Honorlock vs Proctorio vs Respondus: A Student Comparison

Honorlock, Proctorio and Respondus all lock down your browser and can record your webcam during an online exam, but they differ in who watches. Honorlock combines AI with live human proctors who can join your session through a chat. Proctorio is automated by default and leaves review to your school. Respondus Monitor is fully automated and only your instructor sees the results. They also install differently: Honorlock and Proctorio are Chrome-style browser extensions, while Respondus uses its own LockDown Browser application. You do not choose the tool; your institution does. This guide compares them side by side so you know what to expect, using each vendor's own documentation.

Last verified: October 12, 2026 against the official documentation linked below.

The comparison table

Everything in this table is "if enabled". Each tool is a menu of options, and your instructor or exam administrator decides which ones apply to a given exam.

The rest of this article explains each row with links to the source, then covers what to do when something breaks and how to raise a privacy or accommodation question.

Honorlock: AI plus live pop-in proctors

Install. Honorlock's faculty and student FAQ says test takers "must install the browser extension, but can delete it right after the exam is completed". Organisations that opt in can also require the Honorlock Application, a desktop app. Because the extension is for Google Chrome, Honorlock exams are taken in Chrome on a laptop or desktop.

What it records. Per the same FAQ, if your organisation requests it, Honorlock collects "a webcam video recording that includes your desktop activity and audio recording", and "nothing from your webcam, microphone, screen, or browser is recorded before you start an exam or after you submit it". You may be asked to photograph your ID and do a room scan. The test taker privacy statement adds that Honorlock "has the ability to log the websites you attempt to visit through Chrome while you are taking the exam". From your LMS it receives basic details such as your name and email.

Who watches. This is Honorlock's main difference. Its Live Pop-In page describes AI that monitors video, audio and desktop activity and raises flags; a trained proctor reviews each flag in real time (filtering noise and taking approved accommodations into account) and, for serious issues, enters your session through a 1:1 chat. Afterwards, the instructor receives time-stamped reports, and the FAQ says "certified proctors and exam administrators can review test session videos". Decisions about misconduct are still made by your school.

Privacy and retention. The FAQ states "the standard data retention period is 365 days", which organisations can change, and that "Honorlock will never sell or monetize your data". The privacy statement says Honorlock holds the data for your organisation rather than owning it, that employees access it only when their job requires it, and that access or deletion requests should go to your organisation.

Support. Honorlock says it offers 24/7/365 technical support by email or live chat before, during and after an exam.

LMS. Honorlock's institutions page lists Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, D2L and OpenLMS, plus custom LTI integrations. More detail: How Honorlock works and Can Honorlock detect phones?.

Proctorio: configurable automated proctoring

Install. Proctorio runs as the Secure Exam Proctor browser extension. According to its system requirements, the standard setup works in Chrome, Edge, Brave or Opera on Windows 10+, macOS 13+, ChromeOS or Ubuntu; stricter "advanced" settings need a desktop Companion App, and a mobile app exists for exams that enable it. The FAQ says the extension is active only during the proctoring session and can be removed after the exam.

What it records. The instructor picks from Record Video, Record Audio, Record Screen, Record Web Traffic and a desk scan (at the start or periodically), plus lock down options such as full screen, one screen only, disabled new tabs, clipboard, printing and extensions, and verification steps such as Verify ID. Oregon State University's published recommended settings are a good example of a real configuration. Proctorio's FAQ says every enabled setting is disclosed on the Before You Begin page you see before the exam.

Who watches. Nobody, live, by default. After the exam, Proctorio flags unusual moments and ranks attempts by a suspicion level that the instructor can reweight at any time. Proctorio's help center states it "does not make determinations about misconduct or outcomes" and that "all decisions remain with the administrator" (About Proctorio). Live proctors can be added when the institution enables them.

Privacy and retention. Proctorio's privacy notice describes zero-knowledge encryption for audio, video, screen recordings and images, with "only the Institution" holding the decryption keys. The institution is the data controller, sets retention, and decides who can view recordings; Proctorio says it does not sell test-taker data.

Support. Chat from the extension's shield icon or chat.proctorio.com, or email [email protected].

LMS. Proctorio says it integrates natively with Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Brightspace and Open LMS. Our full breakdown is in What does Proctorio record?.

Respondus: LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor

Respondus is really two products, and students often mix them up.

LockDown Browser is "a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within a learning management system". According to the Respondus student quick start guide, it prevents you from printing, copying, going to another URL or accessing other applications during a test, and once a test has started you cannot exit until it is submitted. You log in to your course with a normal browser, open the test, and are prompted to download and launch LockDown Browser the first time. On its own, LockDown Browser restricts; it does not use your webcam.

Respondus Monitor is the webcam add-on. The Monitor page calls it "a fully automated proctoring solution": students "use a webcam to record themselves during an online exam", and flagged events and results are then available to the instructor. The quick start guide adds that some tests also require your screen to be recorded, and that the startup sequence (webcam check, then steps your instructor chose) varies by exam. Respondus's additional privacy information for Monitor lists webcam videos, screen recordings, audio and photos among the data processed.

