Respondus LockDown Browser vs Safe Exam Browser

Respondus LockDown Browser8.9Visit Safe Exam Browser7.3Visit

Higher score Respondus LockDown Browser #1 in Lockdown Browser Software 8.9/10 60-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Respondus

vs

Safe Exam Browser #13 in Lockdown Browser Software 7.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit site

• Respondus LockDown Browser fits best

  Mature institutions needing broad LMS support

• Safe Exam Browser fits best

  Institutions wanting free, open lockdown software

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Side by side

Feature	Respondus LockDown Browser 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Safe Exam Browser 7.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	7.3
Ranking	#1 in Lockdown Browser Software	#13 in Lockdown Browser Software
Best for	Mature institutions needing broad LMS support	Institutions wanting free, open lockdown software
Pricing model	Paid	Free
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	60 days	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, iOS, Chrome extension	Windows, macOS, iOS
Support	Tickets, Docs	Community, Docs
Integrations	9 integrations	5 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Respondus LockDown Browser 3/4 · Safe Exam Browser 3/4
Blocks app switching	✓	✓
Blocks copy and printing	✓	✓
Blocks screen capture	✓	✓
Offline assessment mode	—	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, iPadOS	Windows, macOS, iOS
LMS integration	Lti	Plugin
Our review
Pros	Blocks apps, websites, printing, copying, and screen capture during exams Supports Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and iPad Integrates with major LMS platforms and live-proctoring tools	Free and open-source with deep exam lockdown controls Integrates with Moodle, ILIAS, OpenOlat, Open edX, and Inspera Runs on Windows, macOS, and iOS
Cons	No permanent free plan Offline assessments are not supported Higher-education pricing may differ from K-12 site-license tiers	Coverage is limited to Windows, macOS, and iOS Some blocking controls depend on configuration or platform support Organizations must manage exam-specific configurations and integrations
Our verdict	Respondus LockDown Browser is a client application that restricts student devices during online assessments. It is designed for K-12 schools, districts, colleges, universities, and other education providers delivering exams through… Read the review →	Safe Exam Browser is a free, open-source kiosk browser for online exams and other web-based assessments. It is designed for institutions that need to limit access to unauthorized applications, websites, system functions, printing,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Respondus LockDown Browser — where it wins

  • Blocks apps, websites, printing, copying, and screen capture during exams
  • Supports Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and iPad
  • Integrates with major LMS platforms and live-proctoring tools

  Where it doesn't

  • No permanent free plan
  • Offline assessments are not supported
  • Higher-education pricing may differ from K-12 site-license tiers

• Safe Exam Browser — where it wins

  • Free and open-source with deep exam lockdown controls
  • Integrates with Moodle, ILIAS, OpenOlat, Open edX, and Inspera
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and iOS

  Where it doesn't

  • Coverage is limited to Windows, macOS, and iOS
  • Some blocking controls depend on configuration or platform support
  • Organizations must manage exam-specific configurations and integrations

• Respondus LockDown Browser8.9/10 · 60-day trial

  A broad-platform exam browser for institutions using major LMS platforms.

  Visit RespondusFull verdict →
• Safe Exam Browser7.3/10 · Free plan

  A free, configurable lockdown browser for institutions running web-based exams.

  Visit siteFull verdict →