We performed bulk RNA sequencing on the aboral (anterior) and the oral (posterior) ends of larvae from the cnidarians Clytia hemisphaerica (Hydrozoa), Astroides calycularis (Anthozoa) , and Pocillopora acuta (Anthozoa). Our analysis identified genes enriched at the aboral end of the planulae and revealed shared genes as potential candidates to play a role in mediating the larval settlement response. Overall design: Whole-tissue RNA was extracted from bisected planula larva aboral and oral ends, and cDNA libraries were prepared for DNBseq sequencing.