Acadly vs EngageTime

Acadly automates class attendance and provides tools for in-class engagement, including polls, quizzes, word clouds, discussions, and a class backchannel. Instructors can configure the roster, schedule, and attendance rules in advance so sessions run automatically. Acadly says its mesh-network technology verifies physical presence without GPS or QR codes, does not track geolocation, and flags suspicious patterns for instructor review. A native PowerPoint add-in can launch attendance and polls from slides and is described as working on Mac and PC. Institutional deployments support LTI compatibility with Moodle, Brightspace, Blackboard, and Canvas, as well as Zoom and PowerPoint integrations. Basic is listed at $3 a month; its pricing details also show a teacher-pays rate of $3 per course or student-pays rate of $5 per course. Pro is listed at $5 a month, with teacher-pays at $5 per course or student-pays at $10 per course. A First Course Free option covers one course for up to five months, but excludes fraud alerts. Acadly is available on Android, iOS, macOS, and the web.

EngageTime turns event sessions into opportunities for audience participation, feedback, and follow-up through live polls and Q&A. Attendees can join from any device in a web browser without installing an app. They can ask questions anonymously, vote questions up, and participate in moderated Q&A. Sessions can also include quizzes, trivia, emoji reactions, ratings, and comments. The service reports on engagement, questions, poll responses, and learning outcomes. Speakers can share materials, collect attendee contact details with opt-in for follow-ups, and export contacts or send them to a CRM through the API. EngageTime offers Sessionize CSV session import and a Microsoft PowerPoint add-in for displaying live polls. Event plans include session moderation and CSV exports; higher tiers add multi-track scheduling and branding. The maker presents it for conferences, summits, workshops, training, and virtual or hybrid events. A Freemium pricing card lists one active session and 20 attendees, though other homepage copy advertises free use for up to 100 attendees. Paid plans begin at €9/mo. Listed platforms are API, extension, macOS, web, and Windows.