7 Best Automated Grading Systems for Effortless Evaluation

Grading assignments can feel like a never-ending chore. You start off with good intentions, but hours later, you’re swimming in a sea of papers, trying to decipher handwriting and pointing out errors. 

On average, teachers spend about 5 hours just grading during the workweek. 

It’s the time that could rather be spent teaching, brainstorming new ideas, or, you know, having a life outside of work. 

Thankfully, the best automated grading systems let you breeze through evaluations without losing your mind (and energy). These smart tools take the drudgery out of grading and return you those lost hours. 

This guide explores more about these tools and the best options to boost work efficiency. 

What is an Automated Grading System? 

An automated grading system is a tool that takes over the tedious task of marking assignments and quizzes. 

So, instead of manually going through each submission, the system uses clever algorithms to evaluate the work in a snap. 

It could be multiple-choice, essays, or even programming; these systems can handle it all. Besides, they’re super consistent and fair, which means no grading fatigue or accidental bias creeping in. 

Overall, it helps educators save time and sanity, all while keeping evaluations sharp.

7 Best Automated Grading Systems to Try

Grading is the part of teaching no one really talks about, but we all know it eats up way too much time. 

Late nights, endless papers, and, above all, the pressure of being consistent with every single student. 

Fortunately, there’s a smarter way to tackle it. The best automated grading systems take the grunt work out of evaluating assignments and give you more time to focus on teaching. 

We’ve enlisted the 10 best automated grading systems to make teaching less overwhelming for you. 

1. Coursebox 

Coursebox AI slashes your workload while keeping students engaged 24/7. 

With AI tutors available at all times, your learners get instant feedback, freeing you up to focus on delivering top-tier content. The tool automates everything from grading to real-time support and more. 

Features:

• AI-generated assessments in just 5 minutes. No more hours spent creating tests and quizzes. Coursebox AI can create complete assessments for you in minutes while ensuring they align with your course material and learning goals.
• AI-generated rubrics for consistent grading. Take the guesswork out of grading. Coursebox provides detailed, AI-crafted rubrics. It also makes sure that each student is evaluated fairly and consistently, without bias.
• Automated grading to save time. Say goodbye to long grading sessions. Coursebox AI handles the grading for you and delivers accurate results in a fraction of the time.

Pricing: 

• Freemium is available
• Paid plans cost anywhere between $17 - $2,499 per month (billed yearly)

2. Pearson MyLab

Pearson MyLab is here to streamline your teaching life. It offers a complete solution for managing courses while keeping grading stress to a minimum. 

More than just an automated grading tool, MyLab creates a learning environment where students receive personalized learning paths based on their progress. 

Features:

• Automated grading for homework and exams. Let MyLab take care of the nitty-gritty grading details. The tool automatically grades homework, exams, and quizzes. This means you can have more interactive teaching moments with your students. 
• Personalized learning paths. Every student is unique, and so are their learning needs. MyLab adjusts lessons and assignments based on individual progress. This way, each student is challenged at the right level.
• Detailed analytics and progress tracking. Get the full picture of how your students are doing. MyLab’s analytics provide detailed insights into performance trends to help you spot areas for improvement at a glance.

Pricing: 

Contact to inquire about the pricing. 

3. Flubaroo

If you're a Google Forms fan, Flubaroo is about to become your new best friend. This free add-on for Google Forms and Sheets is a total game-changer for educators who want to skip the manual grading madness. 

Whether you’re handling quizzes or assignments, Flubaroo takes over the grading process and gives you quick insights into student performance without all the hassle.

Features:

• Automated grading for Google Forms. Flubaroo instantly grades assignments submitted through Google Forms and saves you valuable time.
• Email scores to students. Once the grading is done, the tool automatically sends each student their score (no extra steps required). 
• Track individual student performance. The tool lets you keep an eye on how each student is doing over time. This allows you to easily see who’s excelling and who might need extra support.
• Identify students needing extra help. Flubaroo’s built-in analytics feature flags students who may be falling behind. This gives you a heads-up on who might need some extra attention.

