Canvas LMS vs Cornerstone Learn comparison

Instructure and Cornerstone OnDemand are both solutions in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category. Instructure is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.3, while Cornerstone OnDemand is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.5. Instructure holds a 4.3% mindshare in LMS, compared to Cornerstone OnDemand’s 7.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Instructure users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Cornerstone OnDemand users who would recommend it.

Canvas LMS

Read 11 Canvas LMS reviews

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706 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cornerstone Learn

Read 29 Cornerstone Learn reviews

2,632 Views
842 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Canvas LMS

Cornerstone Learn

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 31, 2025

Cornerstone Learn and Canvas LMS are competing educational platforms within the learning management system category. Canvas LMS often appears to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive features, although Cornerstone Learn offers more favorable pricing and support terms.

Features: Cornerstone Learn is notable for its robust employee training functions, integration with HR systems, and emphasis on talent management and customization. Canvas LMS excels with adaptable teaching tools, a mobile-friendly design, and extensive third-party integrations, making it a favorite in academic environments.

Room for Improvement: Cornerstone Learn could enhance its analytics feature, address instances of incorrect reporting, and streamline its setup process. Canvas LMS might benefit from expanding its customer support reach, improving its initial deployment experience, and refining its integration processes with certain third-party apps.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Canvas LMS offers an easy deployment model supporting multiple teaching formats along with consistent customer service, appealing to institutions requiring quick implementation. Conversely, Cornerstone Learn presents a more complex setup but is supported by thorough client assistance and integration services, making it suitable for organizations with complex HR environments.

Pricing and ROI: Cornerstone Learn is attractive for its competitive initial setup costs, offering organizations a scalable learning management solution without significant upfront investment. Its ROI is driven by blending learning with talent management. Although potentially higher in cost, Canvas LMS provides a substantial ROI due to its extensive learning tools and adaptability, making it invaluable for educational institutions aiming to improve instructional delivery.

To learn more, read our detailed Canvas LMS vs. Cornerstone Learn Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Canvas LMS vs. Cornerstone Learn

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Canvas LMS

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

6th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cornerstone Learn

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

7th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Virtual Training (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Canvas LMS is 4.3%, up from 4.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cornerstone Learn is 7.1%, up from 4.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Canvas LMS	4.3%
Cornerstone Learn	7.1%
Other	88.6%

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Featured Reviews

Lance Levin

Learning Magic Solutions | Managing Director at CTI

Comprehensive learning system transforms education with innovative features

The integration capability of Canvas LMS with other educational tools is probably the best for integration. They have thousands of apps that are already integrated with Canvas LMS. It uses a very simple API LTI method where you just have to input a number and then it's integrated. When assessing the analytics features and reporting features of Canvas LMS, they have comprehensive capabilities. They have reporting, attendance registers, and the back-end SIS system. The reporting is very easy and analytics is excellent. Regarding its mobile compatibility feature, Canvas LMS is probably the easiest to use. It's user-friendly and operates with simple copy and paste functionality. It operates similarly to Word, with no difficulty at all. It's extremely user-friendly. When speaking about scalability and flexibility, Canvas LMS is very scalable. Everything's on the AWS cloud, so content is not a problem offline. It's scalable because the largest universities in the world use it.

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Vibha Mishra

Global L&D Lead at Tieto Sweden AB

Streamlined compliance training and efficient session creation empower diverse industries

Creating a session requires just one click, which makes data ready efficiently. Reporting-wise, Cornerstone is the best. It allows internal content management, playlist creation, using external links for learning, and supports various AI training. All the compliance training, code of conduct, and audits are handled through Cornerstone, making it beneficial.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"They have a more extensive support base in terms of infrastructure."

"We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings."

"Its easy adaptability to whatever form or methodology you are using to teach is valuable. It tends to be seamless, and it is very much a self-intuitive product. It requires almost no instruction, and you can be fully up to speed and ready to run on it. You can bring someone in who has never worked with any online learning or LMS system, and in a week's timeframe, they would almost be fully functional because Canvas is so simple to use."

"The solution is easy to access."

"The integration with Zoom is a notable feature. It allows for seamless access to live class sessions directly from Canvas after authentication, enabling quick entry into Zoom calls. You can also schedule Zoom calls or private recordings directly within Canvas, making it convenient, especially for situations like self-recording exams. Additionally, Canvas excels in collaboration and discussion capabilities. Users can engage in discussions on various topics, and there's the option to create custom groups for more focused interactions. These groups provide a level of privacy and isolation from the broader class, which is a significant advantage."

"It's easy to follow. It flows well, and it's easy to use."

"Canvas LMS is user-friendly. Its assessment tools help to find the weaknesses and strengths of students."

"The product's flexibility is exceptional."

More Canvas LMS pros

"Cornerstone Learning's most valuable features are the keyword search, filters, and add-to-favorites option."

"The most valuable features of Cornerstone Learning are the welcome page and the learner's home. It is user-friendly and graphically appealing."

