ARSnova vs Plickers

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.

Plickers is a classroom polling and quiz tool that collects student answers and displays results. Students respond with unique Plickers cards, so they do not need individual devices or accounts. A teacher uses the mobile app to scan cards, collect answers, reveal correct choices, and move through questions. Sessions can run offline, and responses can be anonymous; the audience limit is 63. Plickers provides student reports and scoresheets, and results can be downloaded for further analysis. Teachers can import classes and student rosters from Google Classroom and sync later changes. For remote lessons, Plickers E-Learning lets students answer synchronously from home using a device. The service is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Its free plan allows five questions per set, while Pro plans offer unlimited-question sets, private Pack collaboration, custom unlimited Scoresheet date ranges, and priority support. Listed Pro prices are $8.99 a month or $71.88 a year. A 14-day trial is available. Plickers says it does not sell student information.