Blackboard vs Edsby

Canvas

Moodle

Google Classroom

Schoology

Class for Web

Brightspace

Compare Blackboard and Edsby based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Canvas is a modern, cloud-based LMS that helps organizations of all sizes deliver impactful learning. Whether you're teaching students, onboarding new hires, or running a training program, Canvas makes it simple to build, manage, and scale engaging learning experiences.

With hundreds of millions of users around the globe and translated into over 100 languages, more organisations choose Moodle to support their education and training needs than any other system in the world.

Brightspace is a learning management platform designed to transform the learning experience. Brightspace empowers educators and trainers to create personalized learning experiences that inspire progress and achievement for all. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of intuitive tools to simplify course creation, foster engagement, and track learner progress.

Help learners, instructors and institutions achieve their goals with Blackboard Learn by Anthology, a market-leading Learning Management System (LMS) that integrates with the world’s most holistic EdTech ecosystem.

Academic/Education

Activity Dashboard

Ad hoc Reporting

Admissions Management

Alerts/Notifications

Assessment Management

Asynchronous Learning

Attendance Management

Attendance Tracking

Blended Learning

Built-in Course Authoring

Built-in LMS

Certification & Licensing

Chat/Messaging

Collaboration Tools

Communication Management

Community Management

Compliance Tracking

Content Library

Content Management

Corporate/Business

Course Authoring

Course Management

Course Tracking

Curriculum Management

Customizable Branding

Customizable Questions

Customizable Reports

Data Import/Export

Document Management

eCommerce Management

eLearning Companies

Faculty/Staff Management

For Higher Education

Gamification

Generative AI

Gradebook

Individualized Assessments

Interactive Learning

K-12

Learner Portal

Learning Management

Learning Paths/Tracks

Mobile Learning

Multi-Language

Multi-User Collaboration

Performance Metrics

Progress Reports

Progress Tracking

Question Library

Registration Management

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Scoring

SCORM Compliance

Self-paced Learning

Social Learning

Student Information/Records

Student Management

Summary Reports

Surveys & Feedback

Synchronous Learning

Test/Quiz Creation

Tests/Assessments

Third-Party Integrations

Training Administration

Training Companies

User Management

Video Conferencing

Visual Analytics

By industry, Blackboard reviewers are most commonly professionals in education management (17%). The most frequent use case for Blackboard cited by reviewers is higher education (57% of reviewers).

Users and use cases

Users appreciate the wide range of features and say the free trial helps organizations with limited budgets assess suitability. Some reviewers find the pricing affordable, but many users report higher costs than competitors and diminished value due to extra charges.

Value for money

Blackboard is a higher education program with key features that include learning management, course management, a learner portal, tests and assessments, student information and records, an activity dashboard, and more.

Blackboard

Web-based

Windows

iPad

iPhone

Android

Linux

Basic

Project Manager

In an education and learning oriented environment, it’s a platform that really allows to centralize courses, documents and exchanges in one same place.

Presidient

The prime objective of any instructional videos should be to convey information clearly and concisely; it should not entail political correctness or a diversity agenda especially when it comes to running a business.  

Adjunct Faculty

Additionally according to my higher management, the cost of blackboard was slightly higher than other LMS options so upper management decided to switch out blackboard to another LMS.

Presidential assistant

The system does the math for accurate grade recording and stores information for as long as needed in order to verify work submitted and grades recorded.

Speech Language Pathology Assistant

Blackboard is a good software for educators and for higher education students, and it has the functions for many different aspects of higher education.

Lecturer

Blackboard Learn, now Anthology, revolutionized online and distance learning with amazing features in one place; its intuitive interface, different tools and integrations are all there to make the learning process smooth and enjoyable.

Software Developer Senior

The colleges I attended and worked for embraced the concept of offering course content online. When I was in college I was on a team of ed tech support center workers who was influential in which system to officially adopt for offering online courses.

Educators can manage courses and users in few clicks, have an idea about their activity stream, set assignments and tests with the help of Ai.

