Wonde and Clever are two of the most widely used platforms in edtech today, and for good reason. Both promise to simplify identity and access management for schools. But depending on your needs, one may be a better fit than the other.

In this side-by-side guide, we’ll break down how Wonde and Clever compare—so you can find the right solution for your trust, your staff, and your students.

Wonde vs. Clever at a Glance

For those of you who want a quick, side-by-side view of each platform, here it is.

Company Mission Statement

Getting to know each platform’s mission gives you an idea of what they prioritize. It’s not just about what they build, but who they are built for. 

Clever

At its core, Clever is built on the idea that learning should be accessible to every student, everywhere. That’s why its founders made it their mission to

Connect every student to a world of learning.

This mission is more than words. It shows up in every detail of their solution. From passwordless logins with encrypted physical passcodes that look like QR codes, logins for younger learners to tools designed with equity in mind, Clever has designed an ecosystem that puts learning first, without making things harder for teachers or IT teams.

Wonde

Wonde’s focus is a bit more centered on helping schools take back control of their data. Its mission is:

“To be a leading provider of cloud-based school data management, delivering simple, innovative solutions and high-quality services so schools and apps can operate securely and effectively.”

By simplifying how schools manage and share information, Wonde aims to reduce admin burden and improve compliance in increasingly complex digital environments.

Reach (Current Userbase & Partnerships)

A platform’s reach is more than a vanity metric. It reflects how well it scales, how widely it’s trusted, and how many systems it can connect to.

Clever

Wonde also started as a local solution for the UK, but it too is expanding its reach. Wonde currently serves over 30,000 schools and 35 million pupils across 60+ countries, with particularly strong adoption in the UK and Australia.

With 600+ app partners and close collaboration with Ministries of Education, Local Authorities, and Multi-Academy Trusts, Wonde continues to deepen Clever may have started in the U.S., but it’s quickly gaining traction around the world. After earning the trust of 95 of the 100 largest U.S. school organizations, Clever now supports over 110,000 schools globally and connects more than 29 million students to the apps and tools they need to learn.

With 1,050+ app integrations, Clever’s reach continues to grow as international schools seek scalable, secure identity and access solutions. 

Wonde

its footprint in regions where cloud-based MIS integrations are in high demand. 

Data Management

For IT teams, managing how data flows between school systems and educational apps is one of the most critical and time-consuming responsibilities. 

Clever

Clever gives IT teams and multi-academy trusts (MATs) a centralized way to manage data across all their schools. No need to configure or monitor each one individually. With automated, secure syncing from over 100 SIS/MIS platforms, Clever standardizes data across systems and eliminates the need for manual uploads.

Features like sync holds allow admins to pause and review changes before they go live, helping avoid errors during peak periods like the start of term. And with a unified dashboard, IT teams can monitor syncs, troubleshoot issues, and manage access for every school. 

That centralized approach is exactly why Tyne Coast Academy Trust and New Longton All Saints’ Church of England Primary School chose Clever. Both school organisations now automatically provisions new student accounts and supports secure, passwordless logins through Clever Badges. This eliminated login tickets, enforced strong passwords, and reclaimed 10 minutes of learning time per class.

Wonde

Wonde also offers automated data syncing between school MIS platforms and over 600 connected edtech applications. However, its approach requires additional tools (like EduSync and MyLogin) to manage different parts of the sync and access process. 

While a central dashboard exists, permissions and visibility are managed at the individual school level, which can make oversight more difficult for MATs or multi-school districts.

Security Program

With student and staff data on the line, convenience can’t come at the cost of security.

Clever

Clever is deeply committed to enhancing cybersecurity in schools, which is why they’ve built a security ecosystem with compliance and transparency at its core. 

With certifications in FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, and SOC 2, Clever ensures compliance with top U.S. and global privacy laws. Aside from implementing layered protections to defend against today’s evolving threats, it also helps schools build foundational cybersecurity strategies through self-paced training modules via its education platform, Clever Academy, and security recommendations in its Clever Cybersecurity Blueprint.

Wonde

Wonde also takes security seriously and complies with key UK and international frameworks, including UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act, ISO27001, and Cyber Essentials Plus. These certifications help demonstrate Wonde’s commitment to safeguarding sensitive data during syncing and storage.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

While both Clever and Wonde offer SSO capabilities, they each have slightly different capabilities. 

Clever

Clever includes SSO by default; no add-ons required. It works across apps and devices (Chromebook, Windows 10+, iOS) and supports quick logins through QR codes (Clever Badges) for younger students. 

Wonde

Wonde’s SSO is a separate product, typically enabled through MyLogin. App access is supported, but device SSO is limited to Chromebooks and Windows 11+ with Entra ID. Setup may require more effort, especially for diverse device environments.

Identity Management

Managing digital identities may sound straightforward, but how each platform handles provisioning, access, and account changes can make or break your IT workflow.

Clever

Clever offers a full identity lifecycle solution built for K–12. It automates account provisioning and deprovisioning across Active Directory, Entra ID, and Google Workspace, enforces centralized access policies, and includes tools like OU syncing, group management, and password reset.

Wonde

Wonde provides identity support through its MIS-based platform, with integration to Google Workspace and select apps. It allows schools to manage access permissions in real time and can act as a SAML IdP for Google logins. However, it doesn’t support Active Directory or include built-in tools for account lifecycle automation.

Application Integrations and Ecosystem

Both Clever and Wonde offer extensive application integrations, but the structure, scalability, and user experience of each platform differ significantly (especially for multi-academy trusts).

Clever

Clever partners with over 1,050 edtech applications to co-build unique APIs for automated rostering and single sign-on. With such a wide network,  schools and trusts can centrally manage permissions, monitor usage, and enable teacher-led app discovery, all while maintaining control and compliance. 

For MATs, this means a scalable system that doesn’t require juggling separate products.

