Proctoring Systems Evaluation | Ed Tech Committee Review

1 Executive Summary

Key findings from our comprehensive evaluation of online proctoring systems.

$

Current Annual Cost

~$165,600

Honorlock at $8.24/exam with 20,000 proctored exams/year

%

Potential Savings

40-65%

Switching to alternatives like Respondus or Proctorio

#

Vendors Evaluated

7

Major commercial and open-source solutions analyzed

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Critical Factor

A11y

Accessibility compliance varies significantly across vendors

Key Findings

Honorlock pricing ($8-15/exam) is among the highest in the market. Per-exam pricing may be costing more than necessary for high-volume institutions.
Respondus LockDown Browser + Monitor offers the best value for institutions already using compatible LMS platforms, with site licensing that eliminates per-exam fees.
All AI-based proctoring systems show documented bias against students with darker skin tones, disabilities, and non-standard testing environments.
Accessibility compliance varies widely - many vendor VPATs are outdated (2+ years old) and should be independently verified.
Student anxiety and complaints are significant with all proctoring systems, but vary in severity based on surveillance intensity.
Safe Exam Browser offers an open-source alternative for basic lockdown functionality without privacy concerns, but lacks robust proctoring features.

2 Quick Comparison Matrix

At-a-glance comparison of all evaluated proctoring systems.

Vendor	Pricing Model	Est. Cost/Exam	AI Proctoring	Live Proctors	LMS Integration	VPAT Available	Status
Honorlock	Per exam/student	$8-15	Yes	Hybrid (on-demand)	Canvas, BB, D2L	Yes (2022)	Current
Proctorio	Per exam/custom	$3-5	Yes	No	Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L	Yes	Consider
Respondus	Site license	~$0*	Yes (Monitor)	No	Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L	Yes	Recommended
ProctorU/Meazure	Per exam (tiered)	$15-35	Yes	Yes (Live+)	Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L	Yes	Consider
ExamSoft	Subscription	Custom	Yes (ExamMonitor)	No	Limited	Yes	Niche Use
Examity	Per exam (tiered)	$10-25	Yes	Yes	Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L	Yes	Consider
Safe Exam Browser	Free (Open Source)	$0	Limited	Optional (Jitsi)	Moodle (native)	N/A	Supplement

* Respondus site license means no per-exam fees after initial license purchase. Annual license costs vary by institution size.

3 Detailed Vendor Profiles

In-depth analysis of each proctoring solution including features, pricing, and considerations.

Honorlock

Current System - AI + Live Hybrid

Pricing $8-15/exam

Model Per exam or per student

Live Proctors On-demand when AI flags

LMS Support Canvas, Blackboard, D2L

Browser Chrome Extension

VPAT Date June 2022

Strengths

Hybrid AI + human model
Strong LMS integration
24/7 support included
Dedicated success manager

Concerns

Highest per-exam cost
Outdated VPAT (2022)
Student privacy concerns
Chrome-only limitation

Proctorio

Fully Automated AI Proctoring

Pricing $3-5/exam

Model Custom institutional

Live Proctors No - AI only

LMS Support Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L

Browser Chrome Extension

Configuration Most options

Strengths

Significantly lower cost
Most configuration options
Instructor controls flags
Wide LMS support

Concerns

Privacy controversies
Past lawsuits
No live proctor option
Student setup challenges

Respondus

LockDown Browser + Monitor

Pricing Site License

Model Annual campus-wide

Live Proctors No - AI only

LMS Support Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L

Browser Dedicated App

Market Share 2,000+ institutions

Strengths

No per-exam fees
Proven reliability
Easy to use
Deep LMS integration

Concerns

Windows-centric (v4.0)
No live proctor option
Less configurable
Separate app required

ProctorU / Meazure

Live + AI Proctoring Options

Pricing $15-35/exam

Model Tiered (Record+, Review+, Live+)

Live Proctors Yes (Live+ tier)

LMS Support Canvas, BB, Moodle, D2L

Support 24/7 for students

Scheduling Flexible, global

Strengths

Live proctor available
Less instructor review
Strong student support
Flexible scheduling

Concerns

Highest overall cost
More setup time
Less configuration
Scheduling complexity

ExamSoft

Assessment Platform with Proctoring

Pricing Custom subscription

Model Enterprise licensing

Features ExamID + ExamMonitor

Target Market Medical, Law, Nursing

Platform Windows, Mac, iPad

Parent Company Turnitin

Strengths

Full assessment platform
High-stakes exam focus
Detailed analytics
iPad support

Concerns

Higher cost tier
Limited LMS integration
Niche market focus
Complex implementation

Safe Exam Browser

Open Source Lockdown Browser

Pricing FREE

Model Open source (MPL)

Proctoring Optional (Jitsi/Zoom)

LMS Support Moodle (native), others

Privacy No cloud connection

Server Self-hosted optional

Strengths

Completely free
Privacy-focused
Self-hostable
On-device AI

Concerns

No ID verification
Setup complexity
Limited monitoring
MacOS WebRTC issues

4 Accessibility Compliance

Critical analysis of accessibility standards compliance across all evaluated systems.

