Respondus Monitor

Overview

Monitor works only with LockDown Browser. During an exam, that browser blocks printing, copying, access to other applications and internet searches; Monitor adds webcam monitoring, screen recording, identity verification and flagged results for instructor review. This combination supports review after an assessment, not real-time intervention, so it is a poor fit when an exam requires a live proctor.

After a one-time installation, Monitor launches from Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge when exam settings call for it. Students complete a pre-exam sequence that includes a webcam check, without scheduling a proctoring session or registering on Respondus’s website. Round-the-clock real-time chat support for students and free instructor webinars help with setup and use.

Key features

Recorded sessions and flags

Flagged events give instructors a way to prioritize parts of a recording for review, rather than supervising every exam live. That can suit courses where instructors can review sessions afterward; it does not provide live oversight.

Learning-system connections and device requirements

Integrations include Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace, Pearson MyLab and Mastering, McGraw Hill ALEKS, Cengage WebAssign and MindTap, and Hawkes Learning. Native support covers Windows, Mac, Chromebook and iPad, with listed requirements including Windows 10 or 11, macOS 12 to 26.0+, iPadOS 15+ with a compatible LMS integration, a webcam, microphone and broadband internet. Chromebook requirements also apply. Institutions should check device and integration compatibility before adopting it.

Privacy and fairness claims

Respondus says its security and privacy coverage includes FERPA, GDPR, CCPA, HECVAT, SOC 2 and TX-RAMP. It also says its algorithms are systematically tested so age, gender and skin tone do not affect proctoring results. These assurances may matter to institutions assessing compliance and fairness requirements.

Pricing

Respondus offers a free pilot at no cost, billed 2 months, with unlimited institutional use and no obligation. It gives an institution a way to pilot the product without a usage cap during the pilot period.

The Student Purchase plan costs 15.00 USD per year, valid for 12 months (365 days). It covers use across courses and exams in the same learning system at the institution, but still requires LockDown Browser. This is the individual-purchase option, not a workaround for the browser dependency.

The Initial institutional license costs 4950.00 USD per year, with the annual fee prorated based on the license start date. It is a flat rate regardless of institution size, with North America pricing and exclusions applying. The Tiered plan costs 5950.00 USD per year for a base tier of 1,000 seats; each additional 1,000-seat tier costs $1,950, and there is no exam-count limit. Institutions should weigh seat capacity against the flat-rate option rather than exam volume alone.

Unlimited offers institution-wide use with custom pricing based on institution type and size. Every paid route is subject to the institutional LockDown Browser requirement and license administrator enabling Monitor.

Platforms

Respondus lists Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows platforms. Its device guidance also describes Chromebook and iPad support, with the iPad requiring iPadOS 15+ and a compatible LMS integration.

Who it's for

Monitor is most compelling for colleges and other higher-education institutions with a campus-wide LockDown Browser license, a compatible learning system and a need for recorded exam review. It is less suitable for organizations that need live proctoring or cannot meet the institutional license prerequisite.

Pros and cons

• Pros: LockDown Browser restricts common ways to leave or copy from an exam, while recordings and flags support later review.
• Pros: Broad named LMS integrations can fit established course workflows, and students do not have to schedule sessions.
• Pros: A two-month unlimited free pilot gives institutions room to evaluate use before committing.
• Cons: Monitor cannot be used without LockDown Browser, and the institution must have a campus-wide license with Monitor enabled.
• Cons: No live proctoring means instructors cannot intervene during an exam through this service.
• Cons: Tiered pricing starts at 1,000 seats, while institution-wide Unlimited requires a quote; smaller or differently sized deployments should compare the available licensing structures carefully.

Alternatives

Choose Proctorio if a freemium option with a free evaluation plan and broader listed platform coverage is a better fit; its free plan has 7-day data retention and a limited review center. Consider SMOWL for its Computer Monitoring or Browser Lock options, in-person digital exams and LMS integration. ThinkExam is another option, with a free plan and a Standard tier priced at 3125.00 USD per month, billed annually, for 100 users and unlimited quizzes. Grafari may suit readers comparing paid plans that also offer a free plan; its ANNUAL PREMIUM plan is 20.00 USD per month, billed $240 annually. Consider OctoProctor if hours-based pricing is preferable. YuJa Engage is another paid option. Proctor360 offers remote proctoring services with pricing on request. ProctorFree is another paid option with a free trial.

Browse Exam Proctoring Software and Online Proctoring Software for more options.

Verdict

Choose Respondus Monitor if your institution already licenses LockDown Browser and wants webcam recordings, flags and identity checks for asynchronous review across supported course systems. Its main advantage is pairing recorded review with exam-browser restrictions; look elsewhere if you need live proctoring or cannot meet the campus licensing requirement.