Switch from bulb
- Export your data from bulb (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel bulb.
bulb vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Evidence collection | Assessment tools | Feedback workflows | Mobile access | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | bulb | Yes | $1/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 7.6 |
| 1 | Mahara | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 9.4 |
| 2 | Digication ePortfolio | No | $30/user/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web | 9.3 |
| 3 | PebblePad | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 9.1 | ||
| 4 | SpacesEDU | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Seesaw Digital Portfolios | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.8 | |
| 6 | Onefile Eportfolio | Yes | Yes | Yes | App | 8.7 | ||
| 7 | Portflow | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.5 | ||
| 8 | MyProgress ePortfolio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.4 | ||
| 9 | Qridi Learning Portfolio | No | €8/user/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.3 |
| 10 | Watermark Student Learning & Licensure | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web | 8.1 | ||
| 11 | D2L ePortfolio | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.0 | ||
| 12 | CompMS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web | 7.9 | ||
| 13 | Scorion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Web | 7.7 | ||
| 14 | Clean Catalog Student Portfolio Software | No | Yes | Yes | Web | 7.5 | ||
| 15 | AssessEEZ | No | £1.90/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | 7.4 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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