Wonde

Wonde supports over 600 app integrations, but access is split across multiple products (EduSync for rostering and MyLogin for SSO), each with its own setup and management process. App permissions are controlled at the school level, but there’s no central library for teachers to explore or onboard new tools. 

For MATs, managing applications across schools may require more manual coordination.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

With cybersecurity requirements evolving, MFA is quickly becoming non-negotiable. But how it’s implemented matters just as much as whether it exists.

Clever

Like SSO, MFA is also built in as part of its core offering. Its Classroom MFA is designed specifically for schools, allowing students, teachers, and staff to authenticate securely without needing a second device like a phone. This is especially helpful in primary and secondary classrooms, where younger pupils may not have access to personal devices.

Wonde

Wonde only offers two-factor authentication (2FA) for administrator accounts in select product tiers, but it isn’t extended to pupils or classroom environments. 

Analytics and Reporting

Understanding how your tools are being used is just as important as managing who can access them.

Clever

Clever provides built-in analytics that give schools and trusts clear visibility into how digital tools are being used. From login activity to app engagement trends, IT teams and administrators can track usage at the pupil, school, or trust level from a central dashboard. 

Wonde

Wonde’s reporting is focused mainly on data permission previews and sync health status. While this can be useful, it doesn’t provide visibility into how or whether educational tools are being used across the school. 

Why Use Clever?

When schools and MATs start looking into Wonde alternatives, Clever often comes up as a viable option. Comparing the two side by side, it’s easy to see that the standout benefits often come down to unified identity management, built-in security, and centralized control.

Clever doesn’t require stitching together separate products. It’s a single platform that streamlines data syncing, login access, and user management across every school in your trust. That simplicity translates into fewer support tickets, stronger security, and more time for learning.If your team is exploring ways to streamline identity and access management while improving security and reducing manual workload, book a demo to see how Clever simplifies access and scales with your schools.

Article Guide – Here’s what’s inside:

• Digital Identities at Risk: Why are student records increasingly targeted? We break down the current vulnerabilities and risks that demand immediate action. Learn more.
• Hidden Costs of Fragmented Tech: Fragmented technology turns necessary security into an overwhelming burden for schools and developers. See how a siloed approach harms your security posture. Learn more.
• What’s Next? A Unified Platform: The future of K-12 requires a unified system to enable secure interoperability. Learn about the path to a streamlined, safer digital environment. Learn more.
• New Releases & Roadmap for 2026: Get a sneak peek at the new products and features Clever customers can expect by Back to School 2026. Learn more.
  

What is a Digital Identity in K-12 Education?

A digital identity in K-12 is the collection of online credentials and data that represents an individual within a school system. For students, this includes their login accounts, personal information, and academic records.

This identity is critical for three reasons:

It’s the key to learning. Students can’t effectively learn without the access to digital resources that their login and authentication method provides.

It’s vulnerable. Because cybercriminals understand that digital access is the gateway to accomplishing nefarious goals. 

It’s tied to the future. Compromised student identities can lead to long-term consequences that can affect financial, educational, and employment opportunities.

Teachers, administrative staff, and parents and guardians can all have digital identities that let them nurture learning at school and at home, engage the whole community in youth support, and foster trust in education. It is fantastic when these individuals have access to school resources, but these connections can also contain vulnerabilities that may serve as entry points for bad actors.

Why is Protecting Student Digital Identities So Urgent?

The urgency is driven by rising value and striking vulnerability. Data from U.S. surveys show that a single stolen student record is worth up to $300 on the dark web—significantly more valuable than most other types of personal data. Worse, one in four school systems report increased cyberattacks specifically targeting student accounts.

Despite this risk, only 5% of students are protected by Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), compared to 90% of teachers and 95% of IT staff. This disparity highlights a core problem: while the stakes are high, implementing essential security measures is challenging due to complex, fragmented edtech infrastructure that application developers alone cannot fix.

The Hidden Costs of a Fragmented Tech Stack

A fragmented tech stack turns necessary security into a costly, complex burden for schools and developers alike.

For Schools: Maintaining multiple security tools (the layered approach) and dealing with legacy technology takes a toll, especially when 37% of administrators cite staffing shortages as their top concern. This fragmentation consumes budget and forces IT teams to focus on patchwork fixes instead of strategic projects.

For Developers: Building custom integrations to accommodate diverse, complex school environments burns valuable engineering hours on infrastructure instead of innovation. This ultimately slows deployment and limits their product’s reach.

What’s a solution that can fix all of these problems for both groups? At Clever, we’re introducing some big ideas that can help developers access classrooms without compromising security and schools prepare for a secure future that doesn’t hinder learning. 

A Unified Platform: The Foundation for What’s Next

Clever is positioned as the essential mediator between developers and classrooms, offering a unified platform that turns security into a foundation for innovation instead of an obstacle.

Our framework is built on three pillars:

Defend Every Login with layered security. Security designed for schools protects every identity, ensuring that teachers can teach and students can learn without interruption.

Accelerate Adoption powered by identity. A unified identity unlocks secure access and enables data-driven decisions for both schools and app partners. 

Ignite Learning moments with trusted access. Unlimited, trusted accessibility across devices means that teachers stay focused on instruction, and students stay engaged.

This philosophy allows schools to deploy enterprise-grade security like MFA and secure password management without massive budget or resource investments, while developers focus entirely on their core competency: building the next breakthrough in learning.

Strategic Steps to a Unified Future

The future of secured, seamless learning is being built right now. Our roadmap delivers both critical infrastructure and classroom-friendly tools. These are designed to move your district and our app partners from managing fragmentation to embracing a unified, secure platform.

New Releases & Roadmap for 2026

Here are the key steps Clever is taking in 2026 to make this future a reality.

One integration. Every school. Clever Complete is here. 

