Proctorio vs MonitorExam: Honest Comparison for 2026

Updated May 2026 · 7 min read · MonitorExam

⚡ Quick Answer
Proctorio is a powerful enterprise proctoring platform used by 4,000+ institutions — but it requires a Chrome browser extension, locks you into Canvas/LMS integration, has no free tier, and doesn't work with Google Forms. MonitorExam offers the same core security layer — browser lockdown, AI monitoring, identity verification — with no extension required, a free tier, Google Forms compatibility, and a 5-minute setup. For large universities with IT teams, Proctorio is proven. For everyone else, MonitorExam is the better fit.

If you're evaluating online proctoring tools, Proctorio is almost certainly on your shortlist. It's the most widely recognised name in the space — used by over 4,000 higher education, K-12, corporate, and federal institutions worldwide, having proctored over 80 million exams since 2013.

But being the most recognised doesn't mean it's the right fit for your institution.

This is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison — written by the MonitorExam team, but based on publicly available reviews, documentation, and user feedback from G2, Capterra, and Gartner.

Who Is Proctorio For?

Proctorio is a software designed to facilitate secure online assessments using machine learning and facial recognition technologies to monitor test takers during remote exams.

It was built primarily for large universities with:

• Existing Canvas or Blackboard LMS infrastructure
• Dedicated IT teams to manage deployment and support
• High exam volumes (tens of thousands of students)
• Budget for enterprise contracts

Proctorio currently serves 4 million active weekly users and maintains 99.991% uptime. For large institutions, that scale and reliability is genuinely impressive.

Who Is MonitorExam For?

MonitorExam was built for institutions and educators who need the same security standard — without the enterprise overhead.

It's designed for:

• Universities, colleges, and schools without dedicated IT teams
• Individual teachers running Google Forms exams
• EdTech platforms embedding proctoring via API
• Corporate HR teams running remote assessments
• Institutions in low-bandwidth environments (India, Southeast Asia, Africa)
• Any organisation that needs a proctored exam running in under 5 minutes

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Where Proctorio Is Stronger

Being honest here — there are areas where Proctorio has a genuine advantage:

1. Scale and track record
Proctorio serves over 4,000 institutions and has proctored more than 30 million exams in 2021 alone. That's an enormous track record. For institutions that need enterprise SLA guarantees and proven scale, Proctorio has years of data behind it.

2. Deep LMS integration
Proctorio's browser extension integrates seamlessly with most learning management systems including Blackboard, Canvas, Questionmark, Top Hat and more. If your institution runs Canvas and doesn't want to change workflows, Proctorio plugs in natively.

3. Institutional trust
Columbia University, one of the Ivy League schools we covered in our previous post, standardised on Proctorio. For institutions where peer validation matters in procurement decisions, Proctorio carries weight.

Where MonitorExam Is Stronger

1. No browser extension — works on any device
Proctorio requires a Chrome browser extension. This creates friction: students on Firefox, Safari, or Edge cannot use it. Students on managed school devices that restrict extension installation face technical barriers.

MonitorExam requires no installation — students open a link and go. This matters enormously in contexts where students use personal devices, older hardware, or non-Chrome browsers.

2. Google Forms compatibility
This is the biggest practical differentiator for most teachers. Millions of educators run exams on Google Forms. Proctorio doesn't integrate with Google Forms — it only works within LMS platforms.

MonitorExam was specifically built to add a proctoring layer to any Google Forms link. Teachers paste their form URL into MonitorExam and students go through identity verification and browser lockdown before accessing the form.

3. Camera-optional proctoring
Proctorio offers browser lockdown, video and audio monitoring, and behaviour analysis — but all of these require an active webcam. Students without webcams, in shared spaces, or in privacy-sensitive environments cannot use Proctorio effectively.

MonitorExam's camera-optional mode uses browser behaviour, timing analysis, and session logs to flag suspicious activity without requiring a webcam feed — making it accessible in low-bandwidth and low-hardware environments.