"Its user-friendly interface is most valuable. You can configure your welcome page and design it the way you want on your own."

"The most valuable features of Cornerstone Learning are how extensive the configurable the solution is."

"The most valuable feature is how easy it is to learn and use. It's built off the Microsoft Word format, so if you can use Word, you'll be able to figure this out."

"It is a complete suite of solutions and features. Compared to other solutions which are more niche solutions, which may be as good as Cornerstone or even better in certain parts of it, like discerning user experience. You will not find another solution that has the same completeness of features in all different areas of learning."

"The solution is very stable."

"Combining everything together, our on-time completions have gone from the mid-sixty percentile to over 99% on-time completion."

More Cornerstone Learn pros

Cons

"Integrating more AI capabilities for the product could enhance its functionality, particularly in automating repetitive tasks and personalizing learning experiences."

"It would be good to be able to do teleconferencing within the LMS."

"It would be nice to be able to do more real-time comprehensive reporting with Canvas LMS."

"There are a couple of areas that could be improved. Firstly, the discussion feature is not very interactive and can be slow to respond, making it less intuitive at the moment. This is an aspect that needs substantial improvement. Another point to consider is related to the cost of the LMS system. It's perceived as relatively expensive, which has led to discussions about transitioning away from Canvas, potentially to a more cost-effective alternative. This cost-related aspect is a significant factor to consider when implementing such a system."

"The product could be integrated with a talent management system."

"The solution could be upgraded and improved."

"In our working, we are encountering many challenges with Canvas LMS. One of the major area is their business model which is having a very different pricing structure. The structure is made in such a way that the license fee is needed to be paid for the complete year even if the student has been enrolled for a programme of short duration. This structure is not conducive with our needs and hence, in the past few years, been increasing our costs manifold. Along with this, Canva LMS also lacks many functionalities such as notifications and adaptive learning. There is a specific issue with the licensing model that affects us in continuous education. The inability to reuse a license for the same course in different terms hinders our cost efficiency. For instance, if a program runs from January to April, we are required to pay for the license twice within the same academic year. This contrasts with other platforms like Hyper, where reusing a license is possible, allowing us to use the same license multiple times in different terms. Along with the use, we are exploring the integration of artificial intelligence into our processes, and Canvas LMS falls short in this regard. While some platforms allow connections with external AI services, Canvas does not currently offer built-in artificial intelligence capabilities, a feature we find valuable for enhancing the learning experience."

"The learning curve is not steep, but it is intermediate."

More Canvas LMS cons

"Cornerstone Learning can improve reporting. If they had a harmonization of the administration UIs it would be great."

"The user interface is in need of improvement."

"Its dashboard and analytics must be improved. Currently, we get the data, but we don't get anything from the insightfulness perspective. Analytics is where it requires a lot of work. We definitely expect some good dashboard features, which are currently lacking in this solution. From a technical perspective, they need to open access to all HTML tags. It currently doesn't support many HTML tags, which makes it challenging to create HTML pages."

"In the next release, I would like to see improvement in the dashboards and reporting."

"Cornerstone needs to be more adaptable by generating content by just giving keywords, similar to other LMS in the market."

"Its integration with Microsoft Teams for virtual sessions could be better"

"In general, some of the portal pages have an outdated look and feel."

"Cornerstone Learning's initial setup was complex, but I don't see that as a downside. It was complex because there is a lot of customizing and a lot of settings that can be done in the setup."

More Cornerstone Learn cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of Canvas is satisfactory for my university. We have negotiated a good price, especially considering that we are a large university with twenty-six campuses across the country. Canvas offers a favorable pricing model for academic institutions, and the cost is reasonable. However, in continuous education, the challenge lies not in the price itself but in the business model. The requirement to pay for the entire year when our students may only use the license for a shorter duration creates challenges. The inability to adjust the licensing based on actual usage is a significant drawback for us, making the effective cost higher compared to other platforms like Hyper Learning"

"Canvas LMS is low-priced compared to other vendors."

"Canvas LMS is an affordable solution."

"The platform can be expensive for smaller organizations with fewer students."

"It is a premium product, and it is on par with its competitors. It isn't out of scale with what the market is demanding. We're always looking at ways of trimming costs, but we haven't had a lot of flexibility with pricing and/or options with Cornerstone. So, its price is decent. There are ad hoc engineering costs when we are required to use a Cornerstone resource. Additionally, when we choose to integrate with third-party platforms, there is a setup and maintenance fee for these data integrations. They need to be built into our ongoing budget as we expand our offerings."

"This solution offers competitive pricing."

"The solution cost approximately $47,000 annually."

"Quality always comes at a cost. I would not rate it as expensive. It provides value for money."

"This is a cost-effective solution."

"The solution's pricing depends on the specific requirements."

"I rate the price of Cornerstone Learning a four out of five. There are not any additional costs other than the standard licensing fees"

"I'm not aware of the costs. It must have been something for which we paid. Every single employee in the company had some kind of access to Cornerstone because that's how they got to their training."