For years, the edtech integration landscape has forced impossible choices. Application partners build costly one-off integrations for every school system, and IT leaders cobble together fragile, manual connections that consume entire teams. Today, we’re changing that with Clever Complete—a single, robust integration that eliminates these barriers for everyone.

• For application partners: Instead of building and maintaining separate integrations for every SIS, LMS, or identity provider, you now have one unified API. This means you can serve any school, using any platform, without compounding integration debt. Clever Complete lets you redirect engineering hours from infrastructure maintenance to product innovation, helping you deliver the features educators actually need.
• For school IT leaders: Clever Complete means that the applications you evaluate work from day one, regardless of your tech stack. Move new tools from pilot to deployment in days instead of weeks. You can also access richer data connections that enable the personalization and insights your teachers have been asking for.

The outcome? A more open edtech ecosystem where innovation thrives, schools access best-in-class tools effortlessly, and students benefit from consistent, high-quality digital learning experiences.

→ Learn how to set up Clever Complete.

Building Stronger Passwords, Without the Struggle

More and more IT leaders have lived this nightmare: you receive an alert that student credentials may be compromised in a breach. Now you need to reset passwords for hundreds—maybe thousands—of accounts.

Meanwhile, learning stops, your help desk drowns in tickets, and you’re still not confident every vulnerable account is secured.

The update: Clever’s Secure Password Management Suite—part of Clever IDM—is built for exactly these moments.

We’re adding the tools you need when things go wrong: mass password resets for targeted user groups, deployed instantly when you suspect a breach.

But here’s what makes this different: One action in Clever updates the password everywhere that students and staff need to access. No more manual syncing or password mismatches. 

The impact: These tools make classroom cybersecurity scalable, regardless of whether you have 200 students or 50,000. With them, you can respond to credential threats in minutes instead of days and handle beginning-of-year password rotations or semester transitions with a few clicks. Most importantly, you can keep students secure and learning without friction.

→ Get started with smarter passwords.

Secure Authentication, Made for Classroom Realities 

The Update: We’re expanding our best-in-class Classroom MFA solution, adding more options for age-appropriate, device-free authentication methods such as physical badges or picture-matching. This unlocks the ability to craft custom policies for different groups of users with different access requirements and limitations, all designed to support secure, seamless classroom learning. 

Key Benefit: This directly addresses the massive security gap in which only 5% of students are protected by MFA. It ensures continuous, secure access for all students, aligning with growing cell phone restriction policies, and extends critical coverage to your digital education ecosystem including Google Workspace and Microsoft Entra ID.

Daily Impact: Teachers face fewer login interruptions, and IT teams gain greater confidence when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable digital accounts.

→ Get started with Classroom MFA.

Protect Student Data with Built-In Control 

The Update: Districts with large quantities of staff inherently see greater complexity when it comes to access requirements. That’s why Clever now lets you define and enforce least privilege with extensive role-based access controls. New planned features will let you scope custom permissions by both school and application. We’ll also support a custom permission to impersonate admins and school tech leads (STLs). 

Key Benefit: Better protect your digital learning ecosystem and sensitive data at any scale.  Unlock the ability to clearly define access and limit unnecessary exposure. 

Daily Impact: School staff have only the access they need, which means that bad actors can’t take advantage of over-privileged accounts.

→ Get started with role-based access controls.

Vetted Tools, Visible and Safe for Classrooms

The Update: The new District Admin Dashboard homepage will give school leaders enhanced visibility and control over their complex edtech ecosystems, including supercharged search to make troubleshooting a breeze. Plus, more easily vet edtech with Edtech Quality Indicators surfaced directly in the Dashboard and advanced library controls help you get ahead of shadow IT, ensuring that only approved applications are at teachers’ fingertips. Lastly, our new Digital Learning Directory will help you provide edtech app usage visibility to your community. 

Key Benefit: Bridge the “decision gap” by empowering curriculum teams and administrators to quickly and confidently vet new tools and align spending with student outcomes and teacher adoption.

Daily Impact: IT and curriculum teams can collaborate more closely, making security an enabler of innovation, not a roadblock.

→ Get started with the new District Admin Dashboard.

A Vision for the Future

Our mission at Clever is to connect every student to a world of learning. We’re creating a unified identity platform that embeds security as a core concept within the educational environment while delivering easy access and more control for admins. We imagine a world where learning is never interrupted by security threats; and it’s nearly impossible to access student data in an insecure manner. Instead, curriculum teams and IT leaders can use Clever to accelerate learning, deploying new edtech apps in days instead of months through the power of a single, comprehensive integration system.

With these updates to the Clever platform, we can build a world where students have access to enterprise-grade protection for the entirety of their K-12 education, all powered by one unified platform. This single, trusted integration point not only strengthens security but also simplifies operations for IT and speeds up curriculum adoption, driving maximum value for our partners. Through it, we hope to build a truly global community of teachers and learners who can access the cutting edge of educational technology no matter where they live.

It’s time to stop managing security risk and start leading on it.

Ready to Build the Future of Secure Learning?

For K-12 Schools: Connect with the Clever team to explore new features of our unified identity platform.

For Edtech Partners: Begin your integration with Clever Complete.

The challenge: Young students struggle to safely log in when typing usernames and passwords

At St Thomas More Primary School in Hadfield, Victoria, young students were losing up to 20 minutes of a 40-minute lesson just logging into Chromebooks. For many prep students, typing usernames and passwords was overwhelming. Some didn’t even know all of their letters yet, and they struggled to stay logged in as they switched lessons and learning applications. 

To solve for this, teachers logged into Chromebooks on behalf of students before school or relied on older students to help the juniors sign in. They also relied on shared password practices, which created security risks. Sticky notes were taped to devices, logins were displayed on classroom walls, and simple credentials were chosen to make access easier.

Kate Mackintosh, STEAM Specialist & Digital Technologies Leader, wanted a solution that would let students start learning right away with Google while also supporting stronger security practices across the cyberschool.

