Hāpara Filter vs Smoothwall Filter
Compare two web filters that use artificial intelligence to protect students while learning online.
Overview
There are several web filter options for school districts to consider. Hāpara and Smoothwall both offer web filters that use real-time artificial intelligence (AI) to keep students safe. Their set-up and AI capabilities, though, work differently.
This page will compare Hāpara Filter and Smoothwall Filter to help you decide which tool best fits your school district’s needs.
What does Hāpara do as a Smoothwall alternative?
Hāpara offers a complete suite of K-12 digital tools that make teaching and learning on Chromebooks more effective and efficient.
What does Smoothwall do?
Smoothwall is a school online safety company that offers tools such as web filtering, firewall protection and online risk detection.
An overview of Hāpara Filter
Hāpara Filter is a Smoothwall alternative and K-12 web filter that uses real-time AI. It understands context across student online activity. The web filter blocks content but also intelligently blurs or mutes inappropriate content on a page.
An overview of Smoothwall Filter
Smoothwall Filter is a K-12 web filter that uses real-time AI, too. It works by setting up lists of allowed and blocked websites. The web filter also analyzes the content, construction and context of a page to find harmful content that may not be on the blocked list.
How they compare
Features
Hāpara Filter
Smoothwall Filter
Devices
Hāpara Filter works across devices at school or at home when students are logged into any device or logged in to their school Google accounts.
Smoothwall Filter is available in cloud, on-site and hybrid deployment options. It works on Chrome OS, Windows, macOS and iOS devices.
Technology administrator management
Technology administrators are able to set up Hāpara Filter within a few minutes. The web filter then immediately starts protecting students.
Technology administrators need to set up policies in Smoothwall Filter for allowed and blocked sites, user groups, time, location, etc.
Teacher management
With Hāpara Filter, teachers can approve websites in-the-moment when needed for learning. Teachers don’t need to ask technology administrators to approve the sites.
There is not a teacher management option in Smoothwall Filter.
YouTube
Hāpara Filter can intelligently blur parts of videos or text and mute audio that is inappropriate or harmful. School districts don’t need to block YouTube or set up policies, and students can safely use YouTube for learning.
Technology administrators can set up a YouTube policy to block certain categories or parts of the page like comments.
Video, audio, images and text
Hāpara Filter’s real-time AI intelligently analyzes content. Because it understands context, it can blur the parts of videos, images and text that are inappropriate or harmful. That means students can visit websites and pages that are otherwise helpful for learning.
Hāpara Filter also works to blur images and text during class sessions on Zoom or Google Meet.
Smoothwall Filter does not blur video, images or text. It also does not mute sections of audio.
Google games and games on Google Sites
Hāpara Filter blocks Google games and games on Google Sites. Most web filters don’t recognize them as games, but Hāpara Filter is able to intelligently read content like humans do.
Smoothwall Filter does not automatically block Google games and games on Google Sites.
Ads and tracking
Hāpara Filter anonymizes student searches on Google and also blocks tracking and ads.
Smoothwall Filter does not anonymize Google searches or block ads and tracking.
Mental health detection
Hāpara offers an additional Wellness Module that detects signs of bullying or self-harm and sends authorized staff alerts.
Smoothwall offers a separate product called Smoothwall Signal. It detects student online risks and sends staff alerts.
How they compare
Hāpara Filter
Devices
Hāpara Filter works across devices at school or at home when students are logged into any device or logged in to their school Google accounts.
Technology administrator management
Technology administrators are able to set up Hāpara Filter within a few minutes. The web filter then immediately starts protecting students.
Teacher management
With Hāpara Filter, teachers can approve websites in-the-moment when needed for learning. Teachers don’t need to ask technology administrators to approve the sites.
YouTube
Hāpara Filter can intelligently blur parts of videos or text and mute audio that is inappropriate or harmful. School districts don’t need to block YouTube or set up policies, and students can safely use YouTube for learning.
Hāpara Filter also works to blur images and text during class sessions on Zoom or Google Meet.
Video, audio, images and text
Hāpara Filter’s real-time AI intelligently analyzes content. Because it understands context, it can blur the parts of videos, images and text that are inappropriate or harmful. That means students can visit websites and pages that are otherwise helpful for learning.
Hāpara Filter also works to blur images and text during class sessions on Zoom or Google Meet.
Google games and games on Google Sites
Hāpara Filter blocks Google games and games on Google Sites. Most web filters don’t recognize them as games, but Hāpara Filter is able to intelligently read content like humans do.
Ads and tracking
Hāpara Filter anonymizes student searches on Google and also blocks tracking and ads.
Mental health detection
Hāpara offers an additional Wellness Module that detects signs of bullying or self-harm and sends authorized staff alerts.
Smoothwall Filter
Devices
Smoothwall Filter is available in cloud, on-site and hybrid deployment options. It works on Chrome OS, Windows, macOS and iOS devices.
Technology administrator management
Technology administrators need to set up policies in Smoothwall Filter for allowed and blocked sites, user groups, time, location, etc.
Teacher management
There is not a teacher management option in Smoothwall Filter.
YouTube
Technology administrators can set up a YouTube policy to block certain categories or parts of the page like comments.
Video, audio, images and text
Smoothwall Filter does not blur video, images or text. It also does not mute sections of audio.
Google games and games on Google Sites
Smoothwall Filter does not automatically block Google games and games on Google Sites.
Ads and tracking
Smoothwall Filter does not anonymize Google searches or block ads and tracking.
Mental health detection
Smoothwall offers a separate product called Smoothwall Signal. It detects student online risks and sends staff alerts.