More Cornerstone Learn pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

20%

Educational Organization

15%

Manufacturing Company

Non Profit

Comms Service Provider

23%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	20

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Canvas LMS?

We have been using Canvas LMS, and overall, it has served our needs well for managing courses and general settings.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Canvas LMS?

There are some disadvantages with Canvas LMS and always improvements to be made. That comes with technology. As technology improves, the product will improve. Regarding features that Canvas LMS cou...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Canvas LMS?

Canvas LMS is the best solution because they have enabled scaleability and cutting edge technology transfer through Thomas Bravo, a multi-billion dollar company and will soon have the financial the...

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Is Cornerstone Learning reliable for content organization?

I think the organizational management of Cornerstone Learning is great. My organization uses this learning software and the way different content types are managed is very useful for our training ...

See all answers

Does Cornerstone Learning provide you with good reports?

Cornerstone Learning provides great reports for your training programs and the performance of your employees on them. What's more, you get skills graphs which my company finds the most valuable for...

See all answers

Why would you recommend Cornerstone as a platform for virtual training?

Hello, I think that Cornerstone is more than suitable for virtual training. For one, it gives you a really big array of tools and customizations to be able to deliver your employees high-quality t...

See all answers

Comparisons

CYPHER Learning vs Canvas LMS

Compared 16% of the time

SAP SuccessFactors Learning vs Canvas LMS

Compared 14% of the time

Brightspace vs Canvas LMS

Compared 11% of the time

Moodle vs Canvas LMS

Compared 10% of the time

Google Classroom vs Canvas LMS

Compared 10% of the time

More Canvas LMS Competitors

Workday vs Cornerstone Learn

Compared 18% of the time

SAP SuccessFactors vs Cornerstone Learn

Compared 9% of the time

Pluralsight vs Cornerstone Learn

Compared 9% of the time

Skillsoft vs Cornerstone Learn

Compared 6% of the time

More Cornerstone Learn Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Canvas LMS

October 2025

Download Canvas LMS product report

Buyer's Guide

Cornerstone Learn

October 2025

Download Cornerstone Learn product report

Also Known As

No data available

Cornerstone Learning Suite, Saba Cloud

Overview

Canvas LMS is a comprehensive learning management system that enhances the educational experience. It offers a user-friendly interface that allows educators to create and manage courses, assignments, and assessments. Canvas enables seamless communication and collaboration between students and teachers. It supports various multimedia formats, making it easy to incorporate engaging content into lessons. Canvas also provides a mobile app, ensuring accessibility on the go. Its built-in analytics and reporting allow educators to track student progress and identify areas for improvement. Canvas LMS can integrate with other educational tools and platforms, enhancing its functionality. Canvas LMS is a powerful and versatile platform that empowers educators to deliver effective and engaging online learning experiences.

Instructure

Cornerstone Learn offers a comprehensive learning management system designed to enhance educational experiences with a focus on user-friendliness, reporting, analytics, and automation capabilities.

Cornerstone Learn provides a robust platform for learning management, ensuring efficient content delivery and knowledge retention. It offers tools for digital, classroom, and blended learning environments. Users have access to custom reporting tools, performance analytics, and seamless integrations with APIs. Despite its rich features, there is room for improvement in interface updates, navigation simplification, and mobile app enhancements. The platform is suited for diverse training needs, especially in large organizations.

What are the key features of Cornerstone Learn?

User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive design simplifies navigation.
Custom Reporting Tool: Allows detailed insights into learning metrics.
Performance Tracking Analytics: Monitors progress effectively.
Proxy Enrollment: Facilitates bulk user enrollments easily.
Automation: Streamlines repetitive tasks in learning workflows.
Mobile Accessibility: Learn on the go with mobile platform support.
API Integration: Connects with other software for extended functionality.
Playlist Capabilities: Organizes content into personalized playlists.

What benefits can users expect from Cornerstone Learn?

Seamless Onboarding: Smooth transitioning for new users enhances experience.
Dynamic Assignments: Adapts to varying learning needs efficiently.
Email Digests: Keeps learners updated without overwhelming them.
Comprehensive Learning Experiences: From virtual meetings to certifications.
Broad Configurability: Adapts to diverse learning environments.

Cornerstone Learn is widely adopted in healthcare, manufacturing, and automotive industries for employee training and e-learning initiatives. It supports compliance training and certification management, integrating with platforms like LinkedIn Learning to deliver on-demand and professional skills training. Companies in corporate and governmental sectors utilize it to maintain their workforce's knowledge up to date, accommodating up to 10,000 users per organization.

Cornerstone OnDemand

Sample Customers

Pragmatic Group, MRWED Training and Assessment, RedHill Education

Advantage Sales and Marketing

Buyer's Guide

Canvas LMS vs. Cornerstone Learn

September 2025

Free Report: Canvas LMS vs. Cornerstone Learn

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