Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. The largest vendors in exam proctoring software
cannot hold places 1 to 3. Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category,
wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
The 15 tools, reviewed
#1 Safe Exam Browser
Free locked-down exam browser for LMS-based assessment · Switzerland · safeexambrowser.org
Free software No cloud service LMS lockdown
Safe Exam Browser turns a student computer into a kiosk for the length of an exam, using a configuration file the LMS administrator controls. The project describes a Mozilla Public License for the Windows and macOS code, with a non-open-source binary security module on Windows.
- Pricing: Open source + paid tiers. The software is free to download. Free plan: open source.
- Best for: Schools starting with lockdown on a budget
- Strengths: Fullscreen kiosk-style exam mode; VM detector; URL filter.
Where it falls short
It is a browser environment, not a monitoring or identity service, so it cannot confirm who is at the keyboard or see the room.
Wrong for
A school that must prove identity or record the test taker on video.
Visit Safe Exam Browser →
#2 SMOWL
Webcam and browser-lock proctoring for LMS exams · Spain · smowltech.com
Free trial LMS plugins Spanish vendor
SMOWL covers the middle of the proctoring range: it locks the browser, authenticates the user, supervises through the webcam and can review sessions in real time or automatically. The site names Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas and Brightspace as supported platforms, which covers most European universities.
- Pricing: Quote only. Prices are personalized by institution across plans named SMOWL CLASS, PLUS, PRO and ENTERPRISE; no figures are shown. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: LMS-based exams needing camera evidence
- Strengths: Browser lock; Real-time monitoring; User authentication.
Where it falls short
The four plan names carry no prices and the pages we read do not explain what separates CLASS from ENTERPRISE, so budgeting needs a sales call.
Wrong for
A school that wants a flat published price or a free tool, which points to Safe Exam Browser or Digiexam.
Visit SMOWL →
#3 Digiexam
Canvas-focused lockdown for exams, with a printed price · Sweden · digiexam.com
Published price Canvas Unlimited exams
Digiexam Lockdown does one job: it keeps a student inside the exam launched from the learning management system, blocking other apps and websites.
- Pricing: Flat annual. Lockdown is listed at $1,995 a year, $1,496 in year one with 25% off, with a $2.99 per-student figure shown beside a student and teacher slider. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Canvas schools wanting a known annual fee
- Strengths: One-click LMS lockdown; Blocks other apps and websites; Built for Canvas.
Where it falls short
The product is built for Canvas, and the pages we read describe lockdown only, with no webcam record, ID check or live proctor.
Wrong for
A school on Moodle or Blackboard, or any program that needs video evidence of the test taker.
Visit Digiexam →
#4 Respondus Monitor
Automated proctoring paired with LockDown Browser · United States · web.respondus.com
Free pilot Automated Higher education
Respondus sells Monitor as an automated proctoring solution for higher education, sold alongside its LockDown Browser, and the page leads with a pilot: two months, unlimited use and 200 free seats.
- Pricing: Quote only. A pricing page exists, but we could not extract its figures. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Colleges piloting automated video review
- Strengths: Fully automated proctoring; LockDown Browser companion; Free 2-month pilot.
Where it falls short
The vendor describes the service as fully automated, so there is no live proctor in the product as described, and every flag lands on an instructor.
Wrong for
A certification body that needs live proctors or test centers, or a company screening job candidates.
Visit Respondus Monitor →
#5 Honorlock
AI monitoring with live proctor pop-in and browser lockdown · United States · honorlock.com
Live pop-in AI monitoring Higher ed and corporate
Honorlock's product menu is the longest in this category: cell phone detection, a second camera, ID verification, a browser guard, AI blocking, live pop-in by a proctor and an analytics hub, plus an interview integrity product for hiring.
- Pricing: Quote only. Request a custom quote. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Universities wanting layered monitoring
- Strengths: Cell Phone Detection; Live Pop-In; Interview Integrity AI.
Where it falls short
No figure is published, the layers multiply review work for instructors, and the pages we read show no company address.
Wrong for
A small school that wants lockdown only at a printed price, which points to Digiexam or Safe Exam Browser.
Visit Honorlock →
#6 Proctorio
Software-only proctoring for education, workforce and credentialing · United States · proctorio.com
Software only Own proctors Credentialing
Proctorio splits its offer into Integrity (keep the environment secure), Origin (check where work originated) and Vault (protect content), and lists education, workforce, government and credentialing as sectors.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; the site offers Talk to sales and /pricing returns a not-found page. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Institutions with their own proctors
- Strengths: Integrity; Origin; Vault.
Where it falls short
No public price, and the live proctor is your problem, not the vendor's. A school without trained staff for sessions will end up with recordings and nobody to watch them live.
