Open Response vs PointSolutions
Open Response
osu-mc.github.io
PointSolutions
info.echo360.comSide by side
| Figure | Open Response | PointSolutions |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3.42/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Student Response Systems | 8.7 (#9) | 8.0 (#25) |
| Spec score · Audience Response Systems | 8.4 (#40) | 7.9 (#70) |
| Accessibility | The project says full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is pending a complete audit. | Echo360 says its products are designed to comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, including U.S. Section 508 standards, and undergo third-party audits. |
| Live polling | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Open Response is a free, open-source web-based classroom polling system intended to support real-time classroom engagement. | PointSolutions is a formative assessment solution for learner responses and engagement, designed for online and offline use. |
| Support | The project directs users to its GitHub issues and discussions for questions and additional information. | The Canvas integration guide instructs administrators to contact Echo360 support to configure an LMS integration. |
Plans
In their own words
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.
PointSolutions
PointSolutions has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.