There are three main models of online proctoring. Automated proctoring uses AI to monitor and flag sessions. Live proctoring has a person watching in real time, usually one-proctor-to-many-candidates. Record-and-review has a person review the recording afterward. Automated is the most affordable and flexible. Live gives the most real-time control. Most institutions get the best results by matching the model to the stakes of each exam, not by picking one model for everything.
What is automated proctoring?
Automated proctoring records the student's webcam, microphone and screen, and AI flags unusual events. The instructor reviews the flags afterward. Students typically test on demand with no appointment.
Best for: Quizzes, unit tests, midterms and finals in large or asynchronous online courses.
What is live online proctoring?
A trained, vetted, and background checked proctor watches the student over webcam during the exam. The proctor can step in, pause the exam, or end it. Sessions usually must be scheduled, and one proctor can watch only a few students at a time effectively.
Best for: Higher-stakes exams where real-time intervention is required.
What is record-and-review proctoring?
The session is recorded, and a human reviewer watches the recording, or the flagged parts of it, after the exam. Some vendors combine this with AI flagging, a model often called human-assisted proctoring.
Best for: Higher-stakes exams that need human judgment but not real-time intervention.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Automated | Record-and-review (human-assisted) | Live |
| Scheduling | On demand, 24/7 | On demand, 24/7 | Booked appointment |
| Human involvement | Instructor reviews flags | Trained reviewer checks recording | Proctor watches in real time |
| Real-time intervention | No | No | Yes |
| Scalability | Very high | High | Limited by proctor staff |
| Relative cost per exam | Lowest | Moderate | Highest |
| Student experience | Flexible, private | Flexible, private | Less flexible; some students find it stressful |
How to choose the right model for each exam
Ask the following questions:
1. What happens if someone cheats? A low-stakes quiz and a licensure exam carry very different risks.
2. How many students test at once? Live proctoring gets expensive and hard to schedule at scale.
3. Where and when do students test? Working adults and students across time zones need on-demand options.
4. Who reviews the results? If instructors don't have time to review flags, a human-assisted option shifts that work to trained reviewers.
A common setup: automated proctoring for routine assessments, and human-assisted proctoring for finals, placement exams and certification tests.
Does AI-only proctoring replace human judgment?
No, and it shouldn't. AI is good at spotting events, such as a second face, a new tab or a voice in the room. It does not know whether a moment was innocent. Responsible proctoring always leaves the final decision to a person, whether that is the instructor or a trained reviewer.
How ProctorFree covers each model
ProctorFree offers Fully Automated Proctoring for flexible, low-cost monitoring and Human-Assisted Proctoring when exams need a trained reviewer. Both are on demand, with no scheduling, and both run inside the LMS your faculty already use. And based on high-demand, ProctorFree is also considering offering a live proctoring option for select clients in 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Question: Which type of online proctoring is most secure?
Answer: Live proctoring offers real-time intervention. Human-assisted record-and-review offers similar security for most exams at lower cost and with more flexibility.
Question: What is the cheapest type of online proctoring?
Answer:Fully automated proctoring has the lowest cost per exam because no proctor or reviewer is paid per session.
Question: Can I use different proctoring types in the same course?
Answer:Yes. Many institutions use automated proctoring for quizzes and human-assisted proctoring for the final exam.
Question: Do students prefer automated or live proctoring?
Answer: Many students prefer on-demand options because they can test when they are ready, without a stranger watching live.
Not sure which model fits your program? Click below and schedule a cal with a friendly member of the ProctorFree team.