WebAssign vs MindTap

Last Updated:

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

WebAssign Software Tool

Product Basics

WebAssign is an online learning platform for STEM education, specifically designed to improve critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in students. It allows educators to customize lesson plans, building assignments and assessments tailored to students’ needs. Comprehensive analytics help assess performance. It integrates easily with many common learning and information systems already in place at educational institutions
read more...
MindTap is an online learning software owned by Cengage that provides educational content and some class management. Among its assets are coursework, textbooks and print with over 1,300 options. The subjects it covers span across business, economics, humanities, math, professional disciplines, science, social science and technology. Some of its educational modules include grading, testing, homework submissions and a mobile app. Instructors can inform students of due dates and encourage underperforming class members.
read more...
$179 Annually
Get a free price quote
Tailored to your specific needs
$160 Annually
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

  • Customize Learning: Tailor courses to the needs of individual students and classes. Build upon existing templates sourced from academic, public and standardized test libraries. Control assessment parameters like number of attempts, evaluation method, penalty conditions and question value. 
  • Access Educational Resources: Access and implement a range of assignments, prebuilt exams, interactive videos and other study materials through partnership with top publishers. Modify as needed based on unique syllabi. 
  • Improve Accessibility: Accommodate visually impaired students through program compatibility with screen readers. 
  • Gain Valuable Insights: Allow students to explain their responses, providing insight into their grasp of basic concepts. Accurately monitor progress, identify areas of weakness and intervene. 
read more...
  • More Confident Students: Give learners more tools to succeed by increasing core competencies. Personalize materials and deliver feedback to reach people by highlighting text and annotations. Increase completion rates and security through smartphone accessibility and the ability to identify at-risk pupils.
  • Saves Time: Access information in one unified location. Automate grading processes to save the time of tediously entering grades. Integrate with other tools to ensure all needs are met without needing to hunt down individual applications.
  • High-Quality Content: Find and share interactive textbooks or create a resource library for employees so workers and students can peruse information at their leisure. Create a shareable, professional-looking collection of assets.
  • Greater Engagement: Increase students’ motivation to learn and boost engagement through improved coursework. Establish clear communication lines between trainer and trainee. Use StudyHub to follow notes, bookmarks and selected text. Students can also create study guides.
read more...
  • Question Analytics: See difficulty level, global attempt rate and average answer time. Modify as needed. 
  • Smart Assignments: Access prebuilt, modifiable assignments created by subject matter experts. 
  • Restricted Assessments: Ensure student compliance in remote classrooms through various measures. 
    •  Block access to browsers and other applications during an assignment with WebAssign LockDown Browser. 
    •  Randomize the order of questions between copies of the same assignment. 
    •  Secure assignments with passwords and time limits. 
  • Study Tools: Allow students to highlight important points, bookmark pages and add notes in eBooks. A “read it” function provides instant access to study materials. 
  • Collaboration: Share and collaborate on assessment questions and learning materials with colleagues using assignment ID. Create, review and group questions. 