The solution: Single sign-on into devices simplifies access and supports digital citizenship

To address the challenge, Kate introduced Clever Badges, a secure physical, encrypted passcode that gives students fast, independent access to their Chromebooks and Google accounts. After students flash the Clever Badge in front of the webcam to securely unlock the device, they are taken to their digital classroom in the Clever Portal where they get one-click access to applications like Seesaw and Kahoot!

Their rollout plan also included teaching students strong online safety habits as global citizens. Students were taught to keep their Clever Badges secure by storing them in the classroom. Older students used Clever Badges and a PIN for even stronger protection.

Giving students the Clever Badge frees up a lot of time. It also enables the teachers to spend time on other things rather than logging in students.

Kate Mackintosh

STEAM Specialist & Digital Technologies Leader

The impact: Single sign-on creates the foundation for security practices that don’t interrupt learning

St Thomas More’s experience demonstrates how a unified identity platform enables both immediate classroom gains and opportunities to strengthen security posture. 

1. Teaching and learning impact

• Instructional Time Saved: The unified approach recovered 20 minutes per 40-minute lesson previously lost to login friction.
• Access Rate: The school achieved 100% fast, instant student access to learning tools, rather than navigating delays.
• Operational Efficiency: Single sign-on into devices and applications drive a reduction in login-related tickets, freeing IT staff from password troubleshooting to focusing on strategic projects.
• Fewer IT Burdens: After implementing Clever Badges, the school has reduced login-related tickets down to 0.

2. Boosting Security

• Security Foundation: Clever serves as the secure identity platform that enables schools to implement stronger backend password practices in alignment with Australian government guidance.
• Advanced security: By establishing a unified identity base, the school is positioned to explore advanced security measures, specifically deviceless Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), to comply with standards like Essential 8.
• Zero Trust Enabler: Unified identity is the fundamental first step toward modernizing security architecture and implementing zero trust principles.

What is a Unified Identity Platform?

A Unified Identity Platform provides a single, trusted digital identity that works everywhere, replacing fragmented logins and eliminating the need to juggle multiple records.

Clever is the global identity platform designed for education. It integrates directly with school data systems to automatically verify, standardize, and sync user accounts across all applications.

This unification delivers immense value: seamless single sign-on and time savings are immediate classroom wins, while enhanced security (like identity provisioning, centralized password management, and multi-factor authentication) builds the resilient digital architecture IT leaders require. Clever ensures the right people securely access the right resources, every time.

Want to hear this story live? Join the live session on October 29th at 3 PM Melbourne.

About the Brazilian Edtech Market

Brazil’s edtech market operates very differently from that of the United States and Canada. Here, states—not individual schools—are responsible for purchasing and implementing digital tools. This centralized approach shapes how Brazilian education leaders ensure edtech reaches the country’s 47 million students and 2.1 million teachers across 179,000 schools (Reach Capital, 2023).

Edtech is thriving in Brazil, especially since 98% of schools have internet access and use mobile-first tools. Almost every student and teacher relies on WhatsApp (99%) and YouTube (97%) for learning and engagement (Reach Capital, 2023).

To navigate this market, global edtech leaders like Khan Academy have turned to local partnerships—teaming up with Clever and Layers to deliver scalable rollouts.

The Challenge: Scaling Implementation Across Brazilian Schools

When Khan Academy started to focus on growing in São Paulo, they faced a familiar challenge for any app entering the market: scaling implementation.

Khan Academy needed to quickly roll out its platform across the entire state – without having teachers manually roster accounts. However, building new integrations with Brazilian SISes requires custom work and pulls resources away from providing every student a world-class education. Their priority was to ensure accounts were easily created – without manual account creation – and for students and teachers to access Khan Academy through the systems they already used. Just as importantly, they needed to ensure every license was ready to go on the first day students came back to school.

The Solution: One integration, extended to every school in Brazil

With one connection, Khan Academy was able to offer automated rostering and SSO in Brazil —no new development, no extra lift.

The Technical Setup

Clever’s integration with Layers enables any edtech partner to scale across Brazil’s state systems—no new SIS or API development required.

Schools in Brazil use Layers, the leading Brazilian SSO platform for edtech, because it integrates with local SISes and automatically rosters accounts for every student and teacher. This allowed Khan Academy to use their existing Clever integration to keep accounts updated automatically, just as they do with U.S. districts.

Easy Setup, Instant Student Access

The set up process alleviated the pain of teachers creating their Khan Academy accounts for their classes. Layers handled all setup and ongoing support on behalf of schools—minimizing effort for both Khan Academy and local IT teams.

The process was simple and familiar for Khan Academy: they sent an invite through Clever, Layers accepted it on the school’s behalf, and set up sharing rules. Layers also embedded the Khan Academy SSO link directly into each school’s portal—making it effortless for students to log in. Students and teachers accessed Khan Academy through single sign-on (SSO) within the Layers Portal in Brazilian Portuguese.

Why It Matters 

Clever’s integration is designed to support any global edtech provider seeking fast, compliant entry into Brazil. With built-in rostering, SSO, and local support, you can scale across states without new development or technical overhead.

The Impact: Automated accounts and Instant Access for 1.75M Brazilian Students by Day One

Through this partnership, 1.75 million student accounts were provisioned automatically via Clever and accessed through SSO on the Layers Portal in time for the first day of school. Layers received reports from less than 0.05% of users during the rollout—a key win in a market where technical support can easily overwhelm both school and edtech teams.

Want to hear directly from Khan Academy and Layers on what they learned about scaling in Brazil? Join the live session on October 23rd at 10am PT / 1pm ET.

Ready to scale your platform to millions of Brazilian students—without a custom build? Book a 15-minute call with our team to learn how it works.

Below are three big takeaways from powering secure accounts and access for over 1,150 application partners and 95 out of the top 100 U.S. districts.

