Anchor review
A free, self-hosted choice for Microsoft-focused classroom activity control.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Anchor is self-hosted classroom management software for teachers and schools that want to guide student device activity during teacher-started focus sessions. Teachers can define app and website allowlists, view live off-task activity and student states, manage class rosters, and respond to requests for blocked-site access. The product is GPL-3.0 licensed and designed to observe activity only during active sessions, making it a fit for schools seeking focused lesson controls with an open-source deployment model.
The Free and open source plan has no licence fee or per-seat charge. Its published highlights include self-hosting, while the school remains responsible for backend infrastructure costs. The platform includes a web dashboard, a Windows native tray agent, and a Microsoft Edge extension. Device support covers Windows 10 version 1809 or later and Windows 11, with Microsoft Edge used for URL filtering and block pages. This makes Anchor more suitable for Microsoft-oriented environments than classrooms needing broad, device-agnostic coverage.
Anchor’s strongest functional area is its combination of session control and activity visibility. Teachers can start focus sessions, apply allowlist bundles, review activity events, see live student states, and retain session history according to configurable data-retention settings. Rosters can be populated manually, by CSV, or through a directory, and the product lists Microsoft account, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft 365, Smartschool, and GeoGebra integrations. Schools should choose Anchor when self-hosting, Microsoft compatibility, and transparent classroom controls matter most. It is less suitable for teams that require live screen viewing, behavioral tracking, or a fully managed hosted backend.
Anchor pros and cons
- Where it wins
- No licence fee or per-seat charge under the free plan
- Live off-task activity, allowlists, and access requests
- Microsoft Edge, Microsoft 365, and directory roster support
- Where it doesn't
- No live screen view for teachers
- Self-hosting requires school-managed backend infrastructure
- Device enforcement centers on Windows and Microsoft Edge
Anchor fact sheet, pricing and score →
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