Wrong for
A program that wants the vendor to supply and manage proctors, such as Meazure Learning or ProctorExam.
Visit Proctorio →
#7 Meazure Learning (ProctorU)
Remote and test-center proctoring for certification programs · United States · meazurelearning.com
Test centers Live proctors Certification
Meazure Learning lists remote exam proctoring, test center proctoring, the ProctorU platform, the Guardian Secure Browser, advanced remote exam security and data forensics. Few vendors can move one program from a living-room session to a physical test center without changing supplier, which matters to licensing boards that have both kinds of candidate.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; the site offers Contact Sales and Request a Sales Demo. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Certification and licensure programs
- Strengths: Remote Exam Proctoring; Test Center Exam Proctoring; ProctorU Proctoring Platform.
Where it falls short
Everything is behind a sales demo, no company address could be verified from the pages we opened, and merging two proctoring brands means customers should ask what changed in products and support.
Wrong for
A single department that wants a self-serve tool or a free pilot.
Visit Meazure Learning (ProctorU) →
#8 ProctorExam
Customizable online proctoring service from Amsterdam · Netherlands · proctorexam.com
Dutch vendor API Test taker support
ProctorExam presents itself as an online proctoring service that can be fully customized to the requirements of a remote assessment.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; no price was found and the /pricing, /pricing-plans and /prices addresses return not-found pages. Free plan: none.
- Best for: European programs needing proctoring services
- Strengths: Customizable proctoring; Test taker support; Help center.
Where it falls short
We found no price and no product list beyond the claim of customization, so it is hard to say which monitoring layers are standard.
Wrong for
A team that wants to compare printed prices before talking to anyone.
Visit ProctorExam →
#9 WISEflow
University assessment platform with Device Monitor proctoring · Denmark · uniwise.co.uk
Assessment platform Hosted in EU Per FTE student
WISEflow, from UNIwise, covers the whole assessment cycle: exams, paper submission, marking, AI feedback, originality checks and the Device Monitor proctoring module. The vendor states annual pricing per full-time-equivalent student with a site licence, three months of onboarding and hosting on AWS in Ireland and Germany.
- Pricing: Per FTE student / year. An annual site licence plus a tiered fee per full-time-equivalent student; no figures shown. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Universities replacing paper exams entirely
- Strengths: Device Monitor; Proctoring; Paper Submission.
Where it falls short
Proctoring is one feature of a heavy platform, not a standalone product, and the per-FTE model means the declared student count drives the invoice each year.
Wrong for
A school that already has an LMS and exam system and only wants a proctoring layer.
Visit WISEflow →
#10 Inspera Proctoring
Proctoring and secure browser inside Inspera Assessment · Norway · inspera.com
Norwegian vendor Adjustable monitoring Secure browser
Inspera describes its proctoring as flexible and tailored to the institution's own definition of integrity, with monitoring levels that can be raised or lowered per exam. It also sells an Integrity Browser for every assessment type and an Originality product.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; the site offers a demo booking and no price was seen. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Universities running high-stakes exams in Inspera
- Strengths: Inspera Integrity Browser; Inspera Proctoring; Adjustable monitoring levels.
Where it falls short
The product is a module of Inspera Assessment, so buying proctoring means adopting the platform.
Wrong for
A school using Canvas or Moodle for exams that does not want to change platform.
Visit Inspera Proctoring →
#11 TestReach
Assessment platform with optional live remote proctoring · Ireland · testreach.com
Irish vendor Live proctoring Assessment platform
TestReach describes a cloud-based system to create, deliver and mark any type of assessment, with optional live online proctoring inside the application. Its head office is a Dublin business park, listed on the contact page.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; the pricing page shows no figure, only Request a Demo and Sales Enquiry. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Professional bodies running their own exams
- Strengths: Create any type of assessment; Deliver and mark tests; Live remote proctoring.
Where it falls short
Proctoring exists only inside TestReach, so it cannot be bolted onto an LMS exam.
Wrong for
A university that runs exams inside Canvas or Moodle.
Visit TestReach →
#12 Examplify (ExamSoft)
Offline exam app that locks the testing device · United States · examsoft.com
Offline Device lockdown Turnitin
Examplify is the exam application of ExamSoft, now part of Turnitin. The vendor describes it as an offline platform that locks the entire testing device, disables the network during the test and blocks access to AI tools, websites and other apps.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; no public price was found and /pricing returns a not-found page. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Professional schools testing on locked laptops
- Strengths: Offline exam delivery; Locks down the entire testing device; Disables network connection during testing.
Where it falls short
The pages we read describe device lockdown and offline delivery, not webcam monitoring or live proctors, so it does not answer the remote home-exam problem alone.
