flip education
Active Learning for Every Classroom
Nearpod
Interactive Lessons Platform
One syncs slides to screens.
The other puts learning in students’ hands.
Nearpod delivers interactive slide-based lessons on student devices. Flip generates complete offline active learning experiences built around research-backed pedagogies, with printed materials and no devices required.
Our Philosophy
Offline-first
Students debate, investigate, and build together. Print the materials and teach without screens.
Pedagogy-grounded
48 research-backed methodologies shape every activity, not just the topic covered.
Complete experiences
Objectives, activities, handouts, SEL mapping, and curriculum alignment in one lesson plan.
Their Approach
Device-based
Every student needs a device. Lessons sync to screens with teacher-paced or student-paced modes.
Slide-driven
Interactive slides with polls, quizzes, and drawing tools shape the lesson flow.
Real-time sync
Teachers control pacing while students respond through polls, quizzes, and collaborate boards.
The Bottom Line
Which one is right for you?
Choose Flip Education if…
You want methodology-driven lessons where students physically collaborate, debate, and create, with SEL mapping, curriculum alignment across 10 countries, and print-ready materials.
Choose Nearpod if…
You want to deliver interactive, device-based lessons with real-time student pacing, embedded assessments, VR experiences, and integration with your existing LMS.
What You Actually Get
Interactive slides vs. active learning
Nearpod makes slides interactive with polls and quizzes on student devices. Flip makes learning active with debates, investigations, and collaborative challenges that happen face to face.
Nearpod output
What you receive
- Interactive slide-based lessons synced to student devices
- Embedded polls, quizzes, and drawing activities
- Virtual Reality field trips and 3D objects
- Real-time student response tracking
Best for: 1:1 device classrooms, formative assessment, VR experiences
Flip output
What you receive
- A complete lesson built around one of 48 research-backed pedagogies
- Step-by-step activity instructions for the teacher
- Student-facing handouts, ready to print
- SEL competency mapping, built into the lesson
- Curriculum standards alignment across 10 countries
- Discussion questions and exit ticket
Best for: deep learning, active methodology, offline-capable teaching
Feature by Feature
How we compare
| Feature | Flip Education | Nearpod |
|---|---|---|
| Core Purpose | ||
| AI lesson generation | Partial | |
| Interactive slide delivery | ||
| Quick start (under 60 seconds) | Varies | |
| Designed for offline delivery | ||
| Print-ready classroom materials | ||
| Pedagogical Depth | ||
| 48 active learning methodologies | ||
| Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) | SEL library | |
| Curriculum standards (10 countries) | US-focused | |
| Complete lesson arc | Slide sequence | |
| Teacher facilitation guide | Teacher notes | |
| Technology & Integration | ||
| Student device pacing | ||
| Embedded formative assessments | ||
| Virtual Reality experiences | ||
| LMS integration (Google, Canvas) | ||
| Pre-built lesson library | Curriculum-based | 15,000+ lessons |
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier | Generous free tier | Free (limited) |
| School/district plan | ||
Where Flip Leads
What Flip does better
Active learning, not interactive slides
Nearpod makes slides interactive with polls and quizzes. Flip makes learning active with Socratic seminars, jigsaw activities, mock trials, and design challenges. Students interact with each other, not a screen.
No devices required
Flip lessons work with printed materials and face-to-face interaction. No 1:1 devices, no Wi-Fi dependency, no troubleshooting login issues. Print and teach.
48 research-backed pedagogies
Every lesson is structured around a specific methodology that shapes how students think, collaborate, and engage. The pedagogy drives the lesson format.
SEL built into every lesson
Social-emotional learning competencies are mapped automatically. Nearpod offers an SEL content library, but SEL is not embedded into the lesson generation process.
Standards across 10 countries
US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Chile, India, and Singapore. Nearpod focuses primarily on US standards.
60-second generation, zero setup
No slide building, no embedding activities, no configuring pacing modes. Enter a topic, pick a methodology, and get a complete lesson with handouts.
Honest Acknowledgement
Where Nearpod wins
We think Flip is the better lesson planning tool. We also think you should know what it doesn’t do yet.
Real-time student interaction
Teacher-paced and student-paced modes synchronize content to every student's device. Polls, quizzes, draw-it activities, and collaborate boards happen in real time.
VR and immersive experiences
Nearpod's Virtual Reality field trips and 3D objects bring immersive experiences to the classroom. Flip has no digital immersive content.
LMS and platform integration
Nearpod integrates with Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, and Microsoft Teams. Flip operates as a standalone tool.
Common Questions
Frequently asked
Can Nearpod generate lesson plans?
Does Flip work without student devices?
Is Flip Education free?
Can I use Nearpod and Flip together?
See it for yourself
Generate a complete lesson plan in under 60 seconds. No account required.