The company was very monopolistic and sued just about every competing Learning Management System (LMS) vendor for creating online learning environments as they seemed to think that they invented teaching and learning online.

It stores work securely and lets the user add grades to the gradebook when work sometimes finds it way through outside email systems.

You had to stick to how blackboard set up the pages and customization was just not there.

Resident Assistant

Class days, virtual classrooms, and online chatrooms for students are all organized in one application.

Blackboard Learn, now Anthology, truly has endless resources to manage both users and courses in few clicks, implement many tricks to make it an intuitive experience.

Graduate Student, Instructor

It is a powerful LMS for designing learning tools.

Probably an attempt to encourage diversity at the customers expense.

I will be using Blackboard for some upcoming college courses.

Student

Blackboard was the tool faculty used most to relay any information about grades, curriculum changes, and other announcements.  

Application Specialist

Back in college, I used it for posting and responding to class discussions, and submitting my assignments.

Many/most of the vides were narrated by people whose first language was obviously English and easy to understand.

Assistant

I love everything about Blackboard Learn I love that I can see and check on my grades weekly Try to turn items in as well that are late.

College Professor

The page layout and design are much like competing products, so it is familiar to new users.  

Adjunct Profesor

The flexibility to update information and make changes to coursework is good. If a student publishes an assignment, such as a paper, incorrectly I am able to reset the assignment on an individual basis without opening it up to the entire class.

Teacher

The best feature we liked about Blackboard Learn was the 30 day free trial. Since we are a small organization  operating on a minimal budget, the trial period gave us the opportunity to use the platform and make our decision for the future.

I have enjoyed using Blackboard Learn and feel that it meets all the needs of an online learning platform in terms of function.  

Director of Recruiting

Blackboard Learn allows me to track the progress of the students. If one of my students is falling behind on an assignment, it notifies me then I would contact the student about their missing assignment.

I think it could do more to come up with the times and be a bit more user friendly.

Laboratory Scientist

It removes much of the unneeded paperwork via online assignments that automatically grade themselves (which is also wonderful on the student side, receiving immediate feedback).

Technical Support

data storage and collaboration was lacking and hard to navigate

Overall, from a user and blackboard made it easy to find documents.

Professor

Blackboard did do a great job of organizing online classes and content was hard to find.

Grocery Associate

The emailing feature within blackboard can be a bit finicky at times, so I tend to find the professors email and send an email directly to them.

IT Admin

if the admin/teacher did not set it up properly, the user interface can be convoluted and difficult to navigate-folder system/indexing can be overwhelming

Faculty Instructor

Blackboard Learn employs a feature where many other apps and learning platforms can be smoothly integrated into the LMS.

Communication is not as efficient as other programs.

Financial Controller

The main drawback is the occasional upload failure which can either be due to a system failure or an unsupported file.

Manager

The platform allows teachers to create and upload their own course content, including multimedia materials, assignments, and assessments , Real-time feedback,Blackboard Learn provides real-time feedback to students, which can help improve their learning outcomes.

Carpenter

There is a learning curve you must adjust too

Improving student engagement and outcomes Streamlining course management Enhancing collaboration and communicationImproving reporting and analyticsI could elaborate but theres not enough room hereBenefitsUser-friendly interface,  Blackboard Learn has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for teachers and students to use.

Faculty

What I like most about blackboard is the item analyzer which help us educator to secure that test and assessment given to students are align with intended learning outcome an.

Educational Technologist

An example to add a user, you click on a menu item-it goes to a window on the right and there is a search field there which one is supposed to ignore and know somehow to click on a button that does not look like a button called "Find Users To Enroll".

Multi-tasking

It may be difficult at first to navigate through the different menus/pages/courses because the platform does not give us that simply look the first time we see it, as unlike its competitors in the market, this one has a slightly less friendly view. But it is rescued if for example our school/university gives us within Blackboard a small tutorial on the essentials you should know about this software. But honestly, I do not see many cons to Blackboard because it is a platform that gives us what we are looking for and that is why it is one of the top e-learning software.

Owner

Blackboard Learn integrates with other tools and platforms, such as Google Drive, Microsoft Office 365, and more, making it easy to share and access course materials.

