Anchor vs LiveSchool
Anchor
plinklabs.org
LiveSchool
whyliveschool.comSide by side
| Figure | Anchor | LiveSchool |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €24/mo | $163.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 4 | 4 |
| Spec score · Classroom Management Software | 9.5 (#1) | 8.0 (#10) |
| Audience | The maker describes Anchor as classroom software made by teachers for schools using managed or bring-your-own-device Windows laptops. | LiveSchool is designed for K-12 schools and districts. |
| Integrations | The teacher page names Microsoft 365, Smartschool, and GeoGebra as selectable bundles; sign-in uses existing school Microsoft accounts. | LiveSchool supports roster synchronization and single sign-on through Clever and ClassLink, including OneRoster files through Clever. |
| Purpose | Anchor lets a teacher run a classroom focus session where student Windows laptops enforce an allowlist of apps and websites, with off-list activity shown live on a dashboard. | LiveSchool is a behavior management platform for positive school culture that helps schools track behavior and use points and rewards. |
| Support | The maker directs users to GitHub issues for product questions and says there is no support ticket queue. | All plans include live chat, phone, and email support from former educators on school days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST. |
Plans
Anchor
- AnchorFree
- Anchor softwareFree
- Azure hosting estimate€24 a month
- Azure hosting estimate with larger database€43 a month
LiveSchool
- PilotFree
- Starter$1,960 a year
- Premium$3,960 a year
- DistrictPriced on request
In their own words
Anchor
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.
LiveSchool
LiveSchool is a behavior management platform for K-12 schools and districts, built around tracking behavior and using points and rewards to support positive school culture. Its tools include behavior tracking, a rewards store, House Points, hall passes, and family engagement, with support for PBIS and SEL programs. Parents, guardians, and students can use the service for free, while schools pay for staff users. The free Pilot plan covers one grade level for up to one school year. Starter is listed at $49 per staff member per year for 40 staff, and Premium is $99 per staff member per year for 40 staff. Subscriptions require at least 10 staff and a 12-month term. Educators, students, and families can sign in through a browser or use the LiveSchool Next app on iPhone, iPad, and Android. The platform supports roster synchronization and single sign-on through Clever and ClassLink. LiveSchool says it complies with FERPA and COPPA and describes encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access controls, and default deletion of student records within 60 days after service ends, subject to legal or data-sharing requirements.