Freedom251 › Student Response Systems
Open Response
What Open Response is
Open Response is free, open-source classroom polling software for real-time classroom activity. It supports multiple-choice and multiple-answer polls, quiz mode, and feedback through WebSockets. Grading and analytics are also listed, and role-based access controls cover students, instructors, and administrators. For Canvas, participation and grades can be exported as CSV. The software includes a RESTful API and WebSocket server, and institutions can host an instance using Docker and Docker Compose. It runs on the web and is listed for Linux, macOS, and Windows; its interface is described as responsive and mobile-ready. Open-ended, sketch, and location questions are not supported. The project is targeting small-scale beta testing in the 2026–2027 academic year. Test coverage is incomplete, roster management and email notifications remain in development, and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is awaiting a full audit. FERPA-compliant SSO is also pending. The software is licensed under GNU GPL v3.0.
Who it suits
It suits students, instructors, and educational institutions seeking classroom polling with quizzes and grading. Institutions that want to host their own instance can use Docker and Docker Compose.
What it does well
- Free-to-use and licensed under GNU GPL v3.0
- Live feedback through WebSockets
- Includes quiz mode, grading, and analytics
- Canvas grades and participation export as CSV
- Supports self-hosting with Docker and Docker Compose
What to know first
- Open-ended, sketch, and location questions are unsupported
- FERPA-compliant SSO remains pending
- Roster management and email notifications are in development
- WCAG 2.1 AA compliance awaits a full audit
Limits
Open Response is free to use. Its current question formats are limited to multiple-choice and multiple-answer; roster management and email notifications remain in development, and FERPA-related security enhancements and SSO integration are pending.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Open Response | Free-to-use open-source classroom polling software | Free |
As osu-mc.github.io lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the Open Response website
- Choose a listed web or desktop platform, or prepare a server for self-hosting
- For self-hosting, deploy an instance with Docker and Docker Compose
- Use multiple-choice or multiple-answer questions for polls
Verdict
Open Response combines live classroom polls with quizzes, grading, analytics, and CSV export for Canvas. Its question-format gaps and pending security and accessibility work are important considerations.
Questions
How much does Open Response cost?
The listed plan is free. The software is free to use.
Which platforms are listed?
Open Response is listed for web, Linux, macOS, Windows, API use, and self-hosting.
Is Open Response open source?
Yes. It is licensed under GNU GPL v3.0, which permits use, modification, and distribution under its terms.
Does it integrate with Canvas?
Canvas compatibility is provided through CSV export of participation and grades.
What question types does it support?
Implemented polling formats include multiple choice and multiple answer. Open-ended, sketch, and location questions are unsupported.
Can an institution host its own instance?
Yes. The project says institutions can deploy their own instance on a server using Docker and Docker Compose.
Facts from Open Response's own pages
- Access controls
- The application lists role-based access control for students, instructors, and administrators. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Accessibility
- The project says full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is pending a complete audit. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Analytics
- The project lists grading and analytics for polling sessions. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- API
- The software includes a RESTful API alongside a WebSocket server for real-time interactions. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The project describes its intended users as students, instructors, and educational institutions. · osu-mc.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Availability
- The project says it is targeting small-scale beta testing in the 2026–2027 academic year. · osu-mc.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Canvas
- Canvas compatibility is provided through CSV export of participation and grades. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Canvas integration
- Canvas compatibility is provided through CSV export of participation and grades. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Development limits
- The project lists incomplete test coverage and roster management and email notifications as still in development. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2021 · osu-mc.github.io, 28 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · osu-mc.github.io, 20 Sept 2026
- License
- The source code is licensed under GNU GPL version 3.0, which the repository says permits use, modification, and distribution under its terms. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Live feedback
- WebSockets support real-time classroom polling and live feedback. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Live polling
- Yes · osu-mc.github.io, 20 Sept 2026
- Mobile
- The interface is described as responsive and mobile-ready, while mobile UX polish and expanded offline support remain planned. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Platform status
- The project says it is targeting small-scale beta testing in the 2026–2027 academic year. · osu-mc.github.io, 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Open Response is a free, open-source web-based classroom polling system intended to support real-time classroom engagement. · osu-mc.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Question formats
- The project lists multiple-choice and multiple-answer polling, and says open-ended, sketch, and location question types are not yet supported. · github.com, 9 Oct 2026
- Question types
- Implemented question types include multiple choice and multiple answer; open-ended, sketch, and location questions are listed as unsupported. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Quiz mode
- Yes · osu-mc.github.io, 20 Sept 2026
- Security
- The project lists FERPA-compliant SSO integration as pending. · github.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Security status
- FERPA-related security enhancements and SSO integration are listed as pending work. · osu-mc.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- Institutions can deploy an instance on a server with Docker and Docker Compose. · osu-mc.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its GitHub issues and discussions for questions and additional information. · osu-mc.github.io, 9 Oct 2026
Where Open Response stands on Freedom251
- Student Response Systems#8 of 45
- Audience Response Systems#47 of 118