Instructor workflow
Safe Online Exam
Manage Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes from Canvas course navigation, with course defaults and assessment overrides.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Require LockDown Browser through its Canvas-integrated dashboard.
Safe Online Exam vs. Respondus
Give Canvas teams more control over the exam experience.
Go beyond basic lockdown with exact resource policy, reusable exam tools, operational recovery, and a self-hosting option.
More control for the assessment, not just a locked browser.
Both products can start a locked-down Canvas assessment. Safe Online Exam goes further with exact resource rules, reusable exam tools, operational recovery, source visibility, and a self-hosting path.
Exact resource control
Safe Online Exam
Create named tools with an exact launch URL and rules for one page, related links, or a confirmed whole site.
Respondus LockDown Browser
An embedded question link can open one page. Broader access is configured with domain names, not full URLs.
Reusable exam tools
Safe Online Exam
Reuse course tools, duplicate instructor-owned tools to other courses, and roll out school-managed presets in bulk.
Respondus LockDown Browser
External access is configured through assessment links and the LockDown Browser settings for that exam.
Student launch
Safe Online Exam
Start on the Canvas assessment page. The approved configuration and access code are handled during launch.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Start the assessment through Canvas and enter LockDown Browser for the exam.
VM and kiosk policy
Safe Online Exam
SEB can refuse virtual machines and applies institution-controlled URL, application, display, capture, and remote-session policy.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Respondus documents blocking virtual machines, remote desktops, screen sharing, messaging, and screen recording.
Institution operations
Safe Online Exam
A root-account workspace connects courses, rolls out presets, rotates access codes, resets settings, and supports controlled password recovery.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Institution and course settings are managed through the proprietary Respondus product and support model.
Hosting and source visibility
Safe Online Exam
Choose managed hosting or self-hosting. The integration source is available, and Safe Exam Browser is open source.
Respondus LockDown Browser
Respondus LockDown Browser is a proprietary, vendor-operated commercial product.
Official comparison sourcesRespondus overviewRespondus web access guidanceSafe Exam Browser overview
Why institutions choose Safe Online Exam.
The difference is the amount of control your assessment team keeps before, during, and after launch.
Design the resource policy around the exam.
Give students a named tool, an exact page, or an approved site without opening the rest of the web.
Own the operating model.
Use managed hosting or run the released package yourself with the same instructor and student capabilities.
See more of what enforces the policy.
Review the integration source and the open-source Safe Exam Browser foundation instead of relying on a closed client alone.
A stronger institution-controlled policy
Safe Exam Browser can refuse virtual machines and remote sessions while also controlling applications, displays, capture, and permitted URLs.
A more precise resource model
Instructors can name an exam tool and limit it to an exact page, related links, or an intentionally approved site.
Webcam proctoring is a separate decision.
Safe Online Exam does not include webcam recording or automated video review. Institutions that require remote webcam proctoring can evaluate Respondus Monitor, Proctorio, or Honorlock separately. For in-person and managed assessment programs, compare the instructor controls, student path, recovery options, and operating model first.
See the control difference in a live assessment.
We will show exact URL rules, reusable exam tools, the student launch, kiosk behavior, and administrator recovery with your use case in mind.