CrowdGrader

Overview

CrowdGrader is a web-based peer-assessment tool for courses that want students to learn by reviewing one another’s work. It is best suited to instructors who want peer grades to inform assessment while keeping authority over final marks.

Its strongest case is a structured review process that combines peer feedback with instructor oversight. The main trade-offs are per-assignment fees above the small free tier and a firm minimum-age rule.

Key features

CrowdGrader combines the grades a student receives with how accurately that student grades other submissions, then calculates a consensus grade and removes outliers. This gives peer assessment a role in scoring while rewarding careful reviewers; instructors still control final grades. Rubrics, automatic review allocation, and moderation tools make the process more structured than informal comment-swapping.

Students can work in a built-in editor for reports, math, and code, or upload files, including ZIP archives. Reviews are anonymous: reviewers cannot see authors’ identities, and uploaded files are renamed. That can support candid feedback, though it is one-way anonymity rather than a claim that every participant is mutually anonymous.

The monitoring page groups similar submissions and supports side-by-side comparison, giving instructors a way to identify work that merits closer attention. Student work is transmitted over HTTPS. Google is used for authentication, and CrowdGrader says it uses only the user's email address for identification, not other Google account information. Institutional subscriptions add access monitoring and long-term data retention for auditing; optional LMS integration is also available on those subscriptions, with no named systems. Those institutional controls are relevant to colleges, but they are not included as stated benefits of the assignment-level plans.

The maker reports successful use in classes of about 800, says there is no specific maximum class size, and invites inquiries for classes in the tens of thousands. That suggests scale is possible, but instructors planning unusually large courses should discuss the arrangement directly. Support is offered by email and phone, and educator testimonials describe responsive help from the founder.

Pricing

CrowdGrader uses a freemium model, with assignment-level charges for larger classes and a separate student-supported option. The free instructor-sponsored plan costs nothing and covers up to 20 students, making it a sensible fit for small classes or a first assignment. Its cap rules out larger cohorts.

The Small instructor-sponsored plan is $2.99 per assignment for up to 35 students; Medium is $6.99 per assignment for up to 100; and Large is $13.98 per assignment for unlimited students. The stepped fees let instructors match each assignment to class size, but recurring assignments mean recurring per-assignment costs. Large removes the student cap, not the per-assignment charge.

Student-supported assignment is priced at 1.99 USD/six months. The fee is non-refundable, access lasts six months, and the access period determines when students can submit. This shifts the charge away from the instructor, but the time window and refund restriction matter for students.

The institutional license has custom pricing based on predicted or past usage. In return, all instructors affiliated with the institution can use CrowdGrader without charge, and institutional subscriptions include optional LMS integration, access monitoring, and long-term audit retention. A 21-day trial is also offered; classes should still check the age requirement before inviting students.

Platforms

CrowdGrader runs on the web. There is no listed native mobile platform, so it is most appropriate for courses whose students can use a browser-based workflow.

Who it's for

Choose CrowdGrader if you teach a course that can benefit from structured peer review, want reviewers to practice evaluating work, and need to retain control of final grades. Its unlimited-student assignment tier and reported use in large classes also make it worth considering for bigger cohorts, subject to confirming the right arrangement.

It is not suitable for any class with a participating student younger than 13: the terms require users to be at least 13 and prohibit use in that situation. Instructors seeking a named LMS connection should confirm compatibility before choosing an institutional subscription.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Consensus grades account for reviewer accuracy and remove outliers, giving peer assessment a defined scoring role.
• Pros: Anonymous reviews, rubrics, automatic allocation, and moderation support a managed review workflow rather than ad hoc exchanges.
• Pros: Per-assignment plans range from a free 20-student tier to unlimited students, so instructors can align the fee with class size.
• Cons: The free instructor plan stops at 20 students, and paid instructor plans charge per assignment.
• Cons: Student-supported access is non-refundable and tied to a six-month submission window.
• Cons: Use is barred when any participating student is under 13, and web is the only stated platform.

Alternatives

Peer Assessment Software is the broader category to consult when comparing tools for this type of work.

Consider Eli Review if you want unlimited free instructor access to all platform features and prefer a student access option billed for one term; its listed student term lasts four months. Kritik360 is another freemium web option, with free educator access that includes course activation, instructional design, and ongoing support.

Expertiza may suit teams looking for a free, MIT-licensed option that can be self-hosted or run on Linux, macOS, or the web. ComPAIR is also free and supports self-hosted and web deployment.

PeerAssessment.com is worth comparing if Android and iOS support matter alongside web access; it offers a free trial for one class, one term, one instructor, up to 100 students, and up to 12 assessments. For an institutional purchase, Peerceptiv offers campus-wide subscriptions with unrestricted campus use, an administrator dashboard, and a custom API. peerScholar is another paid option, with a listed WCET promotional plan priced at $4,500 a year for unlimited courses, faculty, team members, students, and activities. Marka is a freemium web alternative.

Verdict

CrowdGrader is a strong fit for instructors who want anonymous peer review to shape grades without giving up final authority, especially when reviewer accuracy and outlier handling matter. Look elsewhere if the class includes anyone under 13, if native mobile access is essential, or if per-assignment costs do not fit the course budget.