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Comparison · EdTech
Gibbon vs Pear Deck
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Gibbon and Pear Deck — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:edtech
Gibbon vs Pear Deck: at a glance
What is Gibbon?
Gibbon pauses new features after a burst of security advisories, plans auto-update.
Gibbon, the open-source school management platform, released v30.0.02 on 9 November as an essential security update for every v30 install, with no new features. The team says it received several security advisories in a short span, knows of no breach, and has paused feature development to focus on security, starting with an auto-update feature so patches reach schools faster.
What is Pear Deck?
Pear Deck adds LTI 1.3 for Canvas and Schoology; most other entries are pointers.
The feed alternates between release-note pointers with no content and a few substantive posts. The substantive ones cover AI workflows for test creation, analysis and curriculum alignment across Pear Deck and Pear Assessment, in beta in May and extended in August, and LTI 1.3 support for Canvas and Schoology on October 14. A Q3 overview post for Pear Assessment links out without detail.
Gibbon vs Pear Deck: editorial side-by-side
Gibbon
2.5EDTECH
Gibbon pauses new features after a burst of security advisories, plans auto-update.
◆ Current state
Gibbon, the open-source school management platform, released v30.0.02 on 9 November as an essential security update for every v30 install, with no new features. The team says it received several security advisories in a short span, knows of no breach, and has paused feature development to focus on security, starting with an auto-update feature so patches reach schools faster.
◆ Where it's heading
Gibbon has run on an April/November 20th release cycle, with v30 adding Calendar and Student Alerts last November. That cycle is now on hold: upcoming releases are security-first, and auto-update would change how self-hosted schools receive fixes.
◆ Prediction
Expect further security patch releases in the coming weeks and an auto-update feature before any new modules; whether a v31 lands on the usual November or April date is unclear.
Pear Deck
5.0EDTECH
Pear Deck adds LTI 1.3 for Canvas and Schoology; most other entries are pointers.
◆ Current state
The feed alternates between release-note pointers with no content and a few substantive posts. The substantive ones cover AI workflows for test creation, analysis and curriculum alignment across Pear Deck and Pear Assessment, in beta in May and extended in August, and LTI 1.3 support for Canvas and Schoology on October 14. A Q3 overview post for Pear Assessment links out without detail.
◆ Where it's heading
Recent visible work is about fitting into district systems, with LMS standards and admin coverage controls, alongside the AI assessment workflows. Most release detail stays outside the feed.
◆ Prediction
More release-note pointers are likely; whether the AI workflows leave beta is unclear from the feed.
Alternatives to Gibbon and Pear Deck
Other EdTech products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Gibbon or Pear Deck.
TAO Testing
TAO follows its lockdown browser release with a version-gate fix within days.
Code.org
Code.org readies Hour of AI 2026 with Sprite Lab 2 projects and an Adaptive finish flow.
LearnWorlds
LearnWorlds lets one course carry several prices, its latest checkout upgrade.
Coursera
Coursera packages its AI catalog into 12 role-based learning plans.
Blackboard Learn
Blackboard Learn's December build 4001.7 reaches Test/Stage on schedule.
See all Gibbon alternatives → · See all Pear Deck alternatives →
Recent activity from Gibbon and Pear Deck
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 5d agoGibbonGibbon v30.0.02 security fix; new features paused
- 9d agoPear DeckPear Assessment overview: SAT and AP calculator practice, AI Deep Dive
- 1mo agoPear DeckLTI 1.3 support for Canvas and Schoology
- 1mo agoPear DeckPear Assessment Q3 2026 release overview
- 3mo agoPear DeckPear Assessment Intelligence & Control Update
- 6mo agoPear DeckAI-powered workflows for data-driven instruction, actionable insights, and curriculum alignment
- 6mo agoPear DeckBETA: AI-powered workflows for data-driven instruction, actionable insights, and curriculum alignment
- 9mo agoGibbonNam Chung (Update)
- 11mo agoGibbonNam Chung ⚡
- 1y agoGibbonMa On Shan
- 1y agoGibbonLam Tsuen (Update)
- 1y agoGibbonLam Tsuen
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Gibbon and Pear Deck?
Both compete on the same themes — edtech — within EdTech. Pear Deck is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Gibbon better than Pear Deck?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Pear Deck is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other EdTech products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Gibbon?
Top Gibbon alternatives in EdTech are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Gibbon alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/gibbon for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Pear Deck?
Top Pear Deck alternatives in EdTech are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Pear Deck alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/pear-deck for the full list with editorial commentary on each.