- Proctoring software compared
- Eleven proctoring tools worth a look
- Which tool to try first
- In the EU, AI proctoring is high-risk
- Browser lockdown, AI or live proctors?
- Questions to ask before you choose
- Signs your exam security needs an upgrade
- My plain advice on proctoring software
- Frequently asked questions
The best proctoring software protects online exams by checking who is sitting the test and watching for cheating, through a locked-down browser, webcam monitoring, AI flags, live human proctors or a mix. The right level depends on the stakes: a weekly quiz needs far less than a licensing exam. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Online exams are here to stay, and so is the worry about cheating. The trick is matching the level of proctoring to what's at stake, without making honest students feel watched for nothing.
The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. My piece on whether to allow AI tools in assessments is worth reading alongside this list.
Proctoring software compared
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free account or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExamSoft | Digital exam platform | High-stakes exams in professional schools | Not stated |
| Honorlock | Online proctoring service | Simple proctoring for colleges | Not stated |
| Inspera | Online assessment and proctoring | Moving whole exams online | Not stated |
| Meazure Learning | Exam development and proctoring | Certification and licensing bodies | Not stated |
| Mercer Mettl | Talent assessment with proctoring | Pre-employment testing | Not stated |
| OctoProctor | Remote proctoring software | Remote exams and assessments | Not stated |
| Proctor360 | Online proctoring services | Live, AI and single-webcam options | Not stated |
| Proctorio | Proctoring and assessment security | Integrity checks beyond the webcam | Not stated |
| Proctortrack | Remote online proctoring | Choosing a level of proctoring | Not stated |
| Respondus | LockDown browser and monitoring | Locking down LMS quizzes | Not stated |
| Talview | AI proctoring and AI interviewing | Exams and interviews on mobile | Not stated |
Eleven proctoring tools worth a look
ExamSoft
Best for: Professional schools and bar applicants who need secure high-stakes digital exams, now alongside Turnitin's assessment tools.
Honorlock
Best for: Colleges and corporate hiring teams who want online proctoring services that start simply, with a personalised demo first.
Inspera
Best for: Universities and awarding bodies moving their assessments online, with secure and open exam lanes and plagiarism detection.
Meazure Learning
Best for: Certification and licensing bodies who want test development, delivery and proctoring from one full-service provider.
Mercer Mettl
Best for: Recruiters and HR teams who want AI-assisted proctoring inside a talent assessment platform for campus and lateral hiring.
OctoProctor
Best for: Training providers and universities who want remote proctoring software for exams and assessments from a smaller specialist.
Proctor360
Best for: Testing organisations that want to pick between live, AI auto-proctoring and single webcam options on one platform.
Proctorio
Best for: Institutions that want assessment security covering exam integrity and checks on where submitted work originates.
Proctortrack
Best for: Colleges using Moodle, Canvas or Blackboard who want to pick a proctoring level, from a browser lock to fully automated checks.
Respondus
Best for: Schools and universities who want to lock down the browser during quizzes in their learning system and add webcam monitoring.
Talview
Best for: Organisations that want enterprise AI proctoring and an AI interviewer, built to work on mobile as well as desktop.
Which tool to try first
- Locking down quizzes in your LMS: Respondus or Proctortrack.
- Simple proctoring for colleges: Honorlock.
- Choosing live, AI or webcam options: Proctor360 or OctoProctor.
- Certification and licensing exams: Meazure Learning or ExamSoft.
- Moving whole exams online: Inspera.
- Hiring tests and interviews: Mercer Mettl or Talview.
- Integrity checks beyond the webcam: Proctorio.
In the EU, AI proctoring is high-risk
EUR-Lex publishes the AI Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, which lists AI systems intended to be used for monitoring and detecting prohibited behaviour of students during tests in education and vocational training as high-risk AI systems.
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If you examine students in the EU, ask every vendor how its AI flags meet those rules, how a person reviews each flag before any decision, and what students are told about the monitoring.
Browser lockdown, AI or live proctors?
A lockdown browser stops students opening other apps or tabs during a quiz. It's light-touch and suits low-stakes tests inside a learning platform.
AI and live proctoring add identity checks and monitoring through the webcam. They suit high-stakes exams, but they need clear privacy notices, a fair appeals route and a plan for students with poor connections.
Whatever you pick, run a practice exam first. Students learn the setup without pressure, and you'll find the laptops, browsers and connections that would have caused trouble on the real day.
Questions to ask before you choose
- How high are the stakes of this exam?
- Does it integrate with our learning platform?
- Who reviews AI flags before any action?
- What do students need: webcam, app, fast internet?
- How are accessibility needs handled?
- Where is exam footage stored, and for how long?
Not every course needs an exam, and our round-up of microlearning platforms looks at platforms built around short lessons.
Signs your exam security needs an upgrade
- Scores jump on unsupervised tests. Add a lockdown.
- Identity is never checked. Add ID verification.
- Flags pile up unreviewed. Assign human reviewers.
- Students complain about privacy. Explain the monitoring clearly.
Do you make proctoring or online assessment tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on proctoring software
Match the tool to the stakes. Use a lockdown browser for routine quizzes, save webcam and live proctoring for the exams that lead to a qualification, and redesign assessments where you can so cheating gains little.
Tell students exactly what's monitored and why before the first exam. If you're building courses as well as testing them, my roundup of online course platforms covers the teaching side.
Frequently asked questions
What is proctoring software?
It's software that supervises online exams by checking identity and monitoring for cheating, using browser lockdowns, webcams, AI flags or live proctors.
Is AI proctoring allowed in the EU?
It's allowed but treated as high-risk. The AI Act lists AI used to monitor and detect prohibited student behaviour during tests as a high-risk system.
What's a lockdown browser?
A browser that stops students opening other programs, tabs or copying content while they take a test.
Do students need a webcam?
For webcam or live proctoring, yes. Lockdown-only setups usually don't need one.
Is live proctoring better than AI?
Live proctors can judge context, while AI scales more easily. Many institutions use AI flags reviewed by a person.
Can proctoring work for hiring tests?
Yes. Several platforms offer proctored assessments for recruitment as well as education.
