# Blackboard vs Lumen

The clearest difference is chart position: Blackboard at #88 against Lumen's unranked. Lumen's advantage is review sentiment (22% vs 14%) and iOS requirement (13.0.1 vs 16.0). 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.

Blackboard ships an update monthly, Lumen every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackboard | Lumen |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (445K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **445K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 14.1% of reviews | **22.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#88** | — |
| Size | 172 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) | [UNext Learning Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599046900) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackboard

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

**Currently charting:** #88 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


### Lumen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lumen/id1636279777)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackboard free?

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

### Is Lumen free?

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

### Do Blackboard or Lumen have ads?

Neither Blackboard nor Lumen shows ads.

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

Blackboard ships an update monthly, and Lumen every 2 weeks. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on October 28, 2026 and Lumen on October 22, 2026.

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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.*