Hallwise vs SmartPass vs e‑hallpass
A straightforward comparison — price, setup, and what actually matters to teachers
Factual comparison. Last updated May 2026. How we think about student data →
If your school's biggest need is a simple, affordable hall pass that teachers will actually use — and you're already in the Google Classroom ecosystem — Hallwise is built for you.
What a typical school actually pays
Based on a school of 600 students
Hallwise
SmartPass
e‑hallpass
Hallwise saves a typical school $1,100 – $2,600 per year.
SmartPass and e-hallpass pricing based on publicly documented per-student rates, including a 2025 Frederick County, MD procurement awarding SmartPass at $3.15/student. e-hallpass is now part of Securly (Eduspire acquisition); published e-hallpass and Securly Pass rates run $3–$7/student.
At $599 flat, no per-student calculations. No surprise invoices when enrollment changes. No integration fees, no special kiosk hardware — any Chromebook works.
How they compare on what matters most
| Hallwise | SmartPass | e‑hallpass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (600-student school) | $599/yr flat | $1,500–$3,000/yr | $1,800–$3,000/yr + $1,000 setup |
| Product scope | Hall pass only | One module of Raptor safety platform | One module of Securly safety stack |
| Free trial | 60 days, full features | Limited | Limited |
| Setup time | Under 5 minutes | Requires onboarding call | Requires setup |
| IT department needed | No | Yes (recommended) | Yes (recommended) |
| Student login required | No | Yes | Yes |
| Works on shared Chromebook (kiosk) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Classroom roster sync | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live admin dashboard | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Student pair / meetup restrictions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Emergency lockdown mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pass limits per class | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Frequent flyer reporting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CSV data export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| FERPA compliant | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Flat fee — any school size | Per student | Per student |
| Mobile app | No (web-based) | Yes | Yes |
| SIS integrations (PowerSchool, Clever) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Flex period / activity scheduling | No | Yes (SmartPass Flex) | Yes (FlexTime Manager add-on) |
| Dedicated customer success manager | No | Yes (paid tiers) | Yes |
Competitor information based on publicly available sources and product documentation. Last reviewed May 2026. Verify directly with each vendor for your school's specific pricing. For more on Hallwise's privacy approach, see how we think about student data.
The only metric that matters: do teachers use it?
Hallwise is designed around the reality that the best tool is the one teachers actually open every day.
No training required
Most tools fail because teachers revert to paper after a week. Hallwise has no student logins, no app installs, and no new workflows. Teachers sign in with Google — the same account they use all day. Students tap their name on a Chromebook by the door. That's it.
Students sign themselves out
The single biggest time-saver teachers report: they don't have to stop teaching to issue a pass. Students request their own pass from the kiosk or their device. The teacher sees it on their dashboard. No interruption.
Up and running in 5 minutes
No IT ticket, no CSV upload, no onboarding call. Sign in with your school Google account on a Monday morning and your classes are already synced from Google Classroom. We've had teachers set it up during a planning period.
Is Hallwise the right fit?
This is a great fit if:
- ✓You're a solo teacher who wants a free pass system — no budget approval needed
- ✓Your school uses Google Classroom
- ✓You want teachers up and running without training
- ✓Your budget is under $400/year
- ✓You want to trial it for 60 days before any commitment
- ✓Any school size — the price is the same regardless of enrollment
- ✓A principal or AP is making the decision, not district IT
This may not be the right fit if:
- —You need PowerSchool or Clever integration
- —You want flex period scheduling built in
- —You need a dedicated iOS or Android app for staff
Try it free — no payment required, no IT department
Sign in with your school Google account. Your classes sync from Google Classroom automatically. You'll have your first pass running in under 5 minutes.
Start free 60-day trial →No payment required · $599/year per school · Free Solo plan
“Paper passes don't tell you anything useful. The same student going every single period. Two kids from different classes timing their passes to meet up. Someone out for 20 minutes while you're mid-lesson. The timer alone changed how students thought about it in my classroom — they know you can see exactly how long. I just wanted something that surfaced all of that without adding more work. Four minutes to set up and it runs itself. That's still the bar.”
Peter Mant — Founder, Hallwise
10 years teaching middle school math