1. Earn trust by meeting privacy and security expectations 

Today’s district buyers view data privacy as a non-negotiable baseline. Compliance with FERPA, COPPA, and state laws isn’t a competitive edge—it’s required.

But privacy isn’t just about paperwork. District leaders want to know how vendors show up as trustworthy, transparent partners—especially when student data is involved. Learn more about how CIOs at U.S. districts think about protecting student identities.

What district leaders expect from edtech companies:

• A signed DPA aligned with the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC)
  
• A third-party review or internal audit
  
• A responsive, named contact for privacy and security issues

2. Pathways to purchase: Know who buys—and how fast they need to use it

U.S. districts differ in size, procurement processes, and decision-making structures. Some follow formal Request for Proposals (RFPs); others lean on pilots, education service agencies, contracts, or direct purchases. But across the board, one trend is clear: time-to-instruction is now a top buying driver.

In this instance, time-to-instruction is measured by the time it takes between purchasing and implementing the edtech program into the district tech ecosystem and getting it in the hands of the end-user – usually students, educators, or staff. 

Understanding procurement pathways is table stakes. What wins trust is helping districts move quickly from purchase to teacher use—with minimal friction.

What district leaders expect from edtech companies:

• A fast, low-lift onboarding process that shortens time-to-instruction
  
• Clear, role-based onboarding steps for IT, teachers, and support staff
  
• Flexible buying options: RFP-ready, education service agency eligible, or pilot-supported

3. District readiness & pilots: Co-own the outcomes

Pilots aren’t just product demos—they’re tests of trust and alignment. Can your team provide the support, clarity, and outcomes that districts need to justify a full rollout?

District leaders are watching for early signs of success: Is onboarding smooth? Are teachers using it without extra professional development or technical support? Are we seeing real engagement and learning within weeks?

Many of our partners who simplified access (e.g., auto-provisioned accounts via Secure Sync paired with Clever SSO) have experienced an increase in adoption and usage, making it easier for both the district and partner to focus on what matters: student learning.

What district leaders expect from edtech companies:

• Success metrics and dashboards are established before the pilot begins
  
• Early usage and engagement data to assess impact in real-time
  
• Training and support that reduce—not increase—teacher burden
  

Read stories of how leading edtech companies have integrated district expectations into their go-to-market strategies, powering scaled implementations and growth. 

Breaking into the US K-12 market for the first time? Book a meeting to discuss your GTM goals and needs with a Clever specialist.

However, digital transformation can have a dark side: cyberattacks. Today, nearly half of web-based breaches involve weak credentials – leaving sensitive student data at risk to hackers. 

This article outlines three key considerations to ensure that your digital security plans are in lockstep with your digital transformation strategy, including: 

• Secure, simple access 
• Password management 
• Multi-factor authentication

Note: While this article focuses on credentials, we recognize this is just one aspect of bolstering cybersecurity protections. Learn more about all of the ways Clever supports UK Schools here. 

Stage 1: Simplify access while maintaining security

For young learners, traditional passwords can be frustrating and easily forgotten. Some students may not even know how to type, which can lead to an overreliance on teachers helping students log in or using shared, weak passwords. Developing a cybersecurity culture amongst young students starts with building practices around safe access, starting with easy, passwordless single sign-on.

Clever Badges, a secure, physical encrypted password, allow young students to log in by simply scanning a unique code with a device, reducing barriers to access while maintaining security. This method eliminates the need to use weak passwords (or write them down) and makes it easier to use complex, unique passphrases on the backend. 

Watch Clever Badges in action

Stage 2: Building skills – typing strong passwords

As pupils progress into Key Stage 2 and secondary school, it’s crucial they begin typing secure passphrases—and understanding why they matter. This includes avoiding personal details, using a mix of characters, and never reusing credentials.

Strong passwords are a core part of any trust’s cybersecurity posture—and of a student’s digital education.

Clever’s secure password management helps multi-academy trusts create memorable, complex passphrases for pupils and staff of all ages. A centralised, secure credential system also reduces password resets and support tickets—freeing up time for IT teams and keeping learning on track.

Learn more about secure password management

Stage 3: Advanced protection – adding multi-factor authentication

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds a vital second layer of defence, protecting user accounts even if a password is compromised. One common misconception is that MFA is difficult to implement in schools or disruptive to the classroom. But it doesn’t have to be.

Clever’s Classroom MFA is built for education. It integrates seamlessly with Google, Chromebooks, and Entra ID—without the need for a second device. Pupils and staff can verify access quickly and securely, with no disruption to teaching and learning.

Watch Classroom MFA in action

With schools now managing more sensitive digital information than ever before, cyberattacks pose risks to student addresses, financial details, staff information and other personal data tied to HR, Finance and other departments.  As cyber threats continue to grow, digital transformation needs to include securing every user’s digital identity with evolving, robust password strategies is essential to protect students and staff alike.

Ahead of summer break, we’re delivering powerful new tools, most of which come at no additional cost, designed specifically for digital education and IT administrators who need more control over their systems and data.

Today, school IT administrators face increasing pressure to strengthen security practices while supporting diverse access needs across their school communities and minimizing costs, of course. As schools wrap up the academic year and prepare for summer projects, we’re excited to introduce our latest release showcase for early Summer 2025 – a comprehensive suite of enhancements designed to put IT admins firmly in the driver’s seat.

Control access, simply

The theme of this release is “Control access, simply” – because we understand that K-12 administrators need powerful tools that simplify their jobs without adding complexity. Clever puts IT admins in control with tools purpose-built for educational settings that will help restrict permissions, facilitate account switching, provide thorough system access visibility, and support secure, automated onboarding for new students and staff.

