# BlackBoard vs Simple Blackboard

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Blackboard at 4.3 against BlackBoard's 3.5. Simple Blackboard also leads on ratings volume (137 vs 4) and update cadence (every 9 months vs every 21 months). BlackBoard's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (67% vs 50%). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Blackboard sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BlackBoard asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simple Blackboard holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Blackboard has 137 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of BlackBoard's written reviews are positive against 50% of Simple Blackboard's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BlackBoard ships an update every 21 months, Simple Blackboard every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BlackBoard | Simple Blackboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard-simple/id822060820/reviews) | **[4.3 (137 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-blackboard/id1436764683/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **137** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 9 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kiyoshi Koike](https://appshunter.io/developer/513590141) | [Bita Sobhani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1372721132) |

## What reviewers say

### BlackBoard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard-simple/id822060820)

This app provides a simple digital canvas for quick handwritten notes and drawings. It allows for smooth multi-finger input, adjustable line thickness, and a basic color palette. Save your creations or erase them easily.

**Highlights:** Multi-finger writing, Adjustable line thickness, Five color options, Eraser tool, Save to image, Bulk delete

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Simple Blackboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-blackboard/id1436764683)

This app provides a digital canvas for drawing, sketching, and note-taking. It offers various tools like brushes, colors, shapes, and text, with options to load photos and record your creative process. Save your work, manage pages, and keep your last drawing accessible.

**Highlights:** Blackboard or whiteboard selection, Adjustable brush sizes and colors, Drawing of various shapes, Text typing with adjustable font size, Load photos onto the board, Record video of drawing process, Save drawings and manage pages

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BlackBoard free?

BlackBoard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Simple Blackboard free?

Simple Blackboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, BlackBoard or Simple Blackboard?

Simple Blackboard is rated higher. BlackBoard averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Simple Blackboard averages 4.3 from 137 ratings.

### Do BlackBoard or Simple Blackboard have ads?

Both BlackBoard and Simple Blackboard show ads.

### Which is updated more often, BlackBoard or Simple Blackboard?

BlackBoard ships an update every 21 months, and Simple Blackboard every 9 months. Most recently, BlackBoard was updated on September 22, 2026 and Simple Blackboard on September 24, 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.*