Classtime vs TAO

Classtime is a web-based classroom assessment tool for checking students’ understanding during lessons. Teachers activate questions on students’ devices and see responses in real time, with class performance and per-question results available. It offers ten technology-enabled question types, including multiple choice, free text, categorizer, sorter, highlight text and hot spot. Teachers can use more than 50,000 prepared questions or create and share their own sets. Responses can be graded automatically, manually validated or scored with partial points; results can be exported as PDF or Excel reports. Sessions can be published by URL, code, student portal, Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams. The free Basic plan supports up to 40 students connected simultaneously; Premium supports up to 300 and costs $9 a month per teacher, with a 60-day trial. Google Classroom import requires Premium or a School License. Classtime says its app, server and database connections use TLS, database data is encrypted at rest, and daily backups are made. Teacher support is full on screens wider than 768 pixels; smaller mobile screens have restricted features.

TAO is an online platform for creating, delivering and managing digital assessments. Authors can build tests manually, convert existing exam files, use AI-assisted drafting or import QTI packages. Question formats include Choice, Extended Text, File Upload, Hotspot and Text Entry. Scoring supports automatic and manual methods, partial credit, weighted responses and cut scores, with branching logic also available. Results can be reviewed through session and test-taker reports, custom reports, CSV results, Data Explorer and TAO Insights. TAO supports QTI 2.2 and QTI 3.0, and promotes interoperability through QTI and LTI. Delivery options include online, LMS via LTI, test centers, local proctoring, and cloud-hosted or self-hosted configurations. TAO Cloud offers shared or private hosting using providers including AWS, Google Cloud and Linode. Starter is free for one author and 50 learner attempts monthly; Community Edition is a free, self-hosted open-source option. Paid plans include TAO Author at $149 a month and TAO Ignite at $990 a month; custom plans are also listed.