Anchor vs Apple Classroom

Anchor is classroom software for schools using managed or bring-your-own-device Windows laptops. A teacher starts a focus session for a class, selects allowed app and website bundles, and watches student states and off-list events on a dashboard. Microsoft 365, Smartschool, and GeoGebra are named selectable bundles, and teachers sign in with existing school Microsoft accounts. Off-list apps are set aside rather than closed; off-list Microsoft Edge pages show a block page with an access-request option. Anchor provides activity monitoring, web filtering, and device controls, but no live screen view or behavior tracking. It observes activity only during an active teacher-started session. During that session, the extension sends off-allowlist visits, unblock requests, integrity signals, and liveness heartbeats to the school backend. Each school runs a single-tenant backend in its own Azure subscription. Anchor is GPL-3.0 licensed, self-hostable, and publicly auditable. It is free, with no licence fee or per-seat charge, though Azure hosting costs may apply.

Apple Classroom is a free app for teachers to guide lessons, keep students focused, and share learning resources on iPad and Mac. During a session, teachers can see all student screens together and direct one student or the class to a web page, book, or app. They can launch apps, websites, and books; restrict a student to one app; lock screens; and mute device audio. Agendas can set timed tasks and launch a Classroom session. Teachers can share documents and links with AirDrop and present student work through AirPlay on Apple TV. Classes can be managed by IT or created by teachers, with students arranged into groups. Schools using Shared iPad can have students reassigned to the device they most recently used. Apple says students can connect remotely, while the App Store listing says Classroom actions take place only over the local network. Apple School Manager can connect identity providers and student information systems for class rosters. Apple says it does not sell student information or share it for third-party marketing or advertising.