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Kahoot alternatives for teachers: 8 tools compared, and when to use each

Kahoot! is hard to beat for energy: the whole class playing one live game. Teachers look for an alternative when they want students to go at their own pace, a check that doesn't reward the fastest click, a lesson without devices, or written answers they can actually grade. Here are eight options, what each does better, and when to pick it.

Updated October 2026

Mentora makes one of the tools on this page, and says so where it appears. Features and plans change often; check each tool's own site for what is current.

Why teachers look for a Kahoot! alternative

  • Speed wins points. Kahoot!'s scoring rewards fast answers, so the quickest guesser can top the leaderboard while a careful thinker finishes mid-table.
  • Everyone has to play at once. A live game needs the whole class together and a shared screen. Absent students, homework and different paces are harder to fit in.
  • You see answers, not reasoning. Most questions are multiple choice or true/false, so you learn who picked what, not why.
  • The leaderboard isn't a plan. It tells you who won, not who is lost or which idea the class got wrong, which is what you need for tomorrow's lesson.
  • The novelty wears off. After enough rounds of the same game, students want a new format.

What to look for in an alternative

  • Live or self-paced: does the whole class answer together, or can students go at their own pace and finish at home?
  • Question types: multiple choice only, or written answers too? Written answers show reasoning; multiple choice is faster to score.
  • Devices: does every student need one?
  • What you get back: a leaderboard, or per-student results you can act on tomorrow?
  • Game or no game: games are great for review and energy; for checking understanding, the game can get in the way.

At a glance

ToolQuestionsGameStudent devices
Kahoot!Mostly multiple choice and true/falseYesYes
Wayground (formerly Quizizz)Several types; strongest on multiple choiceYesYes
BlooketMultiple choiceYesYes
GimkitMostly multiple choiceYesYes
QuizletTerm and definition practiceNoYes
MentimeterPolls, word clouds, open textNoYes
PlickersMultiple choice and true/falseNoNo
Google FormsAny; only multiple choice is scored for youNoYes
Mentora (ours)Multiple choice and written answers, graded against your rubricNoYes

The 8 alternatives

1. Wayground (formerly Quizizz)

Best for: Quizzes students take at their own pace, in class or as homework, with game elements, a large library of ready-made questions, and reports by question.

Watch out for: Like most quiz tools, strongest on multiple choice and quick-response questions.

Pick it if you like quiz games but want students to go at their own pace, or to assign the quiz as homework.

2. Blooket

Best for: Review games where answering questions powers the game itself, with many game modes to keep it fresh.

Watch out for: The game can upstage the content: great for practice and review, less so for finding out what each student understands.

Pick it if your class is tired of the same quiz game and you want new formats for review.

3. Gimkit

Best for: A game show where students earn in-game money for correct answers and spend it on upgrades, played live or assigned.

Watch out for: Strategy can matter as much as knowledge, so the leaderboard says little about understanding.

Pick it if you want a game that keeps students answering for longer, not just racing to one fast answer.

4. Quizlet

Best for: Flashcards and study sets for terms and facts, with a team game for class.

Watch out for: Built for memorizing and recall, not for checking reasoning.

Pick it if the goal is vocabulary or facts students need to memorize.

5. Mentimeter

Best for: Taking the pulse of a room: live polls, word clouds and open questions, shown to everyone as they come in.

Watch out for: Built for presentations as much as classrooms, and responses are usually anonymous, so you see the class but not which student needs help.

Pick it if you want quick, anonymous opinions or a discussion starter more than a score.

6. Plickers

Best for: Classrooms without student devices. Students hold up printed cards and you scan the room with your phone.

Watch out for: Multiple-choice and true/false questions only.

Pick it if your students don't have devices, or you want a check with no screens at all.

7. Google Forms

Best for: Free, flexible quizzes and exit tickets. Multiple-choice answers can be scored automatically, and responses land in Google Sheets.

Watch out for: Written answers still have to be read and marked by you.

Pick it if you want a free, no-frills quiz that works with the rest of Google Workspace.

8. Mentora (ours)

Best for: Real tests and checks with written answers. Each answer is graded against your criteria as students turn it in, grades the AI is unsure about wait for you, and a debrief shows what the class understood, which wrong answers came up and who needs help.

Watch out for: Not a live game or a quick poll: it is built for assessments with written answers. It is opening in small batches through a waitlist.

Pick it if you need a real test or check with written answers, graded for you, and a clear picture of what to reteach.

Where Kahoot! is still better

If what you want is a burst of energy and the whole class reviewing together on one screen, Kahoot! is still one of the best at it. Keep it for that, and use the tools below for the jobs it isn't built for.

Which one to pick

When you need a real test, not another game

Mentora is the AI grader for teachers that tells you what to reteach. Create an exam with AI, give it to your class, and every answer is graded against your rubric, written answers included. Then the debrief shows what the class understood, who needs help, and what to teach next. We're opening spots in small batches.

Early access, in small batches. One email when your spot is ready; nothing else.

See how Mentora works

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Kahoot?

It depends on why you're switching. Wayground (formerly Quizizz) is the closest for self-paced quiz games, Blooket and Gimkit for new game formats, Plickers for classes without devices, and Mentora for real tests with written answers graded against your rubric.

Are there free Kahoot alternatives?

Yes. Google Forms is free, and most of the tools on this page offer a free plan with some limits. Check each tool's site for what is included today.

What is like Kahoot but self-paced?

Wayground (formerly Quizizz) is built around self-paced quizzes, and Gimkit and Blooket can also be assigned for students to play on their own time.

Is there a Kahoot alternative that grades written answers?

Mentora does: students answer on any device, each written answer is graded against your criteria, uncertain grades wait for your review, and you get a debrief of what the class understood. It is opening in small batches through a waitlist.

What is the difference between Kahoot and Quizizz (Wayground)?

Kahoot! is built around a live game everyone plays together on a shared screen. Wayground, formerly Quizizz, leans toward self-paced quizzes students take on their own devices, in class or as homework.

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