Blackboard Learn vs Edmodo

Last Updated:

Our analysts compared Blackboard Learn vs Edmodo based on data from our 400+ point analysis of LMS Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Edmodo Software Tool

Product Basics

Blackboard is an educational management tool used commonly in K-12, higher education, online education and corporate training. It’s cloud-based and has several add ons including Learn, Open LMS, Classroom, Predict, Intelligence, Ally, Collaborate and more. All have different specialties that add to the primary online education functions.

The core product, Blackboard Learn, includes course management, mobile accessibility and insights into data and analytics. Upgraded versions have more robust facilities, including advanced web conferencing, virtual classrooms and more in-depth reporting.
read more...
Edmodo is a cloud-based education solution used primarily by K-12 institutions. It currently serves over 100 million users. Created in 2008, it manages the basics of digital classrooms such as communication, assignments, testing, grading, parental views, mobile apps and more. It also gives learners access to an online library of over 700 million resources shared by students, parents and teachers.

Because of its popularity within the education sector, 10% of its users are instructors. Overall, it’s used by 400,000 schools in over 190 countries. It has an active community of educators that pool resources, information, consult with one another and offer worldwide support.
read more...
$9,500 Annually
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$2,500 Monthly, Freemium
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Small 
i
Medium 
i
Large 
i
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Windows
Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Mass Communications: A message can be written and then sent via social media, email, voice message, SMS or push notification to everyone who needs to see it.nbsp;
  • Student Retention: It provides data on incoming and outgoing students, which helps with the development of student retention strategies. Some functions within the dashboard are also specifically geared toward targeting at-risk learners. 
  • Accessibility: Not only does it allow for accessible file formats such as semantic HTML, audio files, ePub and electronic braille, but it can audit content sent out by instructors and return with annotations to improve accessibility. It is also fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
  • Parental Involvement: Parents get access to see how students are doing and address potential problems early in the process. 
  • Multiple Translations: Over 15 different languages are available, including Arabic, English, Chinese (both simplified and traditional), Dutch, Russian, Korean and more. 
  • Implementation: Through a partner program, users can get help with implementation through technical support and strategy analysis. 
  • Accreditation Tracking/Documentation: The assessment and accreditation solution makes institutional reporting automatic, helps provide documentation where needed and streamlines evidence collection. 
  • Partnerships: More services are available for buyers who use partner programs. This support may be technical, marketing or strategic and varies depending on the different levels of partnership.  
read more...
  • Better Communication: Facilitate open communication channels for students, teachers, parents and administrators through email, push notifications and text. Send messages to distinct groups — parents, kids and instructors — simultaneously. Disseminate information to update parents on their class activity through messages, answers to questions, grades and more. Keep guardians informed on what their children are accomplishing, let them see grades and learn how to best support them. Send direct messages to teachers and see updates from the mobile app.
  • Motivated Learners: Improve learner engagement with games, mindfulness activities and the ability to step into a role as active participants. Provide multiple ways to make learning more fun and exciting in the Discover program.