  • Integration: Integrate with LMS platforms to customize content and automatically sync grades and other student information from LMS gradebooks. 
  • Error Assistance Tool: Assess students' responses for common errors and provide focused, actionable guidance instantly. 
read more...
  • Course Management: Instructors can grade and curate content, facilitate online discussions and walk students through sample assignments. Provide quizzes, assessments and interactive homework. Let learners see current and upcoming homework as well as individual progress. Clone courses easily to repeat units for different classes, adding information, copying and changing dates.
  • Learning Path: Create a path by selecting material to customize a course. Add or delete material when needed and move activities around for personalized experiences. Encourage pupils to track progress and reach out to trainers.
  • Mobile App and eReader: Give employees and students access to an ebook that works on or off the internet through the smartphone app. Use interactive elements to keep people engaged. Take attendance with geolocation and polls to ensure learners are present. Provide other tools like online flashcards, practice quizzes and alerts for homework and due dates. Make annotations and notes in the online textbook. Embed videos into the reader, share highlighted notes and emphasize key text to demonstrate what’s important in testing. Give students access to a text speaker that reads aloud.
  • Suggested Content: Customize information for specific students to increase engagement with education guides. Suggest videos and assignments that reinforce learning, offered by class or by chapter.
  • Integrations: Connect with more full-service LMSs like Blackboard, Brightspace, Canvas, Moodle or other solutions. Integrate with other Cengage platforms such as SAM, WebAssign and Cengage Unlimited. Use the same login to access material. Some major products auto-sync grades, so instructors don’t have to duplicate work. Communicate with various programs with IMS Basic LTI standards and additional functionality for more common products.
  • Reporting: Dig deep and understand where students are failing or succeeding with real-time analytics that measure 12 different metrics and deliver actionable insights.
  • Subjects: Let learners consume content, software and textbooks that cover a variety of topics like agriculture, anthropology, art, astronomy, biology, college skills, communications, counseling, early childhood education, film, history, humanities, human services, mass communication, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, social sciences, theatre, world languages and more.
  • Aplia: Connect concepts to real-world situations. Elevate critical thinking with feedback, algorithmic questions, review problems and other elements.
  • Pathbrite Portfolio: Showcases learner work through videos, images, documents and other assets. Give a visual representation of accomplishments and skills.
  • Cengage Unlimited: Work with several Cengage learning solutions aimed at specific subjects, including:
    • CengageNOWv2: Study for accounting, business statistics and taxation. Complete assignments, study for exams and succeed academically. Give workers and students practice opportunities to help them master content.
    • OWLv2: Save time with coursework in chemistry classes. Help finish assignments, study for exams and give learners other tools to help with success.
    • SAM: Cover Microsoft Office and computer concepts. Practice and apply skills to prepare for the Microsoft Office environment. Auto-grade assignments and use flexible reporting to report the outcomes.
    • WebAssign: Study STEM technology. Acquired in 2016, it has former educators on its development support teams to ensure the pedagogy of the experience.
    • Discontinued Programs: The iLrn, eSAM and iLrn Advance products aren’t for sale for students and can’t be accessed as of December 31st, 2020.
read more...

