ExamSoft vs Safe Exam Browser

ExamSoft is a digital assessment platform for creating, administering, and grading exams, then generating performance reports. The ExamSoft Portal supports item banking, authoring, scheduling, scoring, and reporting. Questions can be tagged for reporting, and the portal provides category and longitudinal performance reports. Exam-takers download exam files before the scheduled assessment and can then work offline in Examplify. For assessments marked secure, Examplify restricts access to other files and applications, and exam files are deleted from the device after completion. When enabled, ExamMonitor records video and audio during secure assessments for later review of potential academic integrity breaches. Listed LMS integrations include Blackboard 9.1 and above, Canvas, D2L, and Moodle 2.9 and above, with student and course data syncing to ExamSoft and grades to the LMS GradeBook. ExamSoft serves education programs and organizations administering certification and licensure exams. Pricing is on request. Examplify supports Windows, macOS, and iPad, but not Chromebooks, Android, or Linux.

Safe Exam Browser (SEB) is a browser environment for e-assessments that restricts a device to exam use. It runs locally and connects over the internet or a LAN to a learning management system or web-based exam system. Listed compatible systems include Moodle, ILIAS, OpenOlat, Open edX, Canvas, and Inspera Assessment. SEB supports encrypted exam configurations, URL filtering, restricted browser windows, and detection of virtual machines or jailbroken devices.

Controls vary by platform. On Windows, process monitoring can hide or terminate disallowed programs, while administrators can permit selected third-party applications. On iOS, Assessment Mode blocks app switching, unauthorized websites, notifications, calls, and screenshots; activation requires a SEB Quit Password. SEB has no central server or cloud service, though an optional open-source server can be self-hosted. Optional audio or video proctoring is disabled by default and requires candidate consent when configured. SEB is freeware for Windows, macOS, and iOS. The security module for application integrity verification is distributed only as a binary, not as open source.