Pearspark vs Gradelink
For micro schools & small private schools · pricing verified July 2026 · written by the Pearspark team (how we compare)
The short answer
Gradelink is a mature SIS with strong academics and enrollment tools, priced in tiers that favor schools near the top of each band. Pearspark is built for schools under ~100 students: it costs less below roughly 40 students, includes library, volunteers, and resource booking, and has no add-on fees.
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.
Gradelink
A well-established student information system popular with private and faith-based schools.
Pricing: Gradelink lists tiered pricing — about $121/month for up to 50 students and $164/month for 51–100 (as of July 2026). Some capabilities are paid add-ons, e.g. its EnrollMe enrollment tool and SmartSend Pro messaging.
What each costs at small-school sizes
| Students | Pearspark | Gradelink |
|---|---|---|
| 25 students | $62.50/mo | $121/mo (≤50 tier) |
| 50 students | $125/mo | $121/mo (≤50 tier) |
| 100 students | $250/mo | $164/mo (51–100 tier) |
Gradelink pricing from its published list rates as of July 2026 — see sources below. Always confirm current pricing with the vendor.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Pearspark | Gradelink |
|---|---|---|
| Student records (SIS) | ||
| Attendance | ||
| Gradebook & report cards | ||
| Transcripts & GPA | ||
| Admissions pipeline | Paid add-on | |
| Class scheduling & rooms | ||
| Lending library & checkout | ||
| Equipment & room booking | ||
| Volunteer tracking & check-in | ||
| Parent & student portal | ||
| Messaging | Partial | |
| 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 Gradelink.
Where Gradelink shines
- Long track record with thousands of private and faith-based schools
- Standards-based and traditional grading, lesson plans, and report cards
- Optional integrated tuition and enrollment modules
Worth knowing
- Tier pricing means a 12-student micro school pays the same $121/month as a 50-student school
- Enrollment (EnrollMe) and advanced messaging (SmartSend Pro) are paid add-ons with setup fees
- No lending library, volunteer, or equipment-booking modules
When Gradelink is the better choice
Choose Gradelink if you're 75+ students and want a long-established SIS with integrated tuition management — at 100 students its $164/month tier undercuts Pearspark's $250/month, and its ecosystem of add-ons runs deep. Pearspark doesn't process family tuition; Gradelink can.
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 Gradelink CSV exports with a dry-run preview.
Common questions
Is Pearspark cheaper than Gradelink?
For most micro schools, yes. A 25-student school pays $62.50/month on Pearspark vs about $121/month on Gradelink's ≤50-student tier. The lines cross near 90–100 students, where Gradelink's $164 tier becomes cheaper than Pearspark's per-student pricing — Pearspark is priced for small schools, not big ones.
Can I move my data from Gradelink to Pearspark?
Yes. Pearspark imports student rosters (with parent contacts), historical transcripts, and assignment-level gradebooks from CSV exports — with a dry-run preview before anything is written, so you can check every row first.
Does Pearspark handle tuition billing like Gradelink?
No. Pearspark doesn't process family tuition payments; schools keep their existing tuition workflow (many small schools invoice directly or use their church/community platform). Gradelink and FACTS both offer integrated tuition management if that's a must-have.
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.