CuraCourseCuraCourse vs Runestone Academy
Runestone Academy is a free, nonprofit library of interactive CS and math textbooks, including CSAwesome, with runnable code and unit-test grading in the book. CuraCourse is for instructors who want to write their own course in a visual editor, with math, graphs, simulations, an AI tutor, and AI grading.
We wrote this from each company’s public docs. Last checked .
When Runestone Academy fits
Runestone fits if you want a free, open textbook that’s already written, like CSAwesome for AP CS A, with runnable code, Parsons problems, and unit-test grading. It’s open source and run by a nonprofit.
When CuraCourse fits
CuraCourse fits if you want to write or change the course yourself without learning PreTeXt, or you need math answers checked for equivalence, graphs, simulations, an AI tutor you control, or AI grading against your rubric.
The main differences
Writing your own course
Runestone instructors build assignments from exercises and can write single exercises in the browser. Writing or changing a whole book means PreTeXt, a GitHub fork, and approval to publish. In CuraCourse, you write lessons in a visual editor, and CSAwesome is also in the CuraCourse bookstore if you want a starting point.
Cost
Runestone is free and asks for donations, which is hard to beat. CuraCourse is free for instructors, and students pay $0, $20, or $45 per course, or the school pays.
AI and grading
Runestone’s AI features need the instructor’s own OpenAI key and are described as research tools. We couldn’t find AI grading. CuraCourse’s AI tutor works from your lesson with limits you set, and AI can grade written work against your rubric for you to review.
Students draw the answer.
Alongside code and Parsons problems, CuraCourse lessons can ask students to draw a graph, and their graph is checked against yours.
How to set it upEach cell links to its guide or source.
| What you need to do | CuraCourse | Runestone |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive lessons | ||
| Author your own material Write content and organize it for your class. | Available Write lessons with explanations, video, equations, and activities in one editor. Guide | Exercises; books in PreTeXt Write single exercises in the browser. Writing or changing a whole book means PreTeXt, GitHub, and approval to publish. Source |
| Questions alongside teaching material Ask questions while students learn a concept. | Available Multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, open response, sorting, and ordering, right after your explanation. Guide | Available Multiple choice, Parsons problems, runnable code, and fill-in-the-blank sit inside the textbook pages. Source |
| Math & graphs | ||
| Math answers checked for equivalence Students type a math expression, and equivalent forms count as correct. | Available Students answer on a math keyboard. Accept the exact form, any equivalent expression, or a value within a tolerance. Guide | WeBWorK books WeBWorK problems in PreTeXt math books check math answers. Plain fill-in-the-blank matches text or numbers. Source |
| Students draw graphs Students plot points, lines, and curves, and the graph is checked automatically. | Available Students plot points, lines, curves, and constructions on a board you set up, checked against your answers. Guide | Not in their docs We couldn’t find a question type where students draw graphs. Docs checked |
| Custom activities | ||
| Build your own interactive activity Put a simulation or tool you made in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript inside a lesson, with saved progress and scores. | Available Build it yourself or with CuraAI. It saves each student’s progress and score. Guide | SPLICE activities Activities built to the SPLICE standard run in the page and save state and scores. We couldn’t find an instructor guide for it. Source |
| Exams | ||
| Timed exams Give students a set amount of time. | Beta Set a time limit, how students move through questions, and when grades are released. Guide | Available Assignments can be exams with a time limit, shown one question at a time. Source |
| IDE | ||
| Write and run code in the browser Students code without installing anything. | Available Code exercises run inside the lesson on every plan. Cloud-based labs need Pro, or Core with the labs add-on. Guide | Available ActiveCode runs Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, SQL, and more in the page. Source |
| Automatic code checks Grade code against tests you set. | Available Check student programs against the output you expect, on every plan. Guide | Available Add hidden unit tests that grade student code when it’s submitted. Source |
| Grading | ||
| Manual scoring and feedback Grade work yourself and leave comments. | Available Grade with your rubric, and move through submissions quickly with Lightning Grader. Guide | Available Grade by hand, override autograded scores, and leave comments students see. Source |
| AI rubric grading AI scores work against your rubric and gives feedback. | Available Write the rubric, then review the AI’s scores and feedback. On every plan, and free Starter courses include a few AI credits. Guide | Not in their docs We couldn’t find AI or rubric grading. Docs checked |
| AI | ||
| AI help you control Decide how much AI helps students. | Available Turn on the AI tutor per lesson and choose how much it helps. Off by default. Guide | Your own API key With the instructor’s own OpenAI key, CodeTailor gives AI-personalized Parsons help. It’s described as a research feature. Source |
| Adoption & cost | ||
| LMS launch and grade sync Students open work from your LMS, and grades go back automatically. | Available LTI 1.3 with grade passback. Works with Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard Ultra, Brightspace, Schoology, and more. Guide | Available LTI 1.3 and 1.1, tested with Canvas, Moodle, and D2L. Grades go to the LMS when you release them. Source |
| How access is priced What a course costs, including paid features and usage. | Free to start Free for instructors. Students pay $0, $20, or $45 per course, or the school pays. Guide | Free Free, from a nonprofit, with donations requested. Large classes are asked to contribute. Source |
“Available” means it’s documented, though it may need a certain plan. “Not in their docs” means we couldn’t find it in the linked pages. It may still exist.
“I’ve taught CS for over three decades. CuraCourse is the first platform that actually matches how I want to teach: interactive exercises and multimedia that keep students engaged, plus real-time visibility into their work so I know who needs help before they fall behind. I can’t get this from textbooks or traditional publisher platforms.”
Dr. Vic Fay-Wolfe
Professor of Computer Science, University of Rhode Island
Switching from Runestone Academy
- If you teach from CSAwesome, adopt it from the CuraCourse bookstore and copy any page you want to change.
- For other books, rebuild one chapter as a CuraCourse lesson, with your code exercises and tests.
- Runestone grades don’t transfer. Connect CuraCourse to your LMS so new grades sync back.
Common questions
Is CuraCourse a good Runestone Academy alternative?
It is if you want to write or change your course in a visual editor, or you need math answers, graphs, simulations, or AI grading. If you want a free, finished open textbook, Runestone is hard to beat.
Can I teach CSAwesome in CuraCourse?
Yes. CSAwesome is in the CuraCourse bookstore. Adopt it into your course, and copy any page you want to change.
Is CuraCourse free like Runestone?
Building is free for instructors, and students can take a free Starter course. Core and Pro cost $20 or $45 per student, per course, or the school pays. Runestone is free and asks for donations.
Sources
We checked these pages in October 2026. Some features depend on the plan or book, so ask Runestone Academy about your setup. If something is out of date, tell us and we’ll fix it.
- Runestone: Writing your own book
- Runestone: Adding exercises
- Runestone: WeBWorK support
- Runestone: Interactive components
- Runestone: SPLICE activities
- Runestone: Exams and quizzes
- Runestone: ActiveCode languages
- Runestone: ActiveCode exercises
- Runestone: Grading
- Runestone: Course settings
- Runestone: LTI 1.3 integration
- Runestone Academy: About
CuraCourse entries in the table link to our own guides.