With Screencastify Submit, a teacher shares an assignment link, students record a response, and the teacher reviews it. That covers a speaking check, a presentation, or a short explanation submitted for feedback.
If you also want students to watch each other's explanations and reply, look at how a tool handles that conversation. Vivipod keeps responses in a class Space, grouped by Topic, with comments and notifications for follow-up.
For more Flip replacements, see Flipgrid alternatives. If your question is about recording controls, see best recorder for education, which compares Screencastify Record, not Submit.
Table of Contents
Choose for the assignment
| Your main job | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Private video turn-ins that only the teacher reviews | Stay with Screencastify Submit or use an LMS video assignment |
| A one-time performance, presentation, or speaking check | Submit is usually enough |
| Recurring prompts where students watch and reply to each other | Try Vivipod |
| Explanations that need drawing, screen, and camera in one take | Try Vivipod's recorder with the assignment |
| Comments anchored to a slide deck or document | See Vivipod vs VoiceThread |
What Screencastify Submit does well
Submit makes sense when:
- the assignment asks students to record and turn in a response
- only the teacher needs to review the recording
- students already use Google accounts and Google Classroom
- you need a shared link that works without teaching students a new platform
Screencastify's own materials describe Submit around assignment links, screen-or-webcam recording, and teacher control over whether classmates can see submissions.
What to check if you need discussion
Pay attention to replies, recording controls, submission limits, and how assignments are organized. Check current details on Screencastify's site before you commit a term to the tool.
- Replies and feedback. Submit lets teachers allow classmates to view submissions. Check whether your setup also supports the peer replies, mentions, and timestamped feedback the activity needs.
- Recording controls. The Submit recorder shown above has record and stop controls. If students need to pause, draw while speaking, or switch between screen and camera during a take, test those actions before assigning the task.
- Per-topic caps on free and lower tiers. Free and Starter plans have allowed up to 35 submissions per topic, which is fine for a section and tight for a large lecture course.
- Course organization. Each Submit assignment has its own link. Decide where students will find the current assignment and revisit earlier work.
Compare the student tasks
Work through the steps students will need for your assignment:
| Criterion | Why it matters | Screencastify Submit | Vivipod |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prompt unit | Students need one clear question | Assignment link | Topic inside a course Space |
| Peer visibility | Students need to know who will see their work | Optional, teacher-controlled | Posts can require approval before classmates see them |
| Replies | Students need a way to ask and answer questions | Test the peer feedback options you need | Comments on video posts, @mentions, timestamped feedback |
| Recorder | Some explanations need drawing or screen sharing | Record and stop | Pause and resume, draw while recording, screen + camera, switch mid-record |
| Notifications | Students need to find feedback after submitting | Check notifications for the assignment | Email notifications for comments and mentions |
| Student access | Try the sign-in and recording steps on school devices | Google sign-in; no extension for Submit | Email code or Google; no extension; works on Chromebooks and phones |
| Privacy | Check school requirements | Review Screencastify's policies | No ads, no selling student data, DPA coverage by region |
| Cost to start | Check what a pilot will cost | Free tier with caps | Free plan: 3 Spaces, unlimited Topics, 90-second recordings |
Set up a class discussion in Vivipod
A Vivipod activity has four parts:
- Space for the class, section, or cohort
- Topic for each prompt, with its own moderation setting
- Post for the student's response, recorded in the browser with drawing, pause, and screen-plus-camera
- Comment for peer and instructor replies, including
@mentionsand feedback tied to a timestamp
Choose who can enter the Space and when they can see Posts:
- Visible after review keeps every Post pending until you approve it. You see responses first; the class sees them when you say so.
- Private Spaces require membership approval before someone can view the content. Approved members can see published Posts.
Start with how to create a Topic and how to moderate posts.
Reasons to keep Screencastify Submit
- only the teacher needs to see and assess responses
- the activity is an occasional speaking check, presentation, or fluency read
- the class already uses Google Classroom and Drive for assignments
If private submission and teacher review cover the assignment, Submit or your LMS may already do everything you need.
Reasons to try Vivipod
- students should watch and respond to each other's explanations
- you run video prompts regularly and want them in one course Space
- feedback needs to point to a specific moment in a video
- explanations need drawing or screen sharing alongside the camera
- your current plan's limits do not cover the activity
Move an assignment into a Vivipod Topic
- Create a Space for the course and choose Open or Private. (Tutorial)
- Turn the assignment into a Topic. Paste the prompt, set a time limit that matches your rubric, and pick visible after review if you want to see responses before the class does.
- Share the link in your LMS or embed the Space in Canvas. (Share a Space)
- Ask students to reply. Have each student leave a question, counterexample, or connection on a classmate's Post. Give the author time to answer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vivipod a Screencastify Submit alternative?
For video discussion, yes. For private, teacher-only video turn-ins, a submission tool may cover the assignment already.
Can students submit privately in Vivipod?
Set the Topic to visible after review. Posts stay pending until you approve them. The student can see their own pending submission, and Space admins can review it. To keep a response hidden from classmates, leave it pending. See post moderation.
Does Vivipod need a Chrome extension?
No. Recording happens in the browser on desktop, Chromebooks, and phones, and students can try the recorder before they sign in.
Does it work with Google Classroom?
Share the Space or Topic link anywhere you post assignments. Vivipod also supports Canvas and web embeds. There is no dedicated Google Classroom integration today.
What does it cost to try?
The free plan includes 3 Spaces, unlimited Topics and participants, comments on video posts, and 90-second recordings with no card. Plus adds 5-minute recordings, captions and transcripts, and up to 10 Spaces, and only the Space owner needs it. See pricing.
Try one discussion Topic
Move one weekly prompt into a Vivipod Topic and ask students to leave a specific question on a classmate's Post. After two weeks, check whether students found the feedback and returned to answer it.