  • More Support for Learners: Access information from the mobile app as needed. Use AskMo so users can request help from online tutors. Take a picture of math or science homework and get step-by-step help from mentors through a ten-minute chat. Either pay for this service or use the promo for free sessions from the website. Study subjects such as algebra 1 and 2, AP calculus, calculus, college algebra, AP chemistry, AP physics, chemistry, geometry, middle school math, physics, pre-algebra, pre-calculus and trigonometry.
  • Money and Time Saver: Save valuable time with online assignments, grading, discussion and more. Use the solution for free initially and upgrade to paid options for organizations that need more robust functionality.
read more...
  • Integration: It can be integrated with other essential educational programs such as Student Information Systems, lunch systems, online grade books and others to make collecting data easy. 
  • Collaboration: Through web conferencing and virtual classrooms, students, peers and coworkers can collaborate on projects and content creation. 
  • Mobile App: The app, which is available across several devices, offers mobile-friendly content that’s been adjusted to flip less on a phone screen. Learners can access tests, quizzes, notes and more. 
  • SaaS: It’s a software-as-a-service or cloud-based product. This means the hosting is online and not local. 
  • Templates: When instructors create courses, they can choose from several pre-made templates and customize as needed. 
  • Strategic Planning: Extra services include strategic planning, which comes with market research, help to develop a comprehensive strategy, deployment support and more. 
  • E-Commerce: It allows users to buy or sell courses, training materials and other content. This can be used as a revenue source or to find more information for a program. 
  • Sales Training and Development: In addition to its uses in K-12 and higher education, it helps with the training of employees to keep them in compliance or certified in a corporate setting. Individual workers can be tracked, and areas of improvement can be easily identified. 
  • Registration: It manages learners throughout the enrollment process and can help them sign up along pre-defined learning paths or prerequisites. 
read more...
  • Course Creation: Share materials for class, send messages and make all education more accessible with course authoring tools.
  • Testing: Offer mini-quizzes, sample tests, ACT and SAT prep, and a “score predictor” option which helps students find out how prepared they are for tests that could change their futures.
  • Integrated Apps: Access multiple apps, including AskMo, Discover and Spotlight. Get mentoring for math and science through AskMo. Use Discover for games, activities, news and other bits of information to keep learners engaged and empowered. Use Spotlight as a marketplace for teachers and publishers to create and share resources.
  • Educator Resources: Follow hashtags in the program for additional information. Access professional creative learning communities for a broader range of resources and ideas to solve problems creatively. Use the Distance Learning Toolkit for instructors and a community to plug into for more help. Give badges to recognize high-performing educators.
  • Administration: Provide opportunities for collaboration and staff development. Track learning and make sure the whole district coordinates. Group educators and deliver personalized training. Use group text, push notifications and email. Audit members, reset passwords and verify teachers in the admin center.
  • Edmodo Labs: Access advanced education technology and give feedback through gamified quizzes, interactive puzzles and models, creative tools and more.
  • Integration: Integrate with many systems. Access other programs quickly through a single sign-on solution. Use apps such as ClassLink, Clever, custom identity providers, Google, identity automation software, LDAP and Office 365. Get help with account creation and class rosters.
  • Reporting: Let administrators see what is working, what’s not and how students engage with the material. Work with the school success manager to get access to custom analytics, data tracking and reporting.
  • Planner: Use an integrated planner to organize work with users’ course folders.
read more...

