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PrairieLearn
What it is
PrairieLearn is an online assessment and learning system for instructors creating educational materials and evaluating student work. Instructors write questions as code; the system can generate and grade question variants automatically and provide real-time feedback. Students can continue with new variants until they demonstrate mastery. It supports in-class activities, homework, practice, and testing, including proctored and bring-your-own-device tests. Response formats include numerical, multiple-choice, checkbox, dropdown, graphical, code, and ordered-block answers.
PrairieLearn is open-source and can be run or modified on institutional or individual infrastructure. It connects to learning management systems through LTI 1.3 for assignment linking and grade syncing, with integration primarily designed and documented for Canvas. Its importer accepts QTI 1.2 content from Canvas and other learning systems. The Free plan is free for instructors and courses with up to 20 students per term. Above that threshold, Basic costs $8, paid once per student and excludes code autograding, workspaces, and PrairieTest; Premium costs $16, paid once per student and includes them.
For and against
For
- Generates and grades question variants automatically.
- Students can retry variants to reach mastery.
- Supports multiple response formats, including code and graphical answers.
- Imports QTI 1.2 content and supports LTI 1.3.
- Free plan covers instructors and courses up to 20 students per term.
Against
- Self-hosted installations do not receive support.
- Basic excludes code autograding, workspaces, and PrairieTest.
- Windows local installation requires WSL 2.
The verdict
PrairieLearn combines varied assessment formats with automatic question variants and repeated practice. Review its per-student plan limits and self-hosted support restriction when choosing an installation and plan.
Who it suits
PrairieLearn suits instructors who need coded, automatically graded question variants for coursework, practice, or tests. It may also suit institutions or individuals seeking open-source software they can run on their own infrastructure.
Plans and prices
Free
Free for instructors · free for courses with up to 20 students in each term
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
PrairieTest Starter
20k included reservations · for annual non-PrairieLearn exam reservations
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
PrairieTest Small
50k included reservations · for annual non-PrairieLearn exam reservations
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
PrairieTest Medium
100k included reservations · for annual non-PrairieLearn exam reservations
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
Basic
Charged for every student when a course exceeds 20 students · no code autograding · no workspaces · no PrairieTest
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
PrairieTest Large
200k included reservations · for annual non-PrairieLearn exam reservations
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
PrairieTest Enterprise
No limit on included reservations · for annual non-PrairieLearn exam reservations
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
Premium
Charged for every student when a course exceeds 20 students · includes code autograding, workspaces, and PrairieTest
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
Enterprise
Custom service agreement available
Read 29 Sep 2026 · prairielearn.com
On the record
- Answer types
- The platform supports numerical, multiple-choice, checkbox, dropdown, graphical, code, and ordered-block responses.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- API access
- The pricing comparison lists API access among PrairieLearn plan features.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Assessment uses
- The site describes use for in-class activities, homework, practice, and testing, including proctored tests and bring-your-own-device tests.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- LMS integration
- PrairieLearn connects to learning management systems using LTI 1.3 for assignment linking and grade syncing, with integration primarily designed and documented for Canvas.docs.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Local development platforms
- The documentation supports native execution on macOS, Linux, and Windows inside WSL 2; it says Windows without WSL 2 is not supported for local installation.docs.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Mastery learning
- Students can keep trying new variants of a question until they achieve mastery.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Open source
- PrairieLearn is open-source software that institutions and individuals can run on their own infrastructure and modify.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Product
- PrairieLearn is an online assessment and learning system that helps instructors create educational resources for students.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- QTI import
- Its content importer can import quizzes, assessments, question banks, and questions from Canvas or other learning management systems using QTI 1.2 content.docs.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Question variants
- Instructors write questions as code that generate and grade variants automatically, with real-time feedback.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Security
- PrairieLearn, Inc. states that it has a SOC 2 Type I attestation for Security and encrypts customer data at rest and data in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Self-hosted support limit
- PrairieLearn says it does not provide support for self-hosted installations.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Support
- Support options include documentation, a Slack community, GitHub Discussions, weekly Zoom office hours and workshops, and email support.prairielearn.com · read 29 Sep 2026
