Ellii
Ellii, a Winnipeg-based edtech operated by Red River Press Inc., provides cloud-based ESL/ELL instructional content (1,000+ lessons, 3,000+ flashcards) and teacher workflow tools to K-12 schools, adult learners, higher-ed institutions, and libraries across 10,000+ schools worldwide, sold via per-teacher and per-location subscriptions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWinnipeg, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Ellii does
Ellii, operated by Red River Press Inc., is a privately held Canadian education technology company headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba that delivers cloud-based English-as-a-Second-Language and English-Language-Learner (ESL/ELL) instructional content and tools to K-12 schools, adult education programs, higher education institutions, and public libraries. The platform hosts more than 1,000 lessons and 3,000+ flashcards organized across eight proficiency levels, complemented by a Kanban-style Lesson Planner launched in March 2023, customizable worksheets, and an "AI for Teachers" feature that assists with lesson and material generation.
The underlying platform is delivered via Heroku and AWS and meets institutional IT requirements through LTI 1.3 (Canvas), Google Classroom, and single sign-on via Clever, Google, and Microsoft. The product surface combines a content library with workflow tooling aimed at reducing teacher prep time and aligning instruction to recognized proficiency stages.
The business model is a per-seat and per-location subscription SaaS. Pricing is published in three tiers: Individual ($168 per year), Organization ($250 per teacher per year), and Ellii Solo ($3,500 per location, targeting self-study and library deployments). Go-to-market combines direct online teacher self-serve purchases, activation codes, and enterprise onboarding for schools and districts. Named customer references include the New York City Department of Education, Toronto District School Board, Los Angeles Unified, Clark County School District, the University of California system, and the University of British Columbia, alongside a long tail of individual teachers and smaller schools; the company claims reach to 10,000+ schools worldwide. No external funding rounds have been disclosed; the company is bootstrapped.
Ellii firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ellii
- Legal name
- Red River Press Inc.
- Website
- https://ellii.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ellii, a Winnipeg-based edtech operated by Red River Press Inc., provides cloud-based ESL/ELL instructional content (1,000+ lessons, 3,000+ flashcards) and teacher workflow tools to K-12 schools, adult learners, higher-ed institutions, and libraries across 10,000+ schools worldwide, sold via per-teacher and per-location subscriptions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ellii industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital ESL / English-Language-Learning Software for K-12 and Adult Education
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Language Schools (61163), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs (EDAJAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Online/Hybrid Adult ESL & Language Learning Platforms (EDAAACAK), Language Learning eLearning Modules (ESL/EFL) (EDAGAEAI)
Keywords
Where Ellii is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winnipeg
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ellii business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Teacher Subscription: Annual subscription for individual teachers at $168/year, includes up to 35 student accounts. Teachers pay out-of-pocket at discounted rates.
- Organization/School Account Subscription: Annual organizational teacher license at $250/teacher/year, includes unlimited student accounts, administrative tools, teacher-management tools, activity reports, time-on-task reports, class-sharing, and folder-sharing capabilities.
- Ellii Solo Subscription: Flat-rate subscription at $3,500 USD per single location/English program, with multi-campus or district-wide pricing available. No per-student fees.
- Activation/Prepaid Codes: Prepaid activation codes allowing schools and organizations to purchase bulk teacher licenses that can be redeemed by individual teachers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Teacher Plan - $168/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Organization Plan - $250/teacher/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Ellii Solo - $3,500/location |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels13 records
Ellii product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ellii operates a cloud-based ESL teaching and learning platform that delivers ready-made lessons, flashcards, videos, and classroom management tools to English-language teachers and learners. The company also offers Ellii Solo, a separate self-study platform for adult learners in adult education programs and public libraries, extending its ESL content beyond the K-12 classroom.
Product overview
Ellii is an online educational platform (formerly ESL Library) offering a unified suite of ESL teaching and learning tools. The core Ellii platform centers on a content library of ready-made lessons, flashcards, and videos, augmented by teacher workflow tools including a Kanban-style Lesson Planner, Grade Feed, Classroom Manager, PDF Viewer, and LMS integration features. Ellii Solo is a separate self-study sub-brand for independent learner access, featuring auto-graded placement tests and guided Learning Pathways. Additional offerings include Polls & Dilemmas (free engagement tools), Folders for content organization, Webinars for teacher training, and Organization Accounts providing multi-teacher administrative tools and unlimited student seats. The platform integrates with Canvas LMS (LTI 1.3), Google Classroom, and supports SSO via Google, Clever, and Microsoft Entra ID.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ellii Solo: A complete self-study platform for English language learners designed for ESL programs in adult education, high schools, and libraries. Features auto-graded placement tests, guided learning pathways, time-on-task reporting, and standards-aligned content.
Products and services
- Ellii (Core ESL Teaching Platform)
Quantifiable outcome
- Administered in more than 10,000 schools around the world
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ellii
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ellii technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature9 records
Ellii partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, infrastructure and minor.
