# Blackboard vs AUST

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AUST at 100% against Blackboard's 14%. AUST also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). Blackboard's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (445K vs 31). 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.

Blackboard holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackboard has 445K ratings behind it against 31, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 14% of Blackboard's written reviews are positive against 100% of AUST's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Blackboard ships an update monthly, AUST every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackboard | AUST |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (445K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861/reviews)** | [3.8 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aust/id1037741645/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **445K** | 31 |
| Positive reviews | 14.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#159** | — |
| Size | 172 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) | [Charbel Diab](https://appshunter.io/developer/1037741644) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackboard

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

**Currently charting:** #159 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

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


### AUST

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aust/id1037741645)

This app provides students and faculty with comprehensive academic and administrative tools. Access university announcements, course materials, grades, exam schedules, and manage petitions and payments. Faculty can also manage attendance and grading.

**Highlights:** Live university announcements and events, Course registration and materials access, Grade and exam schedule tracking, Financial aid and petition management, Faculty attendance and grading tools, Library book availability

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackboard free?

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

### Is AUST free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Blackboard or AUST?

Blackboard is rated higher. Blackboard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 445K ratings, while AUST averages 3.8 from 31 ratings.

### Do Blackboard or AUST have ads?

Neither Blackboard nor AUST shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blackboard or AUST?

Blackboard ships an update monthly, and AUST every 10 days. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on November 6, 2026 and AUST on November 2, 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.*