Comparison

iSheffield vs Blackboard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iSheffield

This app serves as an official companion for students and staff at the University of Sheffield. It provides tools to manage academic schedules, navigate campus, access library resources, and stay informed about university news and events.

Highlights
  • View course timetable
  • Campus maps with GPS navigation
  • Book PCs and study rooms
  • Access library catalog and loans
  • Receive event alerts
  • University contact directory
Features
Read full description

Welcome to iSheffield, the official companion app for students and staff at the University of Sheffield. Designed to support your time at Sheffield, with iSheffield you can view your timetable, access the Library resources, and see campus maps with your current location to help you navigate around the University. You can also book resources, get alerts for important events, and stay up-to-date with the latest news and events. Whether you're a student or a staff member, iSheffield helps to make your university life easier.. Features: - View your course Timetable using the calendar. - Use the Campus Maps & Locations feature to navigate University buildings with the help of GPS. - Book PCs, learning spaces, group study rooms and more. - Access our extensive Library catalogue, request books, and track your loans and requests with ease. - Receive important announcements and events with the Alerts feature. - Find and connect with University contacts using the Telephone Directory search. You can even add them to your phone’s address book in a single click.

About

Blackboard

This app connects students and instructors to their institution's learning management system. Access course materials, submit assignments, track grades, and communicate with peers and instructors on the go.

Highlights
  • Course updates and announcements
  • Assignment submission and testing
  • Grade tracking
  • Discussion board management
  • Material organization
  • Real-time notifications
Read full description

Download the Blackboard App and stay seamlessly connected with your courses and elevate your learning experience. Whether you're a student or an instructor, this app integrates with your institution’s Blackboard platform to bring you essential tools and real-time updates on the go. For Students: - Stay Informed: Instantly view updates and changes to your courses. - Real-Time Alerts: Receive notifications for due-dates, announcements, and more. - Manage Coursework: Easily complete and submit assignments, take tests, and track your progress. - Check Grades: Access grades for courses, assignments, and tests with just a few taps. - Plus More: Explore additional features tailored to enhance your educational journey. For Instructors: - Efficient Course Management: Upload and organize course materials and assessments effortlessly. - Timely Notifications: Set up custom alerts such as when submissions are ready for grading, messages from students, and more. - Streamlined Grading: Grade assignments and provide feedback from your phone or tablet. - Engage Students: Send course announcements, create and manage discussion threads, and interact with student comments. - And Beyond: Utilize more tools designed to support your teaching and engagement. Please Note: The Blackboard App functions in conjunction with your institution’s Blackboard server. Access and features may vary based on your institution's settings and software updates. By using this app, you agree to our terms and privacy information - https://www.anthology.com/trust-center/terms-of-use

Screenshots

iSheffield4 screens
Blackboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iSheffield at 30% against Blackboard's 14%. Blackboard's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iSheffield ships an update every 3 months, Blackboard monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
iSheffield versus Blackboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriSheffieldBlackboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.6 (445K ratings) — better
Positive reviews30.2% of reviews — better14.1% of reviews
Number of ratings—445K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB172 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperThe University of SheffieldAnthology Inc.

Customer experience

iSheffield

Written reviews53 reviews
Positive30.2%
Neutral17.0%
Negative52.8%

Blackboard

All ratings444,498 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral4.0%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews2,089 reviews
Positive14.1%
Neutral13.3%
Negative72.6%

User reviews

iSheffield

From App Store reviews

What we love

  • 👍 Useful for new students
  • 👍 Handy for locating buildings
  • 👍 Good for checking library loans
  • 👍 Library organizer is brilliant
  • 👍 Does what it's meant to do

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent and crashes
  • 🐛 Slow to load timetables
  • 🐛 Prevents signing into lectures
  • 🐛 Buttons don't work
  • 🐛 Attendance not validating

Blackboard

From 445K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and efficient
  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🔒 Secure login process
  • 💡 Helpful for busy students

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔄 Constant need to re-login
  • 🕰️ Slow loading times
  • 📱 Not optimized for mobile/tablets

Bugs and requests

iSheffield

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Buttons not working
  • Attendance validation issues
  • Login failures (blank screen, repeated prompts)
  • App crashes on timetable access/view change
  • Timetable not displaying
Show 6 more
  • App crashes on login
  • Incompatibility with iOS updates (especially iOS 12)
  • App not opening after iOS update
  • Friend finder inaccurate
  • App crashes when accessing library
  • Locations information inaccurate

Requested features

15 requests
  • Rework the UI
  • Fix login issues
  • Improve timetable functionality
  • Add length of time before session timeout
  • Manual refresh for add/drop courses
Show 10 more
  • Add support for iOS 12
  • Add iPhone X support
  • Add dark mode
  • Improve map quality
  • Add exam timetable access
  • Add Mole access
  • Edit course calendar to show only personal lectures
  • Change icon to Uni of Sheffield logo
  • Add staff and student contact directory
  • Improve friend finder accuracy

Blackboard

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Activity stream not loading properly
  • Inconsistent behavior across mobile and web
  • Inability to view full assignment details

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to customize course order
  • Improved notifications and alerts
  • Split-screen functionality for multitasking
  • Offline access to course materials

In-app purchases

None

iSheffield

No in-app purchases

None

Blackboard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iSheffield free?
iSheffield is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Blackboard free?
Blackboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do iSheffield or Blackboard have ads?
Neither iSheffield nor Blackboard shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iSheffield or Blackboard?
iSheffield ships an update every 3 months, and Blackboard monthly. Most recently, iSheffield was updated on November 1, 2026 and Blackboard on November 8, 2026.

Other comparisons