Who watches. Respondus's Data Privacy Overview is unusually direct. In its "What we don't do" list: Respondus does not watch students live, does not "drop in" during an exam, does not review videos after the exam, and does not sell or share data. "Only instructors see the proctoring results", accessed through the LMS. The additional privacy page says Respondus staff review recordings only as needed to resolve technical problems or legal requests.

Privacy and retention. Respondus acts as a data processor; the institution owns the data and chooses its own retention policy for results and videos. Real policies vary widely. Grand Valley State University, for example, publishes that Monitor recordings are kept for five years before Respondus erases them, and that only instructors enrolled in the course can play them back.

Support. In the startup sequence, the "It's not working" link gives troubleshooting tips and 24/7 live chat; Respondus also tells students to contact their instructor or campus help desk for problems installing or running a test.

LMS. LockDown Browser integrates with Blackboard, Brightspace, Canvas, Moodle, Sakai and Schoology, and Monitor also works with publisher platforms such as Pearson MyLab and Mastering, McGraw Hill ALEKS and Cengage WebAssign and MindTap. See Does LockDown Browser record you? and Respondus Monitor explained.

Live vs automated: what it means for you

The biggest practical difference is timing. With Honorlock, a serious flag can lead a proctor to open a 1:1 chat with you during the exam, so an issue can be resolved while you are still testing. With Proctorio and Respondus Monitor, no one usually talks to you during the exam. Flags are reviewed later, possibly days later, by your instructor, and any question comes by email.

In all three cases, software flags are signals, not verdicts. Each vendor says the decision belongs to the institution, and a formal allegation goes through your school's academic integrity process, where you have the right to see the evidence and respond.

What none of them changes: your LMS records

Proctoring runs on top of the LMS, which keeps its own logs. In Canvas, the quiz log records when the quiz page loses and regains focus, and the course Access Report records which pages you opened. Those exist whether or not a proctoring tool is used; see What professors see in Canvas quiz logs, What Canvas can detect and Can professors see your Chrome extensions?.

Common problems and who to contact

Accommodations and privacy concerns

If you need extra time, breaks, assistive technology, or cannot be on camera for a medical or religious reason, contact your disability services office before the exam. Honorlock's live proctors are told to account for approved accommodations, and instructors using Proctorio or Respondus can adjust settings for an exam when they know about your needs in advance. If you have no private space or no working webcam, ask your instructor about an on-campus testing centre or an alternative assessment. And if you are uncomfortable with a recording, read your institution's privacy notice: all three vendors say your school, not the vendor, controls the data.

Practical checklist, whichever tool you get

• Find out which tool the exam uses and whether there is a practice quiz.
• Install the extension or LockDown Browser a day early, not ten minutes before.
• Use a laptop or desktop with a webcam, a supported browser and a stable connection.
• Read the pre-exam screen: it tells you what is recorded for that exam.
• Clear your desk, unplug extra monitors, and tell housemates you are being recorded.
• Keep your instructor's email and the vendor's support chat at hand.

Sources

• Honorlock: Faculty & Student FAQ
• Honorlock: Test Taker Privacy Statement
• Honorlock: Live Pop-In
• Honorlock: Institutions (LMS integrations)
• Proctorio: Privacy notice
• Proctorio Help Center: FAQ
• Proctorio Help Center: About Proctorio
• Proctorio: System requirements
• Proctorio: Integrations
• Respondus: LockDown Browser
• Respondus: Respondus Monitor
• Respondus: Student Quick Start Guide (PDF)
• Respondus: Additional privacy information, Respondus Monitor
• Respondus Monitor: Data Privacy Overview (PDF)
• Oregon State University Ecampus: Proctorio Recommended Settings (PDF)
• Grand Valley State University: Respondus student privacy and security

FAQ

Which is more strict: Honorlock, Proctorio or Respondus?

It depends on the settings your instructor picks, not the brand. The real difference is review: Honorlock can involve a live proctor during the exam, while Proctorio (by default) and Respondus Monitor are reviewed afterwards by your instructor.

Do Honorlock, Proctorio and Respondus record your screen?

All three can. Honorlock captures desktop activity, Proctorio has a Record Screen option, and Respondus can require screen recording with LockDown Browser. Check the pre-exam screen for what is enabled on your exam.

Does a real person watch me during the exam?

With Honorlock, a proctor reviews AI flags in real time and may message you. With Proctorio, only if your school added live proctoring. With Respondus Monitor, no: Respondus says it does not watch students live.

Who can see my proctoring recordings?

Your institution decides. Typically your instructor and designated staff; Honorlock's certified proctors can also review sessions. Proctorio says its recordings are encrypted with keys only your institution holds, and Respondus says it does not review videos.

How long are proctoring recordings kept?

Honorlock's standard is 365 days. Proctorio and Respondus leave it to the school, and policies range from days to years (Grand Valley State publishes five years for Respondus Monitor). Ask your institution.

Can I choose which proctoring tool to use?

Usually not. The tool is licensed by your school and enabled per exam. If you cannot meet its requirements, ask your instructor or disability services about an alternative before the exam date.