Critical Research Finding: Bias in AI Proctoring

A 2022 Frontiers in Education study found significant disparities in automated proctoring software:

Students with darker skin tones were significantly more likely to be flagged for review
Black students showed increased likelihood of being marked for potential cheating
Women with darkest skin tones were far more likely to be flagged than any other group
Root cause: Training datasets predominantly composed of white males aged 18-35

Source: Frontiers in Education - Racial, skin tone, and sex disparities in automated proctoring software

Key Accessibility Considerations

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Extended Time Accommodations
All vendors support extended time, but implementation varies. Verify accommodation workflows with your Disability Services office.
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Assistive Technology Compatibility
Browser lockdown features may conflict with screen readers, magnification software, and other assistive technologies. Test thoroughly before deployment.
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AI Flagging and Disabilities
Students with movement disorders, tics, or visual impairments may be disproportionately flagged by AI algorithms that detect "suspicious" behavior.

5 User Feedback & Research

Aggregated feedback from students, faculty, and administrators across multiple institutions.

Student Perspectives

"The software couldn't validate my identity and I was denied access to tests so often that I had to go to my professor to make other arrangements."

Black student reporting facial recognition issues with Proctorio

"I tried signing in from the brightest room in my apartment - the bathroom. I began to suspect it was my dark skin tone causing issues."

Law student Areeb Khan on ExamSoft's Examplify platform

"The anxiety of being watched and recorded, combined with fear of being falsely flagged, made it impossible to focus on the actual exam content."

Common student complaint across multiple proctoring platforms

Key Student Concerns

Privacy invasion from home environment monitoring
Test anxiety amplified by surveillance
Technical failures causing exam disruptions
Racial bias in facial recognition
Unfair flagging for normal behaviors (looking away, fidgeting)

Faculty Perspectives

"Proctorio is more efficient than Respondus Monitor in cheating detection and allows instructors to control the playback speed of videos for faster review."

Faculty comparison of review workflows

"ProctorU requires the most setup time but the least review time since live proctors handle most issues during the exam."

CSUN faculty report on proctoring services

"The time spent reviewing flagged incidents often exceeds the time saved by not proctoring exams in person."

Common faculty frustration with AI-only proctoring

Key Faculty Preferences

Configurable settings to reduce false positives
Efficient video review interfaces
Strong LMS integration for easy setup
Clear accommodation workflows
Reliable technical support

Administrator Perspectives

"The pricing could be a barrier to entry for a lot of institutions. It's important to emphasize the importance to justify the cost."

G2 review on Honorlock pricing

"Large schools need pricing that's clear and scalable. Per-exam fees become unpredictable at our volume."

University administrator on proctoring costs

Key Admin Priorities

Predictable, scalable pricing
FERPA and data privacy compliance
Accessibility compliance documentation
Strong vendor support and SLAs
Implementation and training resources

6 Cost Comparison Calculator

Estimate your institution's costs with different proctoring providers.

Calculate Your Estimated Annual Costs

Proctored Exams Per Year

Total Students (for site licenses)

7 Recommendations

Based on our comprehensive analysis, here are our recommendations for the Ed Tech Committee.

Primary Recommendation: Respondus LockDown Browser + Monitor

For institutions seeking the best balance of cost, functionality, and reliability, Respondus offers the strongest value proposition. The site licensing model eliminates per-exam cost anxiety and provides predictable budgeting. With 2,000+ institutions already using the platform, it represents a proven, stable solution.

Visit Respondus Learn About Monitor

Alternative Considerations

Proctorio - Best for Maximum Flexibility

If instructor control and configuration options are paramount, Proctorio offers the most granular settings. However, weigh this against documented privacy controversies and student concerns.

ProctorU - Best for High-Stakes Exams

For certification programs or high-stakes assessments where live proctoring is required, ProctorU's Live+ tier provides the strongest integrity guarantee, albeit at premium pricing.

Safe Exam Browser - Best for Privacy-Conscious

For institutions prioritizing student privacy or seeking a supplementary lockdown tool, SEB offers a free, open-source option. Best used alongside other assessment integrity measures.

Recommended Next Steps

Request current VPATs from top vendor candidates (ensure they're less than 2 years old)
Schedule demos with Respondus and one alternative (Proctorio or Examity)
Conduct pilot testing with Disability Services to verify accessibility workflows
Survey faculty about current Honorlock pain points and feature priorities
Negotiate pricing based on actual exam volume and multi-year commitments
Review contracts for FERPA compliance, data retention policies, and exit clauses

Find Your Best Proctoring Solution

Online Proctoring Systems Evaluation

1 Executive Summary

Current Annual Cost

Potential Savings

Vendors Evaluated

Critical Factor

Key Findings

2 Quick Comparison Matrix

3 Detailed Vendor Profiles

Honorlock

Strengths

Concerns

Proctorio

Strengths

Concerns

Respondus

Strengths

Concerns

ProctorU / Meazure

Strengths

Concerns

ExamSoft

Strengths

Concerns

Safe Exam Browser

Strengths

Concerns

4 Accessibility Compliance

Critical Research Finding: Bias in AI Proctoring

WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

Section 508 Compliance

Screen Reader Compatibility

VPAT Currency

Key Accessibility Considerations

5 User Feedback & Research

Student Perspectives

Key Student Concerns

Faculty Perspectives

Key Faculty Preferences

Administrator Perspectives

Key Admin Priorities

6 Cost Comparison Calculator

Calculate Your Estimated Annual Costs

7 Recommendations

Primary Recommendation: Respondus LockDown Browser + Monitor

Alternative Considerations

Proctorio - Best for Maximum Flexibility

ProctorU - Best for High-Stakes Exams

Safe Exam Browser - Best for Privacy-Conscious

Recommended Next Steps

8 Sources & References

Research & Studies

Vendor Resources

Review Platforms