Read an updated version of this post here!
One of my most popular posts is my comparison of Kahoot, Quizizz, and Pear Deck, and the different options and capabilities of each of these systems.
It’s time for an update. In another post, I plan to cover PearDeck, NearPod, and GoFormative, which are have student-response capabilities but other robust programs, too. However, I’ve also added new-ish systems on the market, Quizalize and Riddle, as well as one of the veterans on the block, Socrative.
I’ve used all five of these apps in my teaching, some more than others, but I don’t feel there’s a clear winner in this pack. Choosing the best system depends on your purposes, your students & classroom culture, and your expected outcomes.
First, a quick overview of each system:
Kahoot. Perhaps the best-known of all five, Kahoot’s robust library of quizzes can’t be beat. Its fast pace and constantly updating leaderboard encourages hefty competition–and perhaps a bit of trash talking! Unfortunately, students can also be so obsessed with answering quickly (since you can’t turn off the clock) that they don’t think before they answer.
Quizizz. Students work through questions at their own pace and still see a leaderboard at the end, providing the gamification piece many teachers are looking for. Unlike Kahoot, Quizizz allows teachers to turn off the timer and the leaderboard to encourage students to slow down. In its recent update, Quizizz also allows teachers to assign a quiz as homework, which is a welcome addition to quest-based and student-centered classrooms.
Quizalize. The new kid on the scene, Quizalize is quickly growing in popularity. In fact, I recommended it the other day to a teacher who was looking for a system that allowed for longer questions and answers (Kahoot and Quizizz are more limited in question length). The next day, my friend emailed back about how much she was loving Quizalize already. And she’s not the only one. My students tried it a couple weeks ago with an ACT practice test, and they commented that they really enjoyed getting feedback on missed questions so they better understood how they missed them.
Socrative. Socrative has been around a few years, and with good reason: it’s a solid go-to for online quizzes. It allows for longer questions, personalized feedback, and also allows students to skip questions and come back to them later. No leaderboard here, but Socrative provides a “SpaceRace” game, where correct answers propel each student’s rocket forward.
Riddle. This is the one system that wasn’t made with education in mind, but I use it several times a week to get a pulse on my students. The free version doesn’t allow me view individual answers, which is fine, because I use it for viewing the class results as a whole and going over the answers. It also has personalized feedback (if you choose), and without a leaderboard, the students aren’t competing against each other; in fact, I give “gold points” to the class if the majority gets a question right.
Below is a matrix that compares the systems more in depth.
*Kahoot suggests that questions be changed to zero points if you do not wish to make the quiz competitive