Blackboard Collaborate vs Polycom RealPresence Desktop comparison

Blackboard and Poly are both solutions in the Virtual Meetings category. Blackboard is ranked #28 with an average rating of 6.0, while Poly is ranked #20 with an average rating of 7.0. Blackboard holds a 0.4% mindshare in VM, compared to Poly’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 75% of Blackboard users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Poly users who would recommend it.

Blackboard Collaborate

Read 4 Blackboard Collaborate reviews

111 Views
47 Comparison Views

75% willing to recommend

Polycom RealPresence Desktop

Read 1 Polycom RealPresence Desktop review

258 Views
126 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Blackboard Collaborate

Polycom RealPresence Desktop

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Blackboard Collaborate and Polycom RealPresence Desktop based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Zoom Video Communications, Cisco, Microsoft and others in Virtual Meetings.

To learn more, read our detailed Virtual Meetings Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Virtual Meetings

April 2025

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Helped 849,475 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Blackboard Collaborate

Ranking in Virtual Meetings

28th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Polycom RealPresence Desktop

Ranking in Virtual Meetings

20th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Virtual Meetings category, the mindshare of Blackboard Collaborate is 0.4%, down from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Polycom RealPresence Desktop is 1.8%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Virtual Meetings

Featured Reviews

YN1

Teaching and Learning Systems Manager at a university with 5,001-10,000 employees

Useful in webinars, meetings and online classrooms

One of the features that people enjoy is the whiteboard, providing opportunities for academics to present content and for students to contribute. The platform also allows for the creating of different rooms, enabling large classes to break into smaller groups for discussions. Students can then return to the main classroom to share their opinions. It integrates with LMS.

Read full review

Norm Hubert

VTC Network manager at a government with 10,001+ employees

Regular use enables effective communication with room for improvement in interoperability

The most valuable part of the desktop is the ability to make voice and video calls. Without getting too technical or divulging too much due to the environment we are in, it allows us to further our reach, from a traditional video conferencing room. Scalability was easy. It was based on calls, not licenses.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The solution allows me to connect and collaborate with my classes."

"Document loading and annotation."

"One of the features that people enjoy is the whiteboard, providing opportunities for academics to present content and for students to contribute. The platform also allows for the creating of different rooms, enabling large classes to break into smaller groups for discussions. Students can then return to the main classroom to share their opinions. It integrates with LMS."

"It allows us to further our reach, from a traditional video conferencing room."

Cons

"We faced outages when the user limit went over a certain number."

"If there were maybe more tutorials outside of what I'm aware the university is suggesting, I would take more tutorials on effective ways to deliver content. I come from the industry and content was always needed when people that were observing were smart and involved and decision-makers instead of so passively just trying to pass the course. In my imagination, the tutorials would be a tool where the learners themselves can have much more hands-on learning during a Collaborate session."

"The system can overload when too many try logging in."

"There is probably room for improvement in interoperability."

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Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Blackboard Collaborate?

See all answers

What needs improvement with Blackboard Collaborate?

We faced outages when the user limit went over a certain number.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Blackboard Collaborate?

We use the solution in web seminars, online classrooms, and meetings.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Polycom RealPresence Desktop?

The solution is built right into Clarity.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Polycom RealPresence Desktop?

There is probