Class Cortex is the top pick for teachers who want a Classcraft-style XP and squad system without student accounts. TeachQuest suits a deep RPG, ClassMana suits animated avatars and powers, and ClassDojo, Classroomscreen and Class Charts are worth a look for other needs.
Why Teachers Are Comparing TeachQuest and ClassMana
When Classcraft closed, many teachers went looking for a replacement and found the same short list. Classcraft was taken offline in 2024 after Houghton Mifflin Harcourt bought it, and our Classcraft alternatives guide tells that story and lists every option. Two names came up more than any others: TeachQuest and ClassMana, which teachers often search for as Teach Quest and Class Mana.
Both of them are serious tools, and neither is the obvious winner, because they are two different paths. This guide is about which replacement style fits you. It compares TeachQuest, ClassMana and Class Cortex honestly, including where Class Cortex is the weaker choice, so you can pick the path that matches your classroom rather than the loudest marketing.
Three Ways to Replace Classcraft
Classcraft did several things at once: it gave every student a character, it ran a fantasy game on top of the class, and it tracked behaviour. Each replacement keeps a different part of that.
- The deep RPG path (TeachQuest): rebuilds the full role-playing world, with raids, dungeons, quests and pets.
- The avatar and powers path (ClassMana): keeps the personal character and a spell-style economy at the centre.
- The practical path (Class Cortex): keeps the XP, HP and team competition, and adds the classroom tools a teacher actually uses each lesson, without needing students to sign up.
TeachQuest: The Deep RPG Path
TeachQuest is the closest to Classcraft's original spirit. Its feature list includes raids, solo dungeons, quests, campaigns, spells, random encounters, pets and potions, plus a noise tracker and a student randomiser. Students get character classes such as Defender, Wizard, Medic and Augmentor, and the system tracks health, mana, experience and gold. For a teacher who wants an immersive fantasy world that runs through the whole term, that depth is the appeal.
The trade-offs are practical. TeachQuest requires student profiles to use its full feature set, it is US-focused in its content and support, and it has no seating map or whiteboard. It has a free tier, but check its site for current paid pricing. For a full look, see our TeachQuest alternative guide.
ClassMana: The Avatar and Powers Path
ClassMana puts the student's character front and centre. Its avatars are animated, customisable 3D characters, and students spend currency on powers that affect the class, which makes it the closest match to the personal, spell-casting side of Classcraft. It also offers instant tools, including Monster Battle, Silence Challenge and a timer, that work without student accounts, and it reports more than 95,000 teacher signups.
The trade-offs are similar. The full Class Adventure system requires students to create accounts, which can be a serious obstacle for lower year levels or schools with strict IT policies, although ClassMana's own marketing also describes token-based joining, so confirm the current process before you commit. Pricing for the full system is not publicly listed and is available on request, and there is no seating map, full whiteboard or robust noise monitor. Our ClassMana vs Class Cortex comparison goes deeper.
Class Cortex: The Practical Third Path
Class Cortex is a different kind of replacement. It does not try to rebuild the fantasy world. It keeps what most secondary teachers actually used, which is persistent XP and HP, team competition and a boss-style activity, and it puts them in a dashboard with the practical tools you reach for every lesson.
What you get
Every student has XP and HP that carry across lessons. The Command Deck splits a class into 2 to 6 squads, each with its own XP bar, and a class Weekly XP Target unlocks a prize draw. Boss Battle lets students join at classcortex.com/join by QR code with no accounts. There is also a timer, a random student picker, a drag-and-drop seating map, a whiteboard and eight training games, and the whole thing runs in your browser with all data stored locally. There are no student accounts for anything, so there is nothing for IT to approve.
Where it is weaker
Be clear about the gap. Class Cortex has no pets, quests, campaigns or spells. Its avatars, chosen from the Neural Core Economy, are cosmetic and unlocked with XP rather than animated 3D characters, and they do not give powers that change gameplay. The first row of CORE avatars is free, everything else costs XP, and the five Pro categories need Pro. If the fantasy layer is what your students love, a deeper RPG tool will deliver more of it.
The noise monitor shows the style. On the free tier it fires a visual alarm and audio cue and awards Quiet Streak bonus XP for every 30 seconds of quiet, and on Pro, Noise Auto-Penalty deducts XP automatically. For a full explanation of the no-login approach, see our guide to gamified classroom management with no student logins.
Feature Comparison: TeachQuest vs ClassMana vs Class Cortex
| Feature | TeachQuest | ClassMana | Class Cortex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Deep RPG world | Avatars and a powers economy | Practical dashboard with a game layer |
| Student accounts | Required for the full feature set | Instant tools free of accounts; full Class Adventure system needs them | None needed |
| Persistent XP and HP | Yes (HP, mana, XP and gold) | Yes (XP, mana, health and gold) | Yes (XP and HP) |
| Character avatars | Character classes with stats and inventory | Animated, customisable 3D avatars | Cosmetic avatars bought with XP (not animated 3D) |
| Spells or powers that change gameplay | Yes | Yes | No |
| Group boss battle | Raids | Monster Battle | Boss Battle, joined by QR code |
| Random or surprise events | Random encounters | Mystery events | Supply Airdrop (random bonus XP) |
| Pets, quests and campaigns | Yes | Not verified | No |
| Noise monitor | Noise tracker | No robust noise monitor | Yes (free alarm and Quiet Streak, Pro auto XP penalty) |
| Seating map and whiteboard | No | No | Yes |
| Free tier | Yes | Instant tools free; full system pricing on request | Yes, 1 class of 30 students; Pro is AUD $49 per year |
| Focus | US-focused | Fantasy RPG look | Built for secondary teachers |
Compiled from each product's public pages and reviews, checked September 2026. Features and pricing may change, so confirm details on each site before you decide.
Other TeachQuest and ClassMana Alternatives Worth Knowing About
If neither RPG path feels right, three other tools cover different needs. ClassDojo is a widely used behaviour points tool that skews towards primary schools and is covered in our ClassDojo alternative guide. Classroomscreen is a free widget board with timers and a noise widget but no gamification layer, and we compare it in our Classroomscreen alternatives guide. Class Charts is a whole-school behaviour and seating platform sold through school licences, and it is covered in our Class Charts alternative guide.
What none of these give you is the combination Class Cortex offers: persistent XP, HP and squads with live Boss Battles and practical classroom tools in one browser tab, free, with no student accounts and no whole-school rollout. For the broader picture on replacing Classcraft, see our Classcraft alternatives guide.
Which One Is Right for You?
Choose TeachQuest if: you want the deepest possible RPG world, with raids, quests and pets, and you are happy for students to have profiles.
Choose ClassMana if: your priority is animated avatars and a powers economy, and your school is comfortable with student accounts for the full system.
Choose Class Cortex if: you want XP, HP, squads and Boss Battles plus a timer, noise monitor, seating map and whiteboard, ready in minutes, free, with no student accounts.
No student accounts. No credit card. No install.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between TeachQuest and ClassMana?
TeachQuest goes deep on RPG mechanics, with raids, solo dungeons, quests, campaigns, spells, random encounters, pets and potions. ClassMana focuses on animated 3D avatars and a spell-based powers economy where students spend currency on powers that affect the class. Both are fantasy-style Classcraft replacements that lean on student-facing profiles, while Class Cortex is a lighter, teacher-run alternative with no student accounts.
Which is better for secondary teachers, TeachQuest or ClassMana?
It depends on your class. TeachQuest suits teachers who want a full RPG world and are comfortable managing student profiles, and it is US-focused. ClassMana suits teachers who want a strong avatar and powers economy and a fantasy look. Secondary teachers who want something faster to set up, with no student accounts and built-in tools like a noise monitor and seating map, often prefer Class Cortex.
Do TeachQuest and ClassMana require student accounts or logins?
TeachQuest requires student profiles to access its full feature set. ClassMana's instant tools, such as Monster Battle, Silence Challenge and the timer, work without student accounts, but its full Class Adventure system requires students to create accounts, although ClassMana's own marketing describes token-based joining, so confirm the current process for your school. Class Cortex needs no student accounts for anything.
Is Class Cortex a good Classcraft replacement?
It is a good replacement if you mainly used Classcraft for XP, HP, teams and boss-style activities. Class Cortex has XP, HP, 2 to 6 squads, live Boss Battles and an avatar economy, plus a timer, noise monitor, seating map and whiteboard. It does not have pets, quests, spells or a powers economy, and its avatars are cosmetic, so teachers who loved Classcraft's deep RPG layer may prefer TeachQuest or ClassMana.
How much do TeachQuest, ClassMana and Class Cortex cost?
TeachQuest has a free tier, and you should check its site for current paid pricing. ClassMana's instant tools are free, but pricing for its full Class Adventure system is not publicly listed and is available on request. Class Cortex is free for one class of up to 30 students, and Pro is AUD $49 per year for 12 classes and extra features.
What are other alternatives to TeachQuest and ClassMana besides Class Cortex?
ClassDojo is a popular behaviour points tool that skews towards primary schools, Classroomscreen is a free widget board with no gamification layer, and Class Charts is a whole-school behaviour and seating platform sold through school licences. Class Cortex is the strongest option for individual secondary teachers who want XP, squads and Boss Battles on top of practical classroom tools, with no student accounts.
Further Reading
