# Blackboard vs Coursicle

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Blackboard at none against Coursicle's 17. Blackboard also leads on ratings volume (444K vs 780). Coursicle's advantage is review sentiment (38% vs 14%) and update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coursicle sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Blackboard asks for nothing beyond the download.

Coursicle holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackboard has 444K ratings behind it against 780, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of Blackboard's written reviews are positive against 38% of Coursicle's.

Blackboard ships an update monthly, Coursicle every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackboard | Coursicle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (444K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861/reviews) | **[4.8 (780 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coursicle/id1187418307/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **444K** | 780 |
| Positive reviews | 14.1% of reviews | **38.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#91** | #162 |
| Size | 172 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) | [Coursicle, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1187418306) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackboard

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

**Currently charting:** #91 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


### Coursicle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coursicle/id1187418307)

**Currently charting:** #162 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

This academic planner helps college students organize their coursework. It syncs with major learning platforms, provides timely reminders for assignments and classes, and offers features like professor reviews and backup schedule creation.

**Highlights:** Syncs with Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, Assignment and class reminders, Class seat opening notifications, Professor reviews, Schedule building and backup schedules

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coursicle Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Coursicle Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $6.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coursicle Premium | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for getting into classes
- 🚀 Notifications about class openings
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive premium subscription
- 🐛 Delayed or inaccurate notifications
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔒 No account system to sync across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Classes shown as open when they are actually full
- App crashes or freezes when trying to add classes
- Referral system not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to track classes for multiple semesters
- More customizable notification settings
- Schedule planning and visualization tools
- Support for summer courses


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackboard free?

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

### Is Coursicle free?

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

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

Coursicle is rated higher. Blackboard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 444K ratings, while Coursicle averages 4.8 from 780 ratings.

### Do Blackboard or Coursicle have ads?

Neither Blackboard nor Coursicle shows ads.

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

Blackboard ships an update monthly, and Coursicle every 9 days. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on October 22, 2026 and Coursicle on October 21, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Blackboard or Coursicle?

Blackboard currently peaks at #91 in the App Store charts, and Coursicle at #162. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*