Product Ranking

#37

among all
LMS Software

#39

among all
LMS Software

Find out who the leaders are

User Sentiment Summary

Good User Sentiment 29 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 13 reviews
73%
of users recommend this product

WebAssign has a 'good' User Satisfaction Rating of 73% when considering 29 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

92%
of users recommend this product

MindTap has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 92% when considering 13 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

3.5 (24)
n/a
4.5 (5)
n/a
n/a
4.6 (13)

Awards

we're gathering data

MindTap stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Immediate Feedback: WebAssign provides students with immediate feedback on their assignments, allowing them to identify and correct mistakes as they learn. This real-time feedback loop can enhance understanding and improve learning outcomes.
Algorithmically Generated Questions: WebAssign's ability to generate algorithmic variations of questions helps prevent cheating and encourages students to focus on understanding the underlying concepts rather than memorizing specific answers.
Integration with Learning Management Systems (LMS): WebAssign seamlessly integrates with popular LMS platforms, such as Blackboard and Canvas, streamlining the assignment workflow for both instructors and students. This integration simplifies the process of assigning, submitting, and grading assignments.
Variety of Question Types: WebAssign offers a wide range of question types, including multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and essay questions, catering to different learning styles and assessment needs. This variety keeps students engaged and allows instructors to assess understanding in multiple ways.
Show more
Improved Student Engagement: MindTap offers a variety of interactive activities and assessments that can help to keep students engaged with the material. This is in contrast to traditional textbooks, which can be passive and unengaging.
Personalized Learning: MindTap can be customized to meet the individual needs of each student. This means that students can focus on the areas where they need the most help, and they can learn at their own pace.
Accessibility: MindTap is accessible from any device with an internet connection. This makes it easy for students to access their course materials from anywhere, at any time.
Data and Analytics: MindTap provides instructors with data and analytics that can help them to track student progress and identify areas where students are struggling. This information can be used to improve instruction and better support student learning.
Show more
Limited Free Trial: WebAssign only provides a 14-day free trial, which may not be sufficient for instructors to fully evaluate its suitability for their courses.
Subscription-Based Model: WebAssign operates on a subscription model, requiring recurring payments for continued access, which can be a barrier for budget-conscious institutions or students.
Technical Issues: Users have reported encountering technical issues such as problems with submitting assignments, accessing grades, and experiencing system downtime, which can disrupt the learning process.
Question Quality: Some users have expressed concerns about the quality of questions in WebAssign, finding them to be unclear, poorly worded, or containing errors, leading to confusion and frustration for students.
Integrations: WebAssign's integration with learning management systems (LMS) can vary, and in some cases, may require additional setup or configuration, which can be time-consuming for instructors.
Show more
Cost: Students have expressed concerns about the additional cost associated with purchasing access to MindTap, especially when required course materials are already expensive. This can create a financial burden for students, particularly those on a tight budget.
Technical Issues: Users have reported encountering technical problems with MindTap, such as glitches, errors, and compatibility issues with certain devices or browsers. These issues can disrupt the learning process and cause frustration for students who rely on the platform to access course materials and complete assignments.
Learning Curve: Some students have found MindTap's interface to be complex and not intuitive, requiring a significant investment of time and effort to learn how to navigate the platform effectively. This can be a barrier for students who prefer a more straightforward and user-friendly learning experience.
Integration Challenges: Integrating MindTap with existing Learning Management Systems (LMS) can sometimes present challenges, leading to synchronization issues, broken links, and difficulties in accessing grades or assignments. This can create confusion and inconvenience for both students and instructors.
Show more

Let's *assign* ourselves the task of dissecting WebAssign's user feedback. WebAssign garners mixed reviews, with a recurring theme of it being a powerful tool when it works as intended, but frustrating when technical issues arise. Users appreciate the extensive library of pre-built questions and assignments, saving instructors valuable time. The automatic grading feature is a major plus, especially for large classes, but several users report grading inconsistencies and errors that require manual intervention. WebAssign's integration with learning management systems (LMS) like Blackboard and Canvas is a significant advantage, streamlining workflow for educators. However, the user interface is often criticized for being clunky and outdated, leading to a steep learning curve for both instructors and students. Some users find the platform's customization options limiting, hindering their ability to tailor assignments to specific needs. Cost is another concern, with some institutions finding it to be a pricey option compared to competitors like Pearson's MyLab or WileyPLUS. WebAssign seems best suited for large STEM courses where automatic grading and a vast question bank are priorities, but instructors should be prepared to invest time in learning the platform and troubleshooting potential technical glitches. For smaller courses or those in non-STEM fields, the cost and complexity might outweigh the benefits, making alternative platforms worth exploring.

Show more

Let's tap into the minds of MindTap users and see what they have to say. User reviews from the past year suggest MindTap offers a robust platform for learning and course management, but it's not without its quirks. Reviewers frequently praise MindTap's ability to integrate seamlessly with learning management systems (LMS) like Blackboard and Canvas, making it a convenient hub for accessing course materials, assignments, and grades. The platform's interactive features, such as quizzes, flashcards, and simulations, receive positive feedback for enhancing engagement and comprehension. However, some users find the interface a bit clunky and overwhelming, especially for those new to online learning platforms. Technical glitches and occasional syncing issues can also disrupt the learning flow. Despite these drawbacks, MindTap stands out for its comprehensive content library and alignment with Cengage textbooks, making it a valuable tool for students seeking additional support and practice. Ultimately, MindTap is best suited for students who prefer a structured learning environment with readily available resources and are comfortable navigating a feature-rich online platform. Those who value simplicity and a more intuitive interface might explore alternative options.

Show more

Screenshots

Top Alternatives in LMS Software


Absorb LMS

Adobe Learning Manager

Blackboard Learn

Brainier

Brightspace

Canvas

Cornerstone LMS

Docebo

LearnUpon

Litmos

Moodle

Schoology

Seismic Learning

SkyPrep

Spoke LMS

TalentLMS

Thinkific

Tovuti

Trainual

WorkRamp

Related Categories

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