School timetable software: 2026 comparison and how to choose
Updated on .
We compared the options Brazilian schools use most — Skedavo, PowerCubus, Urânia, FET and the good old spreadsheet — on price, automatic generation, AI and what matters most in the scheduling team's day-to-day work.
Free for up to 15 classes · no credit card · 100% online
Quick answer
School timetable software builds the class schedule automatically, matching teachers, classes, rooms and teaching rules. In 2026 the options cited most often in Brazil are Skedavo (web, plain-language AI + optimization engine, free up to 15 classes, with full school management), PowerCubus (web, scheduling only), Urânia (by GEHA, desktop or web), Cronos (web), FET (open source, technical) and Excel (manual, nothing stops a clash).
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Skedavo | PowerCubus | Urânia | Cronos | FET (open source) | Excel / spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | 100% web (browser) | Web (“100% online”) | Windows desktop (UP) or browser (Urânia+) | Web, nothing to install | Desktop (Windows, Linux, macOS) | Desktop |
| Automatic timetable generation | Yes — optimization solver | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No — manual |
| Rules in natural language (AI) | Yes — in plain language | Not found on the website | Not found on the website | Not found on the website | Not found on the website | No |
| Import from spreadsheet or photo (AI) | Yes — Excel/CSV and a photo of the schedule board | Not checked | Not checked | Not checked | Not checked | — |
| Free plan | Yes — up to 15 classes, forever | Advertises a free start; limit not checked | Not found on the website | Up to 3 classes in a single shift | Open source, free | — |
| Goes beyond scheduling (enrollment, grades, announcements, finance) | Yes — complete platform | Not found on the website | Not found on the website | Not found on the website | Not found on the website | No |
| Published price | Free up to 15 classes; paid plans from R$ 49,90 to R$ 219,90 a month, or from R$ 399 to R$ 2.199 a year | Not checked (the pricing page loads through a script) | No public price table; priced by number of classes, subscription per school year | R$ 420 to R$ 1.020 (Brazilian reais), one-time payment by school size; above 22 classes per shift, quote on request | Free (AGPL v3 license) | Office license |
| Checked on | 29/10/2026 | 29/10/2026 | 29/10/2026 | 29/10/2026 | 29/10/2026 | — |
How we checked
Criteria: only what each vendor publishes on its own website: where it runs, automatic generation, free plan and price. Date: Oct 29, 2026 for all of them. “Not found on the website” means we didn't find the information in the public material on that date, not that the product lacks the feature; “Not checked” means we didn't verify it. An unsourced “market” price range was removed from this page. Sources: PowerCubus · Urânia (the program) · Urânia (pricing) · Cronos · FET · aSc TimeTables (prices in US dollars). Prices and terms change: confirm on each vendor's website.
How to choose school timetable software
1. Ask how clashes are prevented
If the tool doesn't use an optimization engine (solver), its "automatic" mode can hand you a timetable with a teacher or room clash. Ask how clashes are prevented — not just "detected" — and what shows up when the rules can't all fit together.
2. Measure what your time costs
A scheduling team spending 3–10 days a year on the timetable costs more than any subscription. Favor tools where rules are easy to state and regenerating is instant.
3. Think about the rest of the year
The timetable is built once, before the school year starts (January in Brazil); enrollment, grades, announcements and tuition are used all year. One system that covers everything saves paying for two or three separate tools.
4. Check data protection (LGPD in Brazil)
Student data is data about minors. Confirm that each school is isolated and what gets sent to AI services — in Skedavo, students are pseudonymized before any AI call.
When each option makes sense
Skedavo
For schools that want the timetable without the struggle (rules in plain language, no teacher, class or room clashes on the mandatory rules) and want the same system for the front office, academics, communication and finance. Free to start, up to 15 classes. See the timetable generator →
PowerCubus, Urânia or Cronos
For schools that only want the schedule, already pay for a management system and prefer setting constraints through traditional forms and menus. Cronos, also online, has a free plan for up to 3 classes in a single shift and one-time licenses from R$ 420 (official website, Oct 29, 2026).
FET
For people with a technical background, a zero budget and the willingness to install, configure and maintain an open-source tool on their own.
Excel
Only for very small schools (1–3 classes) with a simple timetable — and even then, a free automatic plan removes the risk of invisible clashes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best school timetable software?
It depends on what you need. Scheduling only: PowerCubus, Urânia or FET will do. Scheduling with plain-language rules (AI), an optimization engine with no clash on the mandatory rules, and full school management at the same price: Skedavo — with a free plan up to 15 classes.
Is there free school timetable software?
Yes. FET is free (open source, technical). Skedavo has a free plan up to 15 classes, with AI that understands plain-language rules; Cronos, up to 3 classes in a single shift; PowerCubus advertises a free start (checked on Oct 29, 2026).
How much does it cost in 2026?
There is no single sourced price range. Examples checked on Oct 29, 2026: Cronos sells one-time licenses from R$ 420 to R$ 1.020 depending on the number of classes per shift; Urânia publishes no price table; FET is open source (sources). In Skedavo: Free up to 15 classes; paid plans from R$ 49,90 to R$ 219,90 a month, or from R$ 399 to R$ 2.199 a year. The School and School+ plans also include enrollment, grades and announcements, and School+ adds finance.
How is Skedavo different from Urânia or PowerCubus?
Three differences: (1) rules stated in plain language and interpreted by AI, instead of menus; (2) an optimization engine that accepts no clash on the mandatory rules and shows what didn't fit; (3) a complete management platform — front office, academics, communication and finance — in the same system.
Can I stay on Excel?
You can, but with nothing to stop teacher, class or room clashes, and redoing everything whenever availability changes. Above 5 classes, the scheduling team's time usually costs more than any tool.
Compare in practice: generate a real timetable in minutes
Create a free account, ask Sky for a one-click sample school and watch the engine deliver a timetable with no clashes on the mandatory rules — before you decide on any subscription.
Try Skedavo freeNo card · no installation · LGPD
Three different problems, each with its own guide (in Portuguese): timetable clashes (a teacher, room or class in two places at once), teaching load and the one-third planning time that Brazilian law sets for public-school teachers, and the Excel timetable, which stalls as the school grows.