Pearspark vs Alma SIS
For micro schools & small private schools · pricing verified July 2026 · written by the Pearspark team (how we compare)
The short answer
Alma is a modern K-12 SIS with strong reviews and customized per-school pricing — you request a quote. Pearspark publishes its price ($50/month including 20 students, then $2.50/student), sets up self-serve, and bundles library, volunteers, and equipment booking — a fit for schools under ~100 students.
Pearspark
All-in-one platform for schools under ~100 students — records, academics, admissions, library, volunteers, scheduling, portal.
Pricing: $50/mo including 20 students, then $2.50/student/mo. No setup fees, no contract.
Alma SIS
A modern, well-reviewed K-12 SIS serving independent, charter, and district schools.
Pricing: Alma prices by customized package per school or district — no published list price (as of July 2026). Reviewers frequently describe it as affordable for what it includes.
What each costs at small-school sizes
| Students | Pearspark | Alma |
|---|---|---|
| 25 students | $62.50/mo | Quote required |
| 50 students | $125/mo | Quote required |
| 100 students | $250/mo | Quote required |
Alma pricing from its published list rates as of July 2026 — see sources below. Always confirm current pricing with the vendor.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Pearspark | Alma |
|---|---|---|
| Student records (SIS) | ||
| Attendance | ||
| Gradebook & report cards | ||
| Transcripts & GPA | ||
| Admissions pipeline | ||
| Class scheduling & rooms | ||
| Lending library & checkout | ||
| Equipment & room booking | ||
| Volunteer tracking & check-in | ||
| Parent & student portal | ||
| Messaging | ||
| Self-serve transcript & gradebook import | ||
| Tuition billing & payments | ||
| Published pricing (no sales call) |
= varies by plan or not published — check with the vendor. We mark unknowns as unknowns rather than counting them against Alma.
Where Alma shines
- Modern, well-designed interface teachers tend to like
- Strong reviews on ease of use and support
- Scales from single independent schools to districts and even state level
Worth knowing
- No published pricing — buying starts with a demo and a quote
- Built for a broad K-12 market, not specifically for micro-school workflows
- No lending library, volunteer, or equipment-booking modules
When Alma is the better choice
Choose Alma if you're an independent or charter school growing past a couple hundred students, want district-grade reporting, and have time for a proper procurement cycle. It's a genuinely well-liked modern SIS — the trade is quote-based pricing and a bigger footprint than a 20-student school needs.
When Pearspark is the better choice
Pearspark is built for schools under about 100 students — micro schools, classical schools, Montessori programs, hybrid academies, and homeschool co-ops. Everything is included at one published price: student records, attendance, gradebook, report cards, printable transcripts with GPA, admissions, class scheduling, a lending library with barcode checkout, equipment booking, volunteer check-in, messaging, and a parent/student portal. Setup is self-serve, and built-in migration tools import your rosters, transcripts, and gradebooks from Alma CSV exports with a dry-run preview.
Common questions
How much does Alma cost compared to Pearspark?
Alma doesn't publish pricing — packages are customized per school, so you'll need a demo and quote. Pearspark's full price is public: $50/month including 20 students, then $2.50/month per additional student. A 40-student school pays exactly $100/month, no quote needed.
Can I migrate from Alma to Pearspark?
Yes. Export rosters, transcripts, and gradebooks to CSV from Alma and use Pearspark's built-in import tools — every import shows a dry-run preview of what will be created before anything is written.
Who should pick Alma over Pearspark?
Schools of 150+ students, charters with compliance reporting needs, or anyone standardizing across multiple large campuses. Pearspark is purpose-built for the under-100-student school that wants everything in one place at a flat published price.
See Pearspark for yourself
Poke around a real school — admin, teacher, and parent views — no signup, no sales call. Sample data resets daily.
Sources
Last reviewed July 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we'll fix it.