Purchasing clerk 

It’s virtual classroom and assignment/tests are one of the best in the industry.

Program Coordinator

Being able to easily add materials and instructional documents to an online course is critical especially when a department adopts a new edition of a textbook.

Software Engineer

Not being able to import the calendar to google calendars or going through a lengthy process to do it, Linking it with outlook calendar can be confusing as well at some points.

Limited customization options: While the platform allows for some customization, some users have reported that it is limited compared to other learning management systems.

Technical Engineer 

The platform can sometimes be slow and prone to technical glitches.

Easy to use and have multiple modules from different courses all accessible in one place which helps me stay organised

Grade and Assignment Management

Users report that Blackboard's course management allows them to organize and access courses efficiently, upload materials, and manage schedules. Reviewers indicate that navigating between courses is straightforward, and they appreciate the ability to see completed and upcoming classes. They find course content organization helpful, though some say the interface can be counterintuitive and lacks customizability. Users mention that managing multiple courses can be overwhelming, and some wish for easier content copying between courses, as seen in other platforms like Canvas. Of the 26 Blackboard users who gave detailed accounts of their use of Course Management, 100% rated this feature as important or highly important.

Student and Teacher Interaction

Training and Learning Curve

Ease of Use

Online Learning

Test and Quiz

Pricing

Security and Access Control

Customization Options

Complex and confusing navigation

78% of reviewers feel negative about Blackboard Learn’s navigation. Some users find the platform’s menus and layout unintuitive, requiring too many clicks to access features or materials. Reviewers mention that important tools are often hidden within multiple sub-menus, making it difficult for new or infrequent users to locate what they need. They say navigating between classes and modules can be cumbersome, and that the interface sometimes leads to accidental closures or lost work. Users express frustration with the lack of logical design and the time wasted searching for content.

Slow performance and lag

67% of reviewers feel negative about Blackboard Learn’s performance and speed. Some users report that the platform is slow to load, frequently lags, and can become unresponsive, especially when accessed by many users or on mobile devices. Reviewers mention that the mobile app is sluggish and not well-optimized, and that large files or multiple programs can further reduce speed. They find these delays disruptive to both teaching and learning, and say that the system’s high demand on internet bandwidth can be problematic for users with limited connectivity.

Frequent technical glitches

teleservice

Sometimes excites errors that cannot be solved even with a good Internet, such as Error 404 that comes out without any reason.

78% of reviewers feel negative about Blackboard Learn’s bugs and issues. Some users report experiencing system crashes, unexpected errors, and glitches that disrupt their workflow. Reviewers indicate technical problems like assignments failing to load, system outages, and compatibility issues across devices. They say these bugs often require IT intervention and can result in lost work or the need to resubmit assignments. Users find these recurring issues frustrating and time-consuming, especially when technical errors interfere with important tasks such as grading or attending online meetings.

Outdated and unintuitive interface

50% of reviewers feel negative about Blackboard Learn’s user interface. Some users say the interface looks dated, is cluttered, and lacks modern design elements found in other learning platforms. Reviewers mention that the layout can be confusing, with important features buried or hard to find, leading to a steep learning curve for new users. They report that the interface is not always user-friendly, especially on mobile devices, and that customization options are limited. Users feel the overall experience could be more visually appealing and intuitive.

Streamlined class organization

postdoc

Especially for larger classes I don't have to print the paper copy, posting the class material on blackboard will help students to print and refer to the material easily.

iOS Developer

I love that everything for all of my classes is accessible on Blackboard Learn in a single area.

86% of reviewers feel positive about Blackboard Learn’s class management features. Users say the platform helps organize class materials, assignments, and schedules in one accessible location, making it easier for both students and instructors to stay on top of coursework. Reviewers appreciate being able to manage large classes efficiently, access all classes in a single area, and keep track of to-do items. They find the organization of classes and related materials straightforward, which reduces time spent searching for information and increases focus on learning.

Blackboard vs Edsby Comparison (2026)

Blackboard

Edsby

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives