Blackboard vs Lumen
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
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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
Lumen
This app offers a personalized online learning experience with 24/7 access to course materials, live classes, and collaborative tools. Monitor your progress, interact with professors and peers, and manage your assignments and schedule all in one place.
- 24/7 online learning access
- Live classes and professor interaction
- Peer collaboration and discussions
- Performance tracking and assessments
- Offline content downloads
- Assignment submission and reminders
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Online learning made just for you – learn at your own pace, 24x7 accessibility, track your performance, interact, and collaborate with peers and professors. Lumen makes your online learning personalised and easy. The app enables customised end-to-end learning – monitor your performance, run assessments, seamless live interactions with professors, take part in polls, surveys, quizzes, collaborate on assignments with your batchmates, set reminders, chat with your friends. Inspired by the unit of light, Lumen denotes the power of e-learning. It is a self-paced learning management system that helps you stay connected with your campus 24x7. Online learning is a smart choice and Lumen empowers you to learn smart. Afterall bright learners need a brighter future! Access content 24x7, at your convenience Content available at one single source Easy downloads, to save and view offline on your device Capture notes, highlight, curate your quick read for later Bookmark and pick up where you left Attend live classes via the app – no other tool needed Interact with professors seamlessly Take live notes and save for later Doubt clarification Participate in live polls and quizzes Peer Engagement & Learning Doubt clarification during the live sessions – support each other Collaborate with your peers on assignments Engage in breakout rooms Instant messaging Participate in Discussions Start a new discussion or participate in one Voice your opinion on interesting topics Leverage this network Interact with Industry experts Your success & course completion made easy Submit assignments on time Recap videos Refer notes / Q&A Quick support and resolution Customised dashboard – be on top of your game Monitor your performance, real time Set reminders and plan your calendar – mark key announcements and deadlines Personalise your learning plan as per your schedule Leader board & loyalty points to keep you going Download Lumen and learn SMART! Happy Learning!!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is chart position: Blackboard at #125 against Lumen's unranked. Lumen's advantage is review sentiment (25% vs 14%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 ships an update monthly, Lumen every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blackboard | Lumen |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (443K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 14.2% of reviews | 25.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 443K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #125 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | 13.0.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 172 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anthology Inc. | UNext Learning Private Limited |
Customer experience
Blackboard
Lumen
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
Lumen
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Blackboard
No in-app purchases
Lumen
No in-app purchases









