Does your school already use Naviance or Xello?
Here's what those tools actually do — and what only GradMap does.
Try GradMap Free →Naviance, Xello, and Maia Learning are tools your school counselor uses to track hundreds of students at once. They are administrative platforms paid for by your school and built for your counselor. You cannot sign up independently, your parents cannot log in, and none of them auto-fill a single field on your college application.
GradMap is built for your family. Sign up free. Parents get their own login. GradMap fills your actual UC, CSU, and Common Application fields — turning 6 to 10 hours of typing into under 30 minutes.
GradMap vs. Naviance
Naviance sends your documents. GradMap fills your applications.
Naviance (now PowerSchool) is used by millions of students to send transcripts and manage rec letters. Excellent at document routing. But it does not touch your actual application fields — you still type everything manually.
| Feature | GradMap | Naviance |
|---|---|---|
| UC Application auto-fill | YES — field-level auto-fill | NO |
| CSU Application auto-fill | YES — field-level auto-fill | NO |
| Common App auto-fill | YES — field-level auto-fill | NO |
| Time to complete forms | Under 30 minutes | 6 to 10+ hours |
| GPA forecaster | YES | NO |
| Verified summer programs directory | YES — human verified | NO |
| Parent login with student visibility | YES | NO |
| Free to start (no school required) | YES | School must purchase |
| AI trained on real counseling expertise | YES — 21 years, 4,000+ students | PowerBuddy (generic AI) |
| Transcript and document routing | NO — not a document tool | YES — core feature via Parchment |
| Scattergrams and college profiles | Coming soon | YES — strong feature |
GradMap vs. Xello
Xello helps you discover what you want. GradMap helps you apply to get there.
Xello is a beautiful K-12 career readiness platform with strong exploration tools and assessments. Students love it. But Xello is school-purchased only — families cannot sign up directly and it does not auto-fill applications.
| Feature | GradMap | Xello |
|---|---|---|
| UC/CSU/Common App auto-fill | YES | NO |
| GPA forecaster | YES | NO |
| Verified summer programs directory | YES | NO |
| Parent login with student visibility | YES | NO |
| Free to start (no school required) | YES | School must purchase |
| Career exploration and assessments | Basic (AI guidance) | YES — excellent |
| AI guidance | YES — counseling-trained | NO |
| Ethical AI — no essay writing | YES | N/A |
GradMap vs. Maia Learning
Maia Learning is your counselor's tool. GradMap is yours.
Maia Learning helps school counselors track college readiness and manage workflows. Solid admin tool — but school-purchased and counselor-focused. Students and families cannot sign up directly.
| Feature | GradMap | Maia Learning |
|---|---|---|
| UC/CSU/Common App auto-fill | YES | NO |
| GPA forecaster | YES | NO |
| Verified summer programs directory | YES | NO |
| Parent login with student visibility | YES | NO |
| Free to start (no school required) | YES | School must purchase |
| Activity tracker (structured for apps) | YES | Basic |
| AI guidance | YES — counseling-trained | NO |
GradMap vs. CGN (College Guidance Network)
CGN helps families feel informed. GradMap helps families get it done.
CGN is a content platform with 400+ named experts (including Malcolm Gladwell and Angela Duckworth), live Office Hours, videos, and an AI chatbot called EVA. Excellent for content — but EVA writes essays, and there is no auto-fill, activity tracker, or summer programs directory.
| Feature | GradMap | CGN |
|---|---|---|
| UC/CSU/Common App auto-fill | YES | NO |
| GPA forecaster | YES | NO |
| Activity tracker | YES | NO |
| Verified summer programs directory | YES | NO |
| Parent login with student visibility | YES | Limited |
| Free to start | YES | 14-day trial only |
| Expert content library (400+ experts) | NO | YES — excellent |
| Live Q&A sessions | Monthly Ask a Counselor | YES — regular sessions |
| AI guidance | YES — no essays, counseling-trained | EVA writes essays |
| Ethical AI — no essay writing | YES — by design | NO |
Which tool is right for your situation?
My school uses Naviance and I am applying to UCs this fall.
Use Naviance for transcript requests and rec letter management. Use GradMap to auto-fill your UC application and save 6+ hours of repetitive data entry. They work together perfectly.
My school uses Xello and I am a sophomore figuring out what to study.
Use Xello's career exploration tools — they are genuinely excellent. Use GradMap to start tracking your activities from 9th grade so you have a complete record when application season comes junior year.
My parents want to be involved but I do not want them taking over my application.
GradMap parent accounts were built for exactly this. Parents get their own login with visibility into your progress — without access to your private profile. You stay in control. They stay informed.
We heard about CGN — they have famous experts like Malcolm Gladwell.
CGN is great for learning. GradMap is built for doing. Use CGN for inspiration, GradMap to auto-fill applications, track activities, and manage summer programs. Use both if it works for you.
GradMap is free to start.
No school subscription required. No credit card. Sign up and start building your college profile today — regardless of what tool your school uses.
Start Free at gradmap.comLast reviewed April 2026. GradMap features subject to ongoing development. Competitor information based on publicly available product pages.