New tools for a more secure digital school environment

Our latest product release release delivers several key enhancements to help you manage and secure your digital environment:

Granular control for staff access permissions

IT administrators can now create custom roles with precisely defined permissions, including new capabilities for sharing by app. This granular control ensures the right staff members have access to exactly what they need – no more, no less. With admin sync functionality, you can streamline permissions management even as staff roles change throughout the year.

Role-based access control (RBAC) enables you to:

• Create custom roles tailored to your district’s specific needs. You may want to let your IT team manage syncs and password settings, while your curriculum team manages apps and Analytics.
• Control access with “manage by app” permissions– a highly requested feature!
• Reduce security risks through the principle of least privilege
• Simplify onboarding and role transitions

Role-based access control is available for free to all Clever customers today. Admin sync is in early access and planned to be released this summer. Reach out to our support team to be part of early access.

Securely switch between Clever accounts (or roles)

For staff members who wear multiple hats in your school organization, our new seamless multi-role account switching makes it easy to move between different roles without compromising security and without the extra clicks. No more time wasted navigating between accounts – users can now switch between their authorized roles with just two clicks.

Multi-role switching will be available this summer.

Provide secure access for substitute roles

With teacher shortages affecting schools in the US and many other countries, ensuring continuity of digital learning when teachers are absent is more important than ever. Our Substitute Access feature provides secure, temporary access for substitute teachers, helping maintain instructional continuity without compromising your security standards.

Substitute Access is available for free to all Clever customers today. Learn more. 

Share student apps in-use with your community in one click

We understand families are asking for more transparency around the learning tools their students are using in school and many states are introducing new laws that require districts to share this information, but it can be challenging and time consuming to consolidate all of that data in one place that everyone can access. The new Digital Learning Directory enables districts to respond to both of these demands in one click in their Clever dashboard that turns on a public URL that the entire district community can visit to get visibility into student apps in-use.

The Digital Learning Directory is available for free to all Clever customers today. Learn more.

Streamline account setup with secure onboarding

Clever IDM now offers secure account claiming functionality via email notifications, unique URLs or through the login page, streamlining the account setup process while maintaining strong security standards. Combined with our new comprehensive secure password management suite, these tools help you thoughtfully manage identities and passwords for school settings with less administrative overhead. This means: more time back for you to focus on important projects and even more secure accounts.

Account claiming is available in Clever IDM today with a paid subscription and included for free with Clever Passwords. To get started with Clever IDM, contact us.

What’s next? Improved experiences for Apple users and Admin Dashboard

Coming soon: Streamline student logins on Apple iOS

We’re building a new and improved Apple iOS Clever app that will streamline the login experience for students, keeping them logged in across Clever, the iOS app, and other applications. Seamless learning on iPads, unlocked!

Early access is available now. Sign up here to see if your school or district qualifies.

Coming this Fall 2025: Security alerts in a revamped admin dashboard

Later this fall, we’re excited to share that the District Admin Dashboard home page will be revamped and revitalized to give you more tools at your fingertips to (you guessed it) control access and improve security! The new updates will make troubleshooting even easier and give you warnings about potential cybersecurity concerns. Updates will include:

• Enhanced search capabilities 
• Improved data sync status visibility
• Prominent new security alerts 

The look and feel of your usual home page will be evolving while providing you with more tools to do your job and get the info you need – get ready! 

Maximizing value in budget-conscious times

We understand that schools around the world are facing tighter budgets and increasing demands on protecting data and proactively managing cyberthreats. That’s why most of these enhancements come at no additional cost to existing Clever customers. In a time when every dollar counts, we’re committed to helping you maximize the value of your existing investment.

As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and staffing challenges persist, these tools deliver the security, control, and efficiency that K-12 IT administrators need. With Clever’s latest release, you can strengthen your security posture without adding complexity or costs.

How to learn more

Ready to explore how these new features can help your district? Join us for an upcoming webinar or contact a specialist:

• On demand: The Evolution of Identity and Access: 6 Months of Innovation + What’s Next – Watch now
• June: ISTELive 2025 (June 29 – July 2) come by our booth #1536 in San Antonio, TX to see the latest Clever has to offer and grab a classic Clever T-shirt! 
• July: Back to School Preparation with Clever (Thursday, July 17 at 10am PST/1pm EST) – Register here

For more information about Clever’s ongoing commitment to K-12 security and identity management, check out our 2025 Product Vision and Roadmap.

Student data is at risk without a unified, collaborative approach 

73% of UK education institutions have faced cyberattacks in the past five years, underscoring the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures to protect student data privacy. At the same time, due to edtech adoption at an all-time high, decisions on how to implement technology vary by school. Research by the UK Department for Education shows that 51% of teachers are guided by school policy and make independent decisions, while 15% make autonomous decisions because there is no policy. Ultimately, no matter how well-intentioned, when educators make independent decisions on what edtech to use, it’s more difficult to know how much data is shared or where it’s going, leading to more security risks.

To strengthen student data privacy, cybersecurity must be a shared responsibility embraced at every level — from teachers selecting digital tools to leadership establishing clear data policies. While 96% of IT administrators view cybersecurity as a collaborative effort, only 17% feel their current strategies truly reflect this unified approach. Bridging this gap means aligning teacher autonomy with institutional safeguards, creating a culture where innovation and security work hand in hand.

How UK schools can bridge gaps to protect students

The UK Department for Education advises schools to establish processes for controlling and securing user accounts, including protecting user data. Proactively tracking how technology is used at both the school and trust levels can help uncover vulnerabilities before they escalate into threats. Using data effectively allows schools to make strategic decisions and manage risks.  Key strategies include:

1. Building a comprehensive catalogue of edtech tools to gain full visibility of the technologies in use. This data can help with building awareness of edtech usage across leadership teams. View a demo of Clever’s Edtech Analytics.
2. Evaluating the security practices of edtech vendors to ensure they meet data protection standards. Learn more about evaluating vendors.
3. Developing a clear plan to safeguard student access to applications, ensuring secure and streamlined entry points. Download this blueprint for foundational cybersecurity best practices.

