GradeCalc vs the alternatives RogerHub and Canvas Student, compared honestly
GradeCalc, RogerHub's final grade calculator, and the Canvas Student app answer different versions of the same question. Here is how they compare on scope, memory, scales, privacy, and exports. Updated for 2026.
Disclosure: we make GradeCalc. InnovaLabWorks builds and sells GradeCalc, so read this as a maker's comparison. Every claim about RogerHub and Canvas Student sticks to their well-known public traits, and their own sites remain the source of truth for their current features and pricing.
When students ask what do I need on the final, they usually reach for one of three tools. RogerHub's final grade calculator is the famous web answer: type your numbers into a browser, get the score, close the tab. Canvas Student is the school-issued answer: it shows whatever grades teachers have posted in the LMS. GradeCalc, the app we make, is the ledger answer: your courses, weights, and scores live on your iPhone, so the score you need stays current all term, and GPA, what-if scenarios, and exports come with it.
| Feature | GradeCalc | RogerHub | Canvas Student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to download. Free tracks one course with its weighted grade and the final-score solver. Pro is a monthly or yearly subscription or a one-time Lifetime purchase; the App Store shows the current local price. | Free web page. | Free app; your school licenses the LMS behind it. |
| Platform | Native iOS app. No account and no cloud; everything stays on your iPhone. | Any web browser. Nothing is saved between visits. | iPhone, Android, and web, tied to your school's Canvas account. |
| What it answers | The exact score you need on the final for every course, plus weighted course grades, semester and cumulative GPA, what-if scenarios, and Grade Lab previews for dropped lowest scores, retakes, and recovery across assignments. | One question, well: the final grade arithmetic for the numbers you type in each time. | The official record: whatever your teachers have entered, when they enter it, plus what-if scores on posted assignments within the setup your school chose. |
| Grade scales | US plus/minus on 4.0, the 4.3 A+ scale, whole letters, or a credit-weighted percentage. You pick per your school. | You do any scale conversion yourself. | Whatever the institution configures. |
| Memory | Courses, categories, weights, targets, and every score persist, so the required final score updates as each grade lands. | None by design; you re-enter your numbers each visit. | Posted grades persist in your school account for as long as the school keeps them. |
| Export | A semester report PDF and a CSV of every grade, straight from the share sheet. | None; it is a calculator page. | Depends on your school's configuration. |
| Privacy | No account, no cloud, no tracking. Grades you enter stay on your iPhone. | No account needed for the calculator itself. | School account required; data lives in the institution's LMS. |
The core difference
The three tools hold your grades for different lengths of time. RogerHub holds them for one page load. Canvas holds the official record your teachers write, on the school's terms. GradeCalc holds your own ledger: every course card leads with the verdict, the exact score on the final that keeps your target, and a grade ledger shows what is banked, what was dropped, and what is still in play, with a points-to-spare chip that says how much you can still lose and make it.
What GradeCalc is built around
GradeCalc is built on three decisions. First, the answer comes first: the required final score is the headline of every course card, not the end of a form. Second, planning is safe: what-if scenarios and Grade Lab previews (a dropped lowest score, a retake, recovery spread across assignments) never touch your saved grades. Third, it is private by design: no account, no cloud, no tracking, and a semester report PDF or CSV whenever you need to show someone the numbers.
When RogerHub is the right pick
Pick RogerHub when the whole problem is one course and one final, right now. Typing four numbers into a free web page takes thirty seconds, and if that is the entire job, you do not need an app.
When Canvas Student is the right pick
Canvas Student is not really a choice: if your school runs Canvas, it is the official record and you will use it regardless. The real question is what you keep beside it for targets, GPA, and planning.
When GradeCalc is the right pick
GradeCalc is the better fit if you are carrying several courses with different weights and scales, you want the required final score to stay current as grades land, you care about semester and cumulative GPA, and you want to preview retakes and dropped scores without touching real numbers. It also works the same at any school, on any scale, with no account.
Frequently asked questions
Is GradeCalc free to use?
GradeCalc is free to download and the free tier tracks one course with its weighted grade and the final-score solver. Pro unlocks all of your courses, semester and cumulative GPA, what-if scenarios, Grade Lab, and PDF and CSV export, as a monthly or yearly subscription or a one-time Lifetime purchase. The App Store shows the current price before you buy.
Does GradeCalc connect to Canvas or my school's LMS?
No. GradeCalc is your own ledger: you enter grades yourself. That is also why it works with any school, any LMS, and any grading scale, with no school account involved.
Which GPA scales does GradeCalc support?
US plus/minus on 4.0, the 4.3 A+ scale, whole letters, and a credit-weighted percentage, with semester and cumulative GPA across every term.
Can it handle a dropped lowest score or a retake?
Yes. Grade Lab previews what happens if a teacher drops your lowest score, replaces a grade after a retake, or asks you to recover across several assignments, and every preview leaves your saved grades untouched.
Where does my grade data live?
On your iPhone. GradeCalc has no account, no cloud, and no tracking; sharing happens only when you export a PDF or CSV yourself.
Try GradeCalc before you decide
GradeCalc is free to download. Run it on a real week of use and decide based on the output. The App Store shows the current local price for every upgrade before you confirm.
Try GradeCalc on the App Store ↗If you find yourself re-typing the same numbers into a web calculator every few weeks, that is the sign you need a ledger instead. GradeCalc's free tier tracks one course with the full solver, which is enough to test it on your hardest class before you consider Pro.