Product Ranking

#6

among all
LMS Software

#87

among all
LMS Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

74
we're gathering data
14
we're gathering data
82
we're gathering data
100
we're gathering data
Show More Show More

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Blackboard Learn
Edmodo
+ Add Product + Add Product
AI-based Capabilities Assessments Collaboration Compliance Content And Course Management ECommerce Learning Delivery Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Reporting And Dashboard User Management And Gamification 14 82 100 100 91 0 68 78 87 100 91 0 25 50 75 100
14%
0%
86%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
80%
0%
20%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
87%
0%
13%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
0%
0%
100%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
38%
0%
62%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
75%
0%
25%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
87%
0%
13%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
100%
0%
0%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
91%
0%
9%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

71%
0%
29%
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A
we're gathering data
N/A

User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 1521 reviews
Great User Sentiment 427 reviews
79%
of users recommend this product

Blackboard Learn has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 79% when considering 1521 user reviews from 5 recognized software review sites.

89%
of users recommend this product

Edmodo has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 89% when considering 427 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

4.9 (18)
n/a
3.9 (789)
n/a
4.1 (456)
4.4 (354)
4.2 (54)
n/a
3.8 (204)
4.6 (73)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Blackboard Learn and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Compliance.

Compliance Award

we're gathering data

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Grading: A total of 80% of users who mentioned the grading capabilities felt it worked well and saved them time.
Effective Communication: Over 70% of users who mentioned communications features were thrilled with the discussion boards, messaging, live classrooms and other features.
Great Customer Support: More than two-thirds of reviewers who mentioned the customer support had good experiences with the staff.
Easy to Use: Users felt that the UI worked well in over 50% of reviews.
Show more
Intuitive Interface: Edmodo is often praised for its user-friendly interface, making it easy for educators, students, and parents to navigate and utilize its features effectively. The platform's layout is clean and straightforward, promoting a smooth user experience.
Communication and Collaboration: Edmodo facilitates seamless communication and collaboration among teachers, students, and parents. Teachers can easily share announcements, assignments, and resources, while students can engage in discussions, submit work, and receive feedback. Parents can stay informed about their child's progress and communicate with teachers.
Content and Assessment: Edmodo provides tools for creating and delivering engaging content, including quizzes, polls, and assignments. Teachers can also track student progress and provide personalized feedback. The platform supports various learning styles and allows for differentiation.
Accessibility and Flexibility: Edmodo is accessible from various devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones, enabling users to stay connected and engaged anytime, anywhere. This flexibility supports diverse learning environments and schedules.
Show more
Poor Mobile Function: Around 75% who mentioned the app said they had issues with the design, especially on mobile.
Issues with Features: Over 41% of users said there were holes in the functionality of the integrations, grading features and said there was too much text on the website.
Steep Learning Curve: While many said the UI was easy-to-use, over 40% of those mentioned it said it took a long time to learn.
.
Show more
Limited Customization: Teachers have expressed frustration with the platform's inflexibility in terms of personalizing the learning experience for their students. For example, they cannot modify the platform's interface or create unique learning pathways for individual students.
Assessment Constraints: The platform's assessment tools have been criticized for their lack of sophistication. Teachers find it challenging to create and administer complex assessments or track student progress in a nuanced way.
Integrations and Interoperability: Edmodo may not seamlessly integrate with other educational tools and platforms that schools are already using, leading to compatibility issues and workflow disruptions. This can hinder a school's ability to create a cohesive digital learning ecosystem.
Show more

Blackboard is an online learning solution used most commonly in educational institutions. As one of the biggest players in the market, its users appreciate its features, useability, grading functions and the different channels of communication. The most common complaint was that it’s hard to learn. However, many said it was easy to navigate after getting over the initial learning curve. Though many people liked its features, there were gaps and additional functionalities wished for in almost every category. Its lack of accessibility was also an issue for some users. This solution is good for institutions looking to implement a standardized learning solution. However, it’s important to compare it to its big competitors as some complained it was generic or too similar to other systems. Still, this can be an extremely efficient platform for online and blended learning.

Show more

Edmodo seems to be a bit of a mixed bag, with some users singing its praises and others finding it falls short of expectations.  One of the things that users consistently point out as a strength is its simplicity and user-friendly interface.  It's easy to navigate, even for those who aren't tech-savvy, making it a good option for educators who want a straightforward platform to manage their classrooms.  Additionally, Edmodo offers a free basic plan, which is a major plus for budget-conscious schools or individual teachers. However, there are also some drawbacks that users frequently mention.  One common complaint is the limited functionality compared to more comprehensive learning management systems (LMS) like Canvas or Blackboard.  Edmodo lacks some of the advanced features that these platforms offer, such as robust assessment tools or the ability to create complex learning pathways.  Additionally, some users have expressed concerns about the platform's stability and occasional technical glitches.  This can be frustrating for educators who rely on the platform to deliver instruction and manage student work. So, who is Edmodo best suited for?  Based on user feedback, it seems like a good fit for individual teachers or small schools looking for a basic, easy-to-use platform to supplement their classroom instruction.  It's also a decent option for those who are new to using technology in the classroom and want a simple starting point.  However, for larger institutions or educators who need a more feature-rich LMS, Edmodo might not be the best choice.  It's always a good idea to weigh the pros and cons and consider your specific needs before making a decision.  Keep in mind that the EdTech landscape is constantly evolving, so it's wise to check for the latest updates and user reviews to make an informed choice.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in LMS Software


Absorb LMS

Adobe Learning Manager

Brainier

Brightspace

Canvas

Cornerstone LMS

Docebo

LearnUpon

Litmos

Moodle

Schoology

Seismic Learning

SkyPrep

Spoke LMS

TalentLMS

Thinkific

Tovuti

Trainual

WorkRamp

Related Categories

Head-to-Head Comparison

WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more...

Compare products
Comparison Report
Just drag this link to the bookmark bar.
?
Table settings