# iSheffield vs Blackboard

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.

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

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

## The numbers

| Metric | iSheffield | Blackboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.6 (445K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **445K** |
| Positive reviews | **30.2% of reviews** | 14.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 68 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The University of Sheffield](https://appshunter.io/developer/880944998) | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) |

## What reviewers say

### iSheffield

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/isheffield/id341342470)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Buttons not working
- Attendance validation issues
- Login failures (blank screen, repeated prompts)
- App crashes on timetable access/view change
- Timetable not displaying

**Requested features**

- Rework the UI
- Fix login issues
- Improve timetable functionality
- Add length of time before session timeout
- Manual refresh for add/drop courses


### Blackboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861)

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked 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.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*