🏫 Classroom tools · ✅ Assessment and grading · 📊 Presentations
Nearpod
By Nearpod (Renaissance Learning, Inc.). Visit Nearpod
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
An interactive lesson platform for K-12 teachers. A teacher runs a slide lesson live or as self-paced homework, and students join on their own device with a code; slides include polls, quizzes, drawing, open-ended answers, collaborative boards, videos, virtual field trips and games, and the teacher sees every answer in real time. A library has 22,000+ ready-made lessons, including AI literacy lessons made with Common Sense Education. Teachers can also turn existing slides into Nearpod lessons.
Our take: A widely used way for teachers to make lessons interactive; parents meet it through school, and families do not need it at home.
| Ages it suits | about 5-18 (grades K-12) |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Website terms do not set a student age; Renaissance says student data in its classroom products is controlled by the school, which handles consent and parent requests. (terms) |
| Price | Free, with paid extras. Free Silver plan for teachers (40 students per lesson); paid Gold and Platinum teacher plans (prices shown only after sign-in); school and district licenses by quote (Oct 2026). |
| Works on | Web, iPhone and iPad, Android, Windows, Chromebook |
| Account | A school account |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | AI Create generates whole interactive lessons (school and district licenses only) and multiple-choice questions for teachers; students do not chat with an AI. |
What's good
- Every student answers, not just the ones who raise hands
- Large library, including AI literacy lessons
- Free plan for individual teachers
Watch for
- Answers on shared boards can be seen by classmates
- Best AI lesson tools need a school license
- Lesson quality varies, especially for teacher- and AI-made lessons
Data and privacy
Students join lessons and submit answers, drawings and responses that the teacher can see; Renaissance says the school alone controls collection, use and deletion of student data and that it acts on the school's instructions. Nothing specific on AI training was found on the pages loaded. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
The maker's own claims only on its site (engagement and participation). No independent study was found in this desk research.
Alternatives to Nearpod
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
99math
99math (Estonia) · ages about 5-14 (grades K-8)
A low-effort, free way for teachers to make fact practice lively; parents of kids who dislike timed competition may want a calmer tool.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Adobe Express for Education
Adobe · ages grades K-12 through a school
A good free option for schools that want design and AI in one tool and will set the admin controls; families cannot set it up for a young child on their own.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
AI Literacy Lessons for Grades K-12
Common Sense Education · ages grades K-12 (AI-specific lessons start in grade 6)
A good free starting point for teachers and parents who want to talk about AI with middle and high schoolers; anyone wanting hands-on AI building should pair it with a project-based course.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
AI Unplugged
Stefan Seegerer and Annabel Lindner (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) · ages about 10-18 (designed for lower and upper secondary; some activities adapt for primary)
A strong free choice for teachers or homeschool parents who want kids to understand how AI learns without using AI tools; families wanting a ready-to-run app should look elsewhere.
Desk researchThrough schoolsNo ads
Amira Learning
Amira Learning · ages about 5-14 (school product; listed studies run from kindergarten to middle school)
Worth asking about if your child's school uses it; parents cannot buy it, so home users should look at family apps instead.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Arcademics
Arcademics · ages about 6-14 (grades 1-8)
Fine for quick fact-fluency races at school or home; families who want no ad tracking or who have a child anxious about speed should skip it.
Where these facts come from
- https://nearpod.com/
- https://nearpod.com/pricing
- https://nearpod.com/ai
- https://nearpod.com/terms-of-use
- https://www.renaissance.com/privacy/
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nearpod/id523540409
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.panareadigital.Nearpod&hl=en&pli=1
- https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9N6W2FK05CF7?hl=en-us&gl=US
- https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nearpod-for-classroom/gcoekeoenehjmndhkdnoomdjeaclkhbe
- Reviews on G2: https://www.g2.com/products/nearpod/reviews
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.