Wrong for
A program that must verify test takers remotely on video.
Visit Examplify (ExamSoft) →
#13 Proctortrack
Identity verification plus automated or live proctoring · United States · proctortrack.com
Identity verification Automated and live Demo only
Verificient sells Proctortrack as a family of products: ProctorLock for the browser, ProctorAuto for automated review, ProctorLive for live supervision, ProctorDIY, and Veripass for identity verification. Splitting the layers lets a school buy automated sessions for midterms and live ones for finals from one vendor.
- Pricing: Quote only. Quote only; the nav says Book A Demo and no figure was found. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Higher education and certification exams
- Strengths: ProctorLock; ProctorAuto; ProctorLive.
Where it falls short
Everything starts with a demo booking and no figure is public. The pages we read give no detail on how long recordings are kept or how reviewers are trained.
Wrong for
A buyer who wants to see a price before a sales call.
Visit Proctortrack →
#14 Mercer Mettl
Online assessment and proctoring for talent programs · India · mettl.com
Employer focus AI-assisted Customized plans
Mercer Mettl delivers online assessments for organizations and describes an AI-assisted exam solution within that offer. The privacy policy names Induslynk Training Services Private Limited as the operator, with an office in Gurugram.
- Pricing: Quote only. Customized plans per organization; the pricing page shows no figure. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Employers testing candidates and staff
- Strengths: AI-assisted exam solution; Online assessment tools; Assessment delivery.
Where it falls short
The pages we read give little detail on proctoring layers, and pricing is a personalized plan with no figure. It is not built around LMS lockdown for a school.
Wrong for
A university that wants Moodle or Canvas lockdown.
Visit Mercer Mettl →
#15 Talview
AI interviewing and proctoring for recruiting and exams · United States · talview.com
Hiring Interviewing Proctoring
Talview describes AI-powered interviewing and proctoring solutions, with live interview rooms, aimed at recruitment and exam integrity. Its strength is the hiring workflow: a recruiter can interview, assess and proctor the same candidate in one system.
- Pricing: Quote only. Pricing choices are discussed after a form is filled out; a product walkthrough is offered. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Recruiters verifying remote candidates
- Strengths: AI-powered interviewing; Proctoring solutions; Live interview rooms.
Where it falls short
Pricing is released only after a contact form, and the pages we read give little on lockdown, LMS integration or exam-board needs.
Wrong for
A school or exam board with LMS-based finals.
Visit Talview →
Questions and answers
What is the best exam proctoring software in 2026?
Safe Exam Browser ranks first of 15, best for schools starting with lockdown on a budget. SMOWL is second (lMS-based exams needing camera evidence) and Digiexam third (canvas schools wanting a known annual fee). Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands, wherever the category has them.
Is a locked browser enough, or do I need camera monitoring?
A locked browser stops a student from opening other sites and apps on that computer. It cannot see a phone on the desk, a second person in the room or a different person at the keyboard.
What is the difference between automated, live and record-and-review proctoring?
Automated proctoring records the session and flags events such as a second face or a window switch, and a human reviews the flags afterward. Respondus describes Monitor as fully automated.
Is there free exam proctoring software?
Safe Exam Browser is free to download and use for locked-down exams; its fees are optional contributions from institutions. Respondus advertises a free two-month pilot with 200 free seats for Monitor, and SMOWL advertises a free trial.
How much does exam proctoring software cost?
Few vendors say. Digiexam lists Lockdown at $1,995 a year, or $1,496 in year one with 25% off, plus a $2.99 per-student figure.
Which proctoring tools work with Canvas, Moodle or other learning management systems?
SMOWL names Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas and Brightspace on its site. Digiexam Lockdown is built for Canvas. Safe Exam Browser is designed for LMS-based e-assessment and offers managed configuration.
Which tools suit certification and licensure exams?
Programs with a licensing body usually need identity checks, live proctors and sometimes physical test centers. Meazure Learning lists remote and test-center proctoring plus the Guardian Secure Browser.
Can the same software proctor job candidates?
Two tools here come from hiring. Talview describes AI-powered interviewing, proctoring and live interview rooms. Mercer Mettl sells online assessment and an AI-assisted exam solution. Honorlock also lists Interview Integrity AI and prices corporate and enterprise separately from higher education.
Do students have to install software?
Usually yes. Safe Exam Browser is a download, Examplify is an application that delivers the exam on the device, and Respondus Monitor works alongside LockDown Browser.
What should happen when the software flags a student?
The flag should start a human review, not a penalty.
Does a European school need a European proctoring vendor?
No rule on this site requires it, but data location and the contracting entity matter under GDPR. Seven of the fifteen tools are headquartered in Europe, and WISEflow states hosting in Ireland and Germany.
