Comparison

Blackboard vs Gradescope

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Course updates and announcements
  • Assignment submission and testing
  • Grade tracking
  • Discussion board management
  • Material organization
  • Real-time notifications
Currently charting
Read 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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Upload assignments
  • Scan documents with camera
  • Select existing files
  • Assign pages for variable-length assignments
  • Resubmit assignments
  • View submitted and graded assignments
Features
Read 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

Blackboard4 screens
Gradescope4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Blackboard ships an update monthly, Gradescope every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Blackboard versus Gradescope: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlackboardGradescope
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (443K ratings) — better1.4 (259 ratings)
Positive reviews14.2% of reviews — better9.1% of reviews
Number of ratings443K — better259
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#91 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnthology Inc.Turnitin

Customer experience

Blackboard

All ratings442,980 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral4.0%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews2,059 reviews
Positive14.2%
Neutral13.4%
Negative72.4%

Gradescope

All ratings259 ratings
Positive7.3%
Neutral3.5%
Negative89.2%
Written reviews99 reviews
Positive9.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative83.8%

User reviews

Blackboard

From 443K App Store ratings

What 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 ratings

What 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

None

Blackboard

No in-app purchases

None

Gradescope

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Blackboard free?
Blackboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Gradescope free?
Gradescope is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Blackboard or Gradescope?
Blackboard is rated higher. Blackboard averages 4.6 out of 5 from 443K ratings, while Gradescope averages 1.4 from 259 ratings.
Do Blackboard or Gradescope have ads?
Neither Blackboard nor Gradescope shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Blackboard or Gradescope?
Blackboard ships an update monthly, and Gradescope every 2 months. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on October 15, 2026 and Gradescope on October 13, 2026.

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