# Blackboard vs ABE STUDENT

The clearest difference is chart position: Blackboard at #117 against ABE STUDENT's unranked. ABE STUDENT's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 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, ABE STUDENT every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blackboard | ABE STUDENT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#117** | — |
| Size | 172 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Anthology Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676499025) | [Parrophins Private Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1628483556) |

## What reviewers say

### Blackboard

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

**Currently charting:** #117 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


### ABE STUDENT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abe-student/id6778717287)

**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 ABE STUDENT free?

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

### Do Blackboard or ABE STUDENT have ads?

Neither Blackboard nor ABE STUDENT shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blackboard or ABE STUDENT?

Blackboard ships an update monthly, and ABE STUDENT every 2 months. Most recently, Blackboard was updated on October 31, 2026 and ABE STUDENT on October 24, 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.*