Blackboard vs Gradescope
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Blackboard
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.
- Course updates and announcements
- Assignment submission and testing
- Grade tracking
- Discussion board management
- Material organization
- Real-time notifications
Read full descriptionHide full description
Download the Blackboard App and stay seamlessly connected with your courses and elevate your learning experience. Whether you're a student or an instructor, this app integrates with your institution’s Blackboard platform to bring you essential tools and real-time updates on the go. For Students: - Stay Informed: Instantly view updates and changes to your courses. - Real-Time Alerts: Receive notifications for due-dates, announcements, and more. - Manage Coursework: Easily complete and submit assignments, take tests, and track your progress. - Check Grades: Access grades for courses, assignments, and tests with just a few taps. - Plus More: Explore additional features tailored to enhance your educational journey. For Instructors: - Efficient Course Management: Upload and organize course materials and assessments effortlessly. - Timely Notifications: Set up custom alerts such as when submissions are ready for grading, messages from students, and more. - Streamlined Grading: Grade assignments and provide feedback from your phone or tablet. - Engage Students: Send course announcements, create and manage discussion threads, and interact with student comments. - And Beyond: Utilize more tools designed to support your teaching and engagement. Please Note: The Blackboard App functions in conjunction with your institution’s Blackboard server. Access and features may vary based on your institution's settings and software updates. By using this app, you agree to our terms and privacy information - https://www.anthology.com/trust-center/terms-of-use
Gradescope
Easily upload assignments for courses using this app. Submit files from your device or scan your work directly. Assign pages for variable-length assignments and resubmit if needed before the deadline.
- Upload assignments
- Scan documents with camera
- Select existing files
- Assign pages for variable-length assignments
- Resubmit assignments
- View submitted and graded assignments
Read full descriptionHide full description
Students, upload your assignments to Gradescope more easily than ever before! If your instructor uses Gradescope for your assignments, you can now upload your submission with our mobile app. After installing and opening the app, login to see your Gradescope courses and assignments. To upload a submission, click on the assignment in the “Not Submitted” tab and either “Select File” to select an existing file from your device or “Scan” all pages of your completed work using your iPhone’s camera. Once you submit your file(s), for templated assignments, you’re all set. For variable-length assignments, “Assign pages” to indicate where your answer for each question appears within your submission. It’s that easy! After confirming, your assignment then moves to the “Submitted” tab. If needed, you can resubmit your assignment until the due date your instructor set has passed. Once it is graded and grades are published for the assignment, it then moves to the “Graded” tab. Note: For V1 of the app, you will be directed to our mobile website for any advanced functionality, including viewing feedback and submitting timed, programming, or online assignments. Stay tuned for future updates that will allow you to do even more with our mobile app!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Blackboard at 4.6 against Gradescope's 1.4. Blackboard also leads on ratings volume (443K vs 259) and chart position (#91 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
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 1.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Blackboard has 443K ratings behind it against 259, 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 9% of Gradescope's.
Blackboard ships an update monthly, Gradescope every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blackboard | Gradescope |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (443K ratings) — better | 1.4 (259 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 14.2% of reviews — better | 9.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 443K — better | 259 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #91 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 172 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anthology Inc. | Turnitin |
Customer experience
Blackboard
Gradescope
User reviews
Blackboard
From 443K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔒 Secure login process
- 💡 Helpful for busy students
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔄 Constant need to re-login
- 🕰️ Slow loading times
- 📱 Not optimized for mobile/tablets
Gradescope
From 259 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Quick and effective submission process
- 👍 Clean and well-designed app
- 📸 Convenient scanning and photo upload
Room to improve
- 🔑 Frequent log-in issues and lack of session persistence
- 📱 Suboptimal iPad and tablet experience
- 🐛 Buggy scanning and submission functionality
- 🤔 Lack of key features like viewing graded assignments
Bugs and requests
Blackboard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Activity stream not loading properly
- Inconsistent behavior across mobile and web
- Inability to view full assignment details
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to customize course order
- Improved notifications and alerts
- Split-screen functionality for multitasking
- Offline access to course materials
Gradescope
Reported bugs
3 issues- Camera flash issues during scanning
- Photos not uploading in correct order
- Inconsistent download button behavior
Requested features
3 requests- Ability to sort assignments by due date
- Integration of tools for instructors
- Improved iPad and tablet optimization
In-app purchases
Blackboard
No in-app purchases
Gradescope
No in-app purchases