4. FIDO passkey authentication
MonitorExam built FIDO2/WebAuthn passkey authentication into the platform — the same standard used by Google, Apple, and Microsoft. This means identity is verified via device biometric before the exam begins — not just a photo ID scan.

Proctorio uses facial recognition for identity verification, which has been the subject of accuracy concerns — particularly for students of colour. FIDO passkeys are device-bound and biometrically verified, with no facial recognition accuracy issues.

5. Free tier and transparent access
Proctorio pricing is available on request only — no public rates, no free tier. MonitorExam offers a free tier for small-scale use, with volume pricing for larger deployments. Teachers can start using it today without a sales call.

What Real Users Say About Proctorio

Based on publicly available reviews from G2, Capterra, and Gartner:

What users like:

• "We continue to utilize Proctorio as an affordable option that our faculty and students have been satisfied with."
• Easy to use once set up, integrates cleanly with Canvas
• 24/7 support, consistent uptime

What users don't like:

• "The system often alarms to normal movement or noise, which is a nuisance to students and adds stress."
• "Too many false positives negatively affect the program."
• Students get frustrated with ID scanning and initial setup; customer service for student-facing issues has been inconsistent.
• Chrome extension dependency causes technical failures for some students

Privacy: A Key Differentiator

Privacy concerns have followed Proctorio since 2020. Students at multiple universities have raised concerns about the volume of data collected — keystrokes, eye movement, room scans, browser history.

Research found that students were concerned about both the amount and the personal nature of information shared with exam proctoring companies — though many recognised a trade-off between pandemic safety and the invasive nature of proctoring.

MonitorExam's privacy-first architecture takes a different approach:

• Biometric data is stored locally on the device — never transmitted or centralised
• FIDO passkeys cannot be phished or shared
• Camera-optional mode reduces data collection significantly
• GDPR and SOC 2 compliant

Pricing Comparison

Proctorio pricing is institution-negotiated and not publicly listed. Based on aggregated review data, institutions report it as "affordable" relative to live human proctoring — but the lack of a free tier or public pricing creates friction for smaller institutions evaluating it.

Which Should You Choose?

Migrating From Proctorio to MonitorExam

If you're currently using Proctorio and considering a switch, here's how the migration works:

1. Export your existing exam content from your LMS — questions, rubrics, answer keys
2. Create your MonitorExam account at monitorexam.com — free to start
3. Create a new exam — upload your question set directly
4. Configure proctoring settings — choose security level, camera requirements, identity verification
5. Run a pilot with a small group before full deployment
6. **Share the MonitorExam exam credentials ** with students — they need no installation

Most institutions complete a pilot within one week and full migration within one exam cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MonitorExam a Proctorio alternative?
Yes — MonitorExam offers the core security features of Proctorio (browser lockdown, AI monitoring, identity verification, integrity reports) without the Chrome extension requirement, with Google Forms compatibility, a free tier, and a 5-minute setup.

Does Proctorio work with Google Forms?
No — Proctorio only integrates with LMS platforms like Canvas, Blackboard, and Moodle. It does not support Google Forms directly. MonitorExam was specifically built to add proctoring to any Google Forms exam.

Is Proctorio free?
No — Proctorio has no free tier and does not publicly list pricing. Institutions must contact the sales team for a quote. MonitorExam offers a free tier for up to 50 exams per month.

Does MonitorExam work without a webcam?
Yes — MonitorExam's camera-optional mode uses browser lockdown, behavioural analytics, and session logs to proctor exams without requiring a webcam. Proctorio requires a webcam for all monitoring features.

Can I switch from Proctorio to MonitorExam mid-year?
Yes — MonitorExam can be set up independently of your existing LMS. You can run it alongside Proctorio for a transition period, or switch fully at the start of a new exam cycle.

Does MonitorExam integrate with Canvas?
MonitorExam works with any exam platform — including Google Forms, Canvas, Moodle, and custom platforms — via direct link or API integration. White-label options are available for EdTech platforms.Please contact us for similar Questions Book a Demo for Your Institution

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