# Blackboard vs SAMY

The clearest difference is update cadence: SAMY at every 3 days against Blackboard's monthly. SAMY also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 14.0). Blackboard's advantage is chart position (#147 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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, SAMY every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackboard | SAMY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (443K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackboard/id950424861/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **443K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 14.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#147** | — |
| Size | 172 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) | [Depax](https://appshunter.io/developer/1761022176) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackboard

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

**Currently charting:** #147 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


### SAMY

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/samy/id6474969006)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blackboard free?

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

### Is SAMY free?

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

### Do Blackboard or SAMY have ads?

Neither Blackboard nor SAMY shows ads.

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

Blackboard ships an update monthly, and SAMY every 3 days. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on October 18, 2026 and SAMY on October 8, 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.*