Canvas LMS vs Digitools
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Canvas LMS
Open-source learning management system by Instructure
VS
Digitools
Simple and useful tools for the classroom
| Feature | Canvas LMS | Digitools |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0-only |
| Language | Ruby | |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 50 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,763 | — |
| First released | 2011 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Blackboard, Moodle | — |
Why pick each one
Choose Canvas LMS if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.8k GitHub stars
- Written in Ruby
Choose Digitools if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0-only license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Tiny footprint — runs in 50 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Canvas LMS or Digitools better?
Neither is universally better. Canvas LMS has the larger community, while Digitools is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Canvas LMS and Digitools free and open-source?
Yes. Canvas LMS is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Digitools under GPL-3.0-only. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Canvas LMS and Digitools with Docker?
Canvas LMS: yes. Digitools: check the project docs for container support.