# Canvas LMS vs Orca

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Canvas LMS | Orca |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 68/100 | 91/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #2 of 14 in Learning Management System | #1 of 209 in AI Agents |
| GitHub stars | 6 890 | 109 581 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +49 | +9 674 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 17 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v1.4.244 · 29 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | No | No |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Main language | Ruby | Typescript |

## Which one should you pick?

Orca scores 91/100 against 68/100 for Canvas LMS, so it is the safer default.

Orca ships more often: 17 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Canvas LMS.

If you want the quickest setup, Orca is easier to run; Canvas LMS needs more configuration.

Orca is growing faster right now (+9 674 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Canvas LMS](https://selfhost.directory/project/canvas-lms) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/canvas-lms.md)
- [Orca](https://selfhost.directory/project/orca) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/orca.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/canvas-lms-vs-orca