# Blackboard vs UTRGV

The clearest difference is review sentiment: UTRGV at 93% against Blackboard's 14%. UTRGV also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6). Blackboard's advantage is ratings volume (443K vs 717) and chart position (#99 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

UTRGV holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackboard has 443K ratings behind it against 717, 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 93% of UTRGV's.

Blackboard ships an update monthly, UTRGV every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackboard | UTRGV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (443K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861/reviews) | **[4.8 (717 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utrgv/id1432789678/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **443K** | 717 |
| Positive reviews | 14.2% of reviews | **93.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#99** | — |
| Size | 172 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) | [The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1432789677) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackboard

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

**Currently charting:** #99 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


### UTRGV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/utrgv/id1432789678)

Manage your academic life and connect with your university community. Stay organized with event and assignment tracking, access academic tools, and discover campus resources. Get important notifications and find your way around campus.

**Highlights:** Academic tools access, Class and assignment management, Event discovery and reminders, Campus community interaction, Campus services information, Push notifications for alerts, Campus map navigation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful features
- 🤩 Great university app
- 🤟 Awesome experience
- 💯 Excellent resources

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Frequent sign-in required
- 🗺️ Lacking navigation features
- 🐛 Occasional glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues for some users
- Slow performance on older devices

**Requested features**

- Integrated campus map
- Single sign-on for all services
- Improved password management


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackboard free?

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

### Is UTRGV free?

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

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

UTRGV is rated higher. Blackboard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 443K ratings, while UTRGV averages 4.8 from 717 ratings.

### Do Blackboard or UTRGV have ads?

Neither Blackboard nor UTRGV shows ads.

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

Blackboard ships an update monthly, and UTRGV every 6 weeks. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on September 28, 2026 and UTRGV on September 15, 2026.

---

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