Respondus Monitor

Overview

Monitor records students during online assessments and surfaces flagged events and results for instructors to review. It cannot be used without LockDown Browser, which blocks printing, copying, access to other applications and internet searching during an exam. The combination gives instructors a way to review sessions after an assessment, but it does not provide a live proctor to intervene during one.

After a one-time installation, Monitor launches from Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge when exam settings require it. Students complete a pre-exam sequence that includes a webcam check; they do not need to schedule a session or register on Respondus’s website. That reduces administrative steps, while 24/7 real-time chat support gives students a channel for help during setup.

Respondus, founded in 2000, develops assessment applications for education, training and certification. The company says its security and privacy coverage includes FERPA, GDPR, CCPA, HECVAT, SOC 2 and TX-RAMP, and that it systematically tests its algorithms for fairness so age, gender and skin tone do not affect proctoring results.

Key features

Recorded review, not live supervision

Webcam monitoring, screen recording and identity verification give instructors material to examine after an exam, with flagged events helping focus that review. Because live proctoring is not included, Monitor fits asynchronous oversight rather than exams that need real-time intervention.

LockDown Browser dependency

The browser component prevents printing, copying, switching to other applications and internet searching during an exam. This makes the pairing more restrictive than recording alone, but it also rules Monitor out as a standalone purchase. The institution needs a campus-wide LockDown Browser license, and its license administrator must enable Monitor.

LMS and device support

Integrations include Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace, Pearson MyLab and Mastering, McGraw Hill ALEKS, Cengage WebAssign and MindTap, and Hawkes Learning. Respondus describes native support for Windows, Mac, Chromebook and iPad. Its technical requirements include Windows 10 or 11, macOS 12 to 26.0+, iPadOS 15+ with a compatible LMS integration, a webcam, microphone and broadband internet; Chromebook requirements also apply. Institutions should check these requirements against their students’ devices and LMS before adopting it.

Pricing

Respondus offers institutional and student purchase routes, but each depends on LockDown Browser. The free pilot is a low-commitment way for institutions to evaluate the product; paid institutional plans suit broader deployment.

• Free pilot: Free, billed 2 months, with unlimited use for institutions and no obligation. It is an evaluation option, not a permanent free plan.
• Student Purchase: 15.00 USD per year, valid for 12 months (365 days). It covers use across courses and exams in the same learning system at the institution; LockDown Browser is required.
• Initial institutional license: 4950.00 USD per year, with the annual fee prorated based on license start date. It is a flat rate regardless of institution size, with North America pricing and exclusions applying.
• Tiered: 5950.00 USD per year for a base tier of 1,000 seats. Each additional 1,000-seat tier costs $1,950, with no exam-count limit. This makes seat capacity, rather than exam volume, the stated scaling measure.
• Unlimited: custom pricing by institution type and size, with institution-wide use and a quote on request.

Platforms

Respondus lists Android, iOS, macOS, web and Windows. Its device guidance also describes native support for Chromebook and iPad, subject to the stated technical and LMS requirements. The webcam, microphone and broadband internet requirements make device readiness essential, not optional.

Who it's for

Monitor is best suited to higher-education institutions that already license LockDown Browser, use a supported LMS and want instructors to review recorded sessions instead of scheduling proctors. Free training webinars and training resources within the LMS application for instructors at licensed institutions support rollout. It is a poor fit for schools seeking standalone proctoring or live supervision, and device requirements may limit access for students without compatible hardware and broadband.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Recorded webcam sessions, screen recording, identity verification and flagged events support instructor review without scheduling live proctoring sessions.
• Pro: LMS integrations across named systems can keep exams in existing learning workflows.
• Pro: Student chat support is available around the clock, useful when setup issues arise.
• Con: A campus-wide LockDown Browser license and administrator enablement are prerequisites, so institutions cannot adopt Monitor on its own.
• Con: No live proctoring means instructors cannot intervene in real time during an exam.
• Con: Webcam, microphone, broadband and operating-system requirements create a device and connectivity threshold for students.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, see Exam Proctoring Software and Online Proctoring Software.

• Proctorio is worth considering for buyers who want a free plan and broad platform support, including Linux and browser extension options; its free plan has 7-day data retention and a limited review center.
• ThinkExam may suit readers seeking a freemium option with Android, iOS and web support; its Standard plan is 3125.00 USD per month, billed annually, for 100 users and unlimited quizzes.
• OctoProctor is an alternative for teams considering usage-time pricing and broad platform coverage; its hours-based plan supports up to 1,500 simultaneous users.
• Grafari is another paid option with a free plan and free trial; its ANNUAL PREMIUM plan is 20.00 USD per month, billed $240 annually.
• Proctor360 offers remote proctoring services; readers can contact sales or book a demo for pricing.
• IRIS Invigilation is another paid option for web, Windows and macOS.
• ProctorDIY is another paid option for Windows, macOS and web.
• ProctorU Proctoring Platform is another paid option for web, Windows and macOS.

Verdict

Choose Respondus Monitor if your institution already has LockDown Browser and wants recorded, flagged exam sessions for later instructor review within a supported LMS. The key reason to look elsewhere is equally clear: it is not standalone and does not provide live proctoring.