View edtech data in one place with Clever 

If you need visibility into what edtech is used, Clever’s Edtech Analytics can help you automate that process. With your edtech data all in one place, you’ll be more equipped to make strategic decisions about security practices and safeguard student access. Preview Edtech Analytics or connect with a Clever specialist for a live demo!

Preview Edtech Analytics

The challenge: Students struggle to safely login and learn when typing usernames and passwords

The IT department at Tyne Coast Academy Trust has been centralizing IT over the past few years and simplifying access was a key need across their schools. They found primary students lose up to 10 minutes per class trying to type their usernames and passwords into Chromebooks. Students used simple, easy passwords to ease the login barrier, which didn’t meet best practices for strong, secure passwords. Steve Downing, the Director of IT and Learning Services, wanted a solution that would save classroom time while keeping account access secure.

The solution: Integration with Salamander Soft powers up-to-date SSO with Clever Badges

To address the challenge, Steve compared potential solutions and selected Clever Badges, a secure physical passcode resembling a QR code. Tyne Coast chose Clever because automated syncs, especially for when new students joined the trust, aligned the most with their centralization goals. C-Learning, Tyne Coast’s reseller partner, recommended Clever as an ideal solution due to automated integrations with major MISes like Salamander Soft and Arbor. Clever’s direct integration with Salamander Soft enabled automatic account creation for new students at Tyne Coast so they could access devices and edtech applications via Clever Badges the next day. 

Clever Badges help us save a massive amount of learning time – up to 10 minutes per class every day throughout the academic year.

Steve Downing

Director of IT and Learning Services, Tyne Coast Academy Trust

The impact: Students immediately jump into learning, eliminating login tickets

Steve’s implementation of Clever Badges completely eliminated login-related tickets and reduced incoming IT support tickets by half. Steve launched a pilot of Clever Badges in one classroom, and teachers’ overwhelmingly positive feedback spread across the trust. Now, two academies and 700 primary students use Clever Badges with the plan to implement it across the other three academies. Furthermore, Steve was able to create secure, complex passwords for all students, ensuring compliance with Department for Education standards and satisfying the requirements of their UK cyberinsurance provider, RPA.

On the first day of school, a student will receive a Clever Badge and that’s all they’ll need. No usernames or passwords, which has been great. Plus, we haven’t had anyone querying, ‘How do I get little Jimmy logged on?

Steve Downing

Director of IT and Learning Services, Tyne Coast Academy Trust

It’s not just about picking a product; it’s about finding a pathway to success for every student and teacher. Knowing how crucial this decision is, we’ve done some of the legwork for you. 

In this article, we’ve explored the market and identified the best alternatives to Wonde. Our guide is designed to help you find a partner that feels just right for your school(s).

1. Clever

Clever is recognized as the leading alternative to Wonde, expertly designed to simplify digital learning by seamlessly connecting data and applications in a secure, user-friendly interface. 

Designed with the needs of teachers and students at heart, this innovative platform goes beyond connecting all your edtech—it’s your partner in enhancing your digital learning experiences.

Unlike Wonde, which primarily provides a direct link to school data through Management Information Systems (MIS), Clever seamlessly integrates with your school network’s MIS and Learning Management System (LMS). 

This allows administrators and educators to fully utilize both systems while enriching them with Clever’s comprehensive layered security tools.

Plus, schools can make data-driven decisions with Clever Analytics. Schools can see all edtech data in one place to inform purchasing, training, and strategic decisions.

With an impressive track record—over 100,000 schools worldwide to manage their educational apps and data securely—Clever is proven to be the optimal choice for modern educational needs.

By implementing Clever, schools gain:

• A Digital Classroom: Clever connects the essential tools and data schools depend on, enhancing digital learning experiences for everyone involved. We’re committed to advancing educational outcomes with user-friendly technology that reaches every student.
• Seamless Interoperability: The platform is built to work effortlessly with a broad network of edtech partners, making it easier to rollout applications and drive usage with easy, secure access. 
• Layered Security: Clever integrates identity and security solutions that enhance that makes your access simpler and safer, ensuring your school’s data is protected while freeing up your time to focus on education.

With this multi-layered approach, everyone within the school community can confidently use Clever to easily and safely access the necessary resources and technology. Plus, Clever’s user-friendly design ensures that all users—from kindergartners to seasoned teachers—can maximize their educational experiences. It’s this combination of intuitive navigation and robust features that makes Clever the best solution for schools looking to enhance learning outcomes and streamline operations. 

Key features

• Clever Badges: With a flash of a Clever Badge, an encrypted, physical passcode that looks like a QR code, students get instant access to their Chromebook or Windows device and applications. Over 3 billion secure SSO logins into devices and applications to date.

• The Clever Portal: This centralized portal allows students and teachers to seamlessly access all required educational tools on any device with a single login.

• Secure Sync Rostering: This feature streamlines the management of digital classrooms and reduces administrative overhead by automating data synchronization and minimizing errors.

• Clever Analytics and Reporting: With all your edtech running through a centralized system, you’ll be able to gain valuable insights into student performance and engagement through advanced data analysis tools.

• Clever IDM (Identity Management): This add-on capability automates the entire account lifecycle—from creation to archiving—while boosting security and compliance by managing user identities across various educational platforms efficiently.

• Classroom MFA (multi-factor authentication): This enhanced feature requires additional verification steps before access is granted, ensuring that only authorized users can engage with the classroom’s digital resources. This additional layer of security helps protect sensitive information and maintain a secure educational environment.

Pros

• Extensive support and resources are available, helping schools maximize the use of digital tools effectively.
• Addresses various aspects of classroom management, from rostering to detailed analytics.
• Multi-factor authentication and rigorous identity management protect sensitive information.
• Clever has a commitment to transparency in data privacy and security policies ensures that schools understand exactly how their information is managed and grants administrators granular control over data sharing.

