Numbas

Numbas is a free, open-source assessment system for mathematics and other numerate subjects. It suits educators who can shape their own exam delivery and want reusable questions; its flexibility comes with hosting and score-capture trade-offs.

Overview

Numbas supports exams in a browser, through a virtual learning environment (VLE), or from DVD or USB. That range can serve connected courses as well as settings where offline distribution matters. The public mathcentre editor includes more than 5,000 questions that educators may use or modify, giving numerate courses a substantial base to build from.

The choice of delivery matters. Standalone browser exams give students immediate feedback but do not automatically save scores. For recorded results through LTI, users must host the tool themselves or discuss paid hosting with the team; Numbas is therefore a better fit for institutions able to manage deployment than for those expecting a ready-to-use hosted service.

Key features

• Question bank: More than 5,000 mathcentre questions are free to use or modify, which can reduce authoring work for mathematics and other numerate subjects.
• VLE delivery: The LTI tool supports Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, and Brightspace. The integration is useful for courses already organized around those platforms, but requires self-hosting or an arrangement for paid hosting.
• SCORM packages: Numbas generates SCORM 2004 packages for compatible VLEs, offering another route into an existing learning environment.
• Extensions and themes: Extensions can add functionality, while themes can alter the interface or exam delivery. This provides room to adapt the system, though it favors teams able to configure their own setup.
• Accessibility: The interface is designed to work with assistive technology and accommodate a wide range of accessibility requirements.
• Exam security: Browser-based exams can expose answers or allow reported data to be altered. For high-stakes summative assessments, the documentation recommends a locked-down browser; the lockdown app supports Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and ChromeOS.

Pricing

Numbas is free and open source, with a listed plan price of $0. There is no free trial because the software itself is free. The important cost distinction is operational: no public LTI hosting instance is offered, so users need their own infrastructure or must contact the team about paid hosting. That makes the free plan attractive to institutions with deployment capacity, but less turnkey for those that need hosted LTI delivery.

Platforms

Numbas is available for web, self-hosted use, Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. Exams can run in a desktop browser, while the separate lockdown app extends to ChromeOS as well as those listed operating systems.

Who it's for

Numbas is a strong choice for schools, universities, and educators teaching mathematics or other numerate subjects who want a large reusable question collection and control over delivery. It is less suitable for organizations that need hosted LTI service without managing infrastructure, or for high-stakes exams run in an unrestricted browser.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The public collection of over 5,000 usable or modifiable questions gives numerate educators a meaningful head start on assessment authoring.
• Pro: Browser, VLE, SCORM, DVD, and USB delivery provide options for different course environments.
• Pro: Accessibility-oriented design and a cross-platform lockdown app address important needs in assessment delivery.
• Con: Standalone exams do not automatically save scores, limiting their usefulness when results must be captured without another delivery route.
• Con: LTI delivery requires self-hosting or a paid hosting arrangement, adding operational work or cost beyond the free software.
• Con: Browser exams can be inspected or manipulated, so unrestricted browser delivery is not the right approach for high-stakes summative exams.

Alternatives

For more exam-software options, browse Online Exam Software or Automated Grading Software.

• Eklavvya is worth considering if you want a freemium option with a stated free allowance of 25 exams and 1 GB of storage.
• SpeedExam may suit users who prefer a free plan with explicit monthly limits: 25 exam attempts, 2,000 questions, and 100 MB storage.
• TAO is another freemium, self-hosted option; its free Starter plan sets limits of one author seat, 3,000 AI credits per month, and 50 learner test attempts per month.
• TCExam is a free open-source alternative under the GNU AGPL-3.0-or-later license.
• ThinkExam is another alternative.
• MegaExams offers a free plan with unlimited exams, questions, students, and teachers, with all features included.
• OpenEMIS Admissions is a free, self-hosted open-source option with no licensing fees.
• Wheebox is another alternative.

Verdict

Choose Numbas if you teach numerate subjects, value a large adaptable question bank, and can manage the delivery setup. Its free, flexible assessment system is compelling, but teams that need hosted LTI or reliable high-stakes delivery in an unrestricted browser should look elsewhere or plan for additional infrastructure and controls.