- CanvascoreCanvas LMS integration using LTI 1.3/LTI Advantage standard, enabling teachers to launch Ellii content directly from Canvas courses with grade passback, deep linking, and automatic role mapping. Supports Basic LTI Launch, Role Mapping, Deep Linking, and Grade Passback.
- ClevercoreClever Instant Login SSO integration allowing teachers and students at Clever-connected schools to access Ellii without separate credentials, streamlining district-wide deployment.
- GooglecoreGoogle OAuth SSO integration enabling teachers and students to sign in using existing Google accounts, with Google Classroom posting capability for assignment distribution.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft Entra ID (Azure AD) SSO integration for enterprise education customers using Microsoft 365 and Teams environments.
- Google ClassroomcoreIntegration allowing teachers to post Ellii assignments directly to Google Classroom, enabling seamless workflow for Google-using schools.
- AWS (Amazon Web Services)infrastructureCloud infrastructure provider hosting Ellii platform on AWS us-east-1 (Northern Virginia) with S3 storage. AWS does not have access to customer data in normal course of business.
- HerokuinfrastructurePlatform-as-a-service provider hosting the Ellii application on Heroku with underlying AWS infrastructure. Heroku has audited security program including ISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI Level 1, FISMA Moderate, and SOX certifications. Data is encrypted with no access to customer data.
- StripeminorPayment processing for subscription billing. Processes name, email, billing address, and payment details. Operates under Stripe's privacy policy.
- RecurlyminorSubscription billing management and recurring payment processing for organization and individual subscriptions.
- HelpScoutminorHelp desk and customer support platform powering Ellii Help Docs, with access to customer name, email, and support communication.
- PipedriveminorCRM platform for prospect and customer relationship management, storing contact and account information.
- Customer.iominorEmail marketing platform for transactional emails, notifications, user invitations, and password resets.
- FusionAuthminorAuthentication platform managing user login credentials including name, email, and password.
- PayCoveminorInvoicing platform for organization accounts and purchase order processing.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ellii competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Imagine Learning (Imagine Learning English): Imagine Learning English is a dedicated K-12 ELL/ESL instructional platform serving US school districts with standards-aligned content, assessment, and teacher tools — directly competing with Ellii in the same district procurement environment.
- Newsela: Newsela provides leveled reading content widely used in K-12 ELL/ESL classrooms, with district licensing, LMS integrations, and differentiated instruction — overlapping significantly with Ellii's K-12 ELL use case.
- Lexia Learning (Cambium Learning): Lexia offers literacy and English language learning interventions used in K-12 schools, including ELL support, with district-wide licensing models comparable to Ellii's organization accounts.
- BrainPOP ESL: BrainPOP's ESL product offers animated, leveled English language learning content for K-12 with school subscriptions — directly competing for the same classroom ESL content budget.
- Voxy: Voxy delivers English language instruction for adult learners and workforce programs with adaptive content — comparable to Ellii Solo in the adult education and library segments.
- Mango Languages: Mango Languages provides language learning content widely licensed by US public libraries and adult education programs, directly competing with Ellii Solo in the library and community college segments.
Broad incumbents
- Rosetta Stone Education: Rosetta Stone (now part of IXL Learning) provides language learning for both consumer and education markets; its education products overlap with Ellii's ESL use case as part of a broader portfolio.
- Duolingo (Duolingo for Schools): Duolingo for Schools offers free, gamified English learning to K-12 teachers and students with classroom management features — competing on price point and engagement within Ellii's core ESL market.
- Khan Academy: Khan Academy provides free K-12 instructional content including English/language arts and SAT prep, increasingly used in ELL contexts — a free alternative competing for the same teacher-driven adoption channel.
Emerging players
- Cambly: Cambly provides on-demand English tutoring with native speakers, sometimes purchased by libraries and adult ed programs — an emerging competitor in the adult self-study ESL market where Ellii Solo operates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ellii social profiles
Digital presenceEllii compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Ellii financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ellii leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ellii funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ellii M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ellii
What does Ellii do?
Ellii operates a cloud-based ESL teaching and learning platform that delivers ready-made lessons, flashcards, videos, and classroom management tools to English-language teachers and learners. The company also offers Ellii Solo, a separate self-study platform for adult learners in adult education programs and public libraries, extending its ESL content beyond the K-12 classroom.
Is Ellii a public or private company?
Ellii is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ellii founded?
Ellii was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ellii based?
Ellii is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Ellii make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Teacher Subscription is the primary driver. The others are organization/School Account Subscription, ellii Solo Subscription and activation/Prepaid Codes.
Who are Ellii's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Imagine Learning (Imagine Learning English), Newsela, Lexia Learning (Cambium Learning), BrainPOP ESL, Voxy and Mango Languages. Broad incumbents are Rosetta Stone Education, Duolingo (Duolingo for Schools) and Khan Academy. Cambly is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ellii have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ellii.
What industry is Ellii in?
Ellii's product category is Digital ESL / English-Language-Learning Software for K-12 and Adult Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAGAB, English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAACAK, Online/Hybrid Adult ESL & Language Learning Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.