Pricing: 

• It’s a free tool. 

4. Showbie

Showbie is a multifunctional platform that brings everything you need for assignments, communication, and feedback under one roof. 

Gone are the days of juggling multiple tools; Showbie simplifies your workflow with its integrated gradebook. Whether you want to grade assignments or provide feedback, the platform makes it a breeze. 

Features:

• Mark and grade work directly. No more flipping back and forth between documents. You can grade student work within the shared folder. This makes it easy for you to evaluate assignments as you view them.
• Enhanced feedback options. Showbie lets you go beyond just numbers with meaningful feedback. You can, for instance, add written comments, or better, save time by recording audio feedback - just hit record and let your thoughts flow!
• Quick overview of grades. Easily check grades by categories like assignment, class, or student. The platform also provides a clear picture of how everyone is performing so you can identify areas for improvement.

Pricing: 

Contact for pricing. 

5. BookWidgets

Bookwidgets is an innovative learning platform that lets teachers design and grade lessons in a flash. 

With over 40 engaging activity types at your fingertips - including quizzes, crosswords, and worksheets - you can create meaningful learning experiences for your students. 

And once your students complete their assignments, BookWidgets automatically grades them as they submit. So, whether you’re at your desk or on the go, accessing results and insights is just a click away. 

Features:

• Seamless submission and auto-grading. Once students complete their assignments, they’re graded automatically upon submission. This means you can focus on teaching while BookWidgets handles the nitty-gritty of grading.
• Real-time progress tracking. The teacher’s dashboard provides a detailed view of each student’s progress.
• Constructive feedback made simple. Providing feedback is a piece of cake with BookWidgets! It lets you personalize comments right from the grading dashboard. So, in case you have personal insights to help students improve, you can easily share them.

Pricing: 

• A free trial is available
• Paid Plans range anywhere from $9.95 - $55 per month. 

6. ZipGrade

ZipGrade is designed to turn the daunting grading task into a swift, stress-free process. With just a quick scan of your students' tests using your smartphone, the app provides you with instant grades. 

But remember, while it’s a champ at grading, it leaves the real learning to you. It’s up to you to discern where your students may be struggling and which concepts need a little extra TLC

Features:

• Flexible answer sheets. Choose from standard answer sheets in 20, 50, or 100 question formats, or get creative with the Custom Form Wizard. It lets you tailor your answer sheets to fit your needs, including the number of questions, answer choices, and labels.
• Diverse question types. ZipGrade allows you to create answer sheets for true/false questions, matching, and even gridded-numeric entries.  
• Instant grading on the go. Simply scan the completed answer sheets with your smartphone and watch ZipGrade do its magic. It’ll give you accurate grades in minutes.

Pricing: 

• A freemium is available, but it’s limited to 100 scans a month.

7. Turnitin Gradescope

Say goodbye to late nights spent buried in papers, and hello to more time delivering impactful lessons! 

Turnitin Gradescope speeds up grading for both digital and paper-based assignments. With its nifty AI-powered grading features, it can handle everything from typed reports to handwritten exams. 

Plus, it seamlessly integrates with your favorite Learning Management Systems, which is a plus. 

Features:

• AI-enabled grading automation. Whether it’s a lab report or a math exam, the tool gives you precise results in no time.
• Versatile assessment support. No need to worry about the type of assignment; Gradescope can handle it all! From quizzes to extensive projects, it’s built for a wide range of assessments, particularly for those tricky STEM subjects.
• Quick feedback for students. Want to help your students learn? Gradescope allows you to provide speedy feedback and help them grasp concepts more effectively. 

Pricing: 

Contact to inquire about the pricing. 

Conclusion 

Educators no longer need to spend late nights poring over assignments with a big cup of coffee in hand. Instead, you could be sipping that coffee in peace while your grading system handles everything for you. 

The best automated grading systems, besides lightening your workload, allow you to create personalized learning paths for genuine student engagement. 

This way, you can tailor your teaching and meet students right where they are. So, go on, pick your tool, and let it do the heavy lifting for you; your future self will thank you!