ARSnova vs Open Response
ARSnova
arsnova.euOpen Response
osu-mc.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | ARSnova | Open Response |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Student Response Systems | 8.7 (#7) | 8.7 (#9) |
| Spec score · Audience Response Systems | 8.4 (#36) | 8.4 (#40) |
| Accessibility | The site states that ARSnova conforms to WCAG 2.2 Level AA and that its results report is PDF/UA-1 validated. | The project says full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is pending a complete audit. |
| Founded | 2012 | 2021 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Live polling | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | ARSnova provides live quizzes, numeric estimation questions, Q&A, word-cloud analysis, and Pulse Check feedback for education and organisations. | Open Response is a free, open-source web-based classroom polling system intended to support real-time classroom engagement. |
| Question formats | Quiz formats include short answers, numeric estimation, matching, ordering, and categorisation, alongside multiple-choice and rating questions. | The project lists multiple-choice and multiple-answer polling, and says open-ended, sketch, and location question types are not yet supported. |
| Quiz mode | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosting | The open-source platform can run on the user’s own infrastructure with Docker, PostgreSQL, and Redis. | Institutions can deploy an instance on a server with Docker and Docker Compose. |
Plans
In their own words
ARSnova
ARSnova provides live quizzes, numeric estimation questions, Q&A, word-cloud analysis, and Pulse Check feedback for education and organizations. Sessions can include up to 500 participants. Hosts can start without an account, and participants join with a code or QR without signing up. Question types include short answers, estimates, matching, ordering, categorization, multiple choice, and ratings. The Q&A wall supports moderation before posting, pinning, archiving, voting, and sorting by support, quality, or controversy. Hosts can create quizzes and run sessions on a phone, with an option to pair a second device for presenting. After a session, results are available in a PDF report, and tabular data can be exported as CSV. Quiz content remains on the host’s device while live sessions process data needed for interaction. The open-source platform is licensed under MIT and can be self-hosted with Docker, PostgreSQL, and Redis. The site states WCAG 2.2 Level AA conformance and PDF/UA-1 validation for its results report. Matching, ordering, and categorization questions do not award partial credit.
Open Response
Open Response is free, open-source polling software for real-time classroom engagement. Instructors can run polls with multiple-choice and multiple-answer questions, and participants receive live feedback through WebSockets. The project also lists quiz mode, grading, analytics, and role-based access for students, instructors, and administrators. It includes a RESTful API and a WebSocket server. Canvas compatibility comes through CSV export of participation and grades. Open Response is listed for web, Linux, macOS, and Windows, and institutions can self-host it on a server with Docker and Docker Compose. Its interface is described as responsive and mobile-ready. The project was founded in 2021 and is targeting small-scale beta testing in the 2026–2027 academic year. Several items remain incomplete or planned: open-ended, sketch, and location questions are unsupported; roster management and email notifications are in development; test coverage is incomplete; and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance and FERPA-related SSO work are pending.