With its advanced security features, extensive app integration, and valuable analytics to support educational institutions, Clever offers a versatile solution that really helps to enhance learning experiences. To unlock the full potential of Clever for your educational institution, sign up for Clever PRO today.

Pricing

Clever provides flexible pricing plans tailored to the needs of educational institutions. Request a quote for Clever PRO today. 

2. Wonde 

Wonde is a notable player in the field of educational technology, providing schools with an effective solution for managing student data through integration with Management Information Systems (MIS). 

By creating a secure connection between a school’s MIS and various educational apps, the platform facilitates a seamless exchange of student information, ensuring that data is both accessible and protected.

Key features

• Secure Data Integration: Connects securely with MIS to synchronize student data across platforms.
• Automated Data Transfers: Automates the transfer of data to reduce manual entry and increase accuracy.
• User Management: Allows administrators to control access and permissions within the system.
• Audit Trails: Provides comprehensive activity visibility and compliance tracking.

Pros

• Broadly supports various educational applications.
• Supports effective strategic planning for schools and education systems.
• Offers comprehensive security measures and compliance processes to protect sensitive school data.

Pricing

Wonde offers customizable pricing plans designed to accommodate the varying needs of educational institutions.

3. ClassLink 

ClassLink is another cloud-based alternative that serves as a centralized hub, allowing users to access all their digital tools and content from one secure location.

The platform works by integrating with a school’s existing systems and directories, such as Active Directory or Google Workspace. Once connected, ClassLink provides a personalized dashboard for each user where they can access the applications, files, and resources they are assigned.

Key features

• Single Sign-On (SSO): One login for access to all educational resources.
• Roster Server: Automatically syncs user data across applications.
• Analytics: Tracks usage patterns to help optimize resource allocation.
• Mobile Application: This allows each user to check their progress or access resources on the go.

Pros

• A user-friendly interface makes adoption easier and reduces learning curves.
• Integrates with a wide range of educational tools and platforms.
• Robust analytics and reporting capabilities.

Pricing

ClassLink provides tiered pricing plans tailored to different school sizes and needs. Options range from a Starter Plan with essential features for smaller schools to a Premium Plan that offers advanced functionalities and customization. 

4. COOL by Cloudwise

COOL is an all-in-one online education platform designed to streamline and enhance the digital learning experience for students, teachers, and IT administrators. 

Like the other platforms on this list, it offers a user-friendly dashboard that integrates educational apps, tools, and resources into a centralized hub, accessible with a single login. 

While its marketed to integrate with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 environments, it can still integrate with classroom management systems and student information systems (SIS)

Key features

• Customizable Dashboards: Allows schools to tailor the interface and functionality to their specific needs.
• Advanced Reporting Tools: Offers detailed insights into usage and engagement metrics.
• Cool Sync: Automatically adds and removes students from the platform based on your school’s SIS data.
• Easy Login Options: Includes picture passwords and QR codes to simplify student access.

Pros

• Its customization capabilities make it an appealing choice for schools that prioritize flexibility and ease of use in their digital platforms.
• Real-time learning monitoring and screen sharing capabilities.
• Provides secure testing environments.

Pricing

COOL by Cloudwise offers flexible pricing plans that can be customized based on the specific needs and size of the institution. They offer a 60-day free trial.

5. WizKids

WizKids excels as another viable Wonde alternative. Like Wonde, WizKids syncs data with your school’s MIS, providing a platform where educational content, tools, and resources are easily accessible to both students and teachers.

Unlike other platforms on this list, WiKids automatically synchronizes school data every few hours, ensuring that all users have access to the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Key features

• Cloud-Based Synchronization: Ensures real-time data accuracy across educational platforms.
• Personalized Learning Tools: Customizes educational experiences to individual student needs.
• Dedicated Support: Access to expert technical support and a Customer Success Manager.
• Real-Time Analytics: Tools for tracking student progress and performance.

Pros

• Adaptable to schools of any size and educational level.
• Interactive features keep students interested and involved.
• Reduces the workload on school staff through automation.

Pricing

WizKids offers scalable pricing plans that vary depending on the number of users and the specific features required. They also offer a 30-day free trial to their Classroom Manager. 

6. Xporter GroupCall

This UK-based data management solution gives secure and controlled access to school MIS data using an on-demand API. They offer a suite of tools including Xporter and XVault, which help schools manage and utilize their data efficiently.

What makes this platform stand out is its compatibility with numerous MIS systems, its secure data handling practices, and its ability to provide real-time data access through XoD; however, they currently seem designed to cater to UK schools specifically. 

Key features

• Secure Data Transfer: Ensures safe transmission of data between school MIS and third-party applications.
• Wide MIS Compatibility: Supports all major UK MIS systems.
• GDPR Compliance: Fully compliant with data protection regulations, ensuring user data is handled securely.
• Data Integration and Aggregation: Creates a searchable database from data.

Pros

• Suitable for small, medium, and large schools, and can grow with the organization.
• Adheres to ISO 27001 and ISO 9001 standards, providing high levels of data security.
• Offers a responsive and secure API for real-time data sharing.

Pricing

Detailed pricing information is available upon request, allowing schools to choose options that best fit their needs and budget.

Looking for a Wonde alternative? 

If you’re exploring alternatives to Wonde for your school’s digital learning and data management needs, Clever is one of the best choices available.

Trusted by over 100,000 schools, Clever offers a comprehensive and secure platform that enhances the educational experience by seamlessly integrating with existing systems and providing a range of robust tools aimed at improving student and teacher engagement.

Find out why 97 of the largest 100 K-12 public school districts in the United States have relied on Clever for their data management needs. 

Discover the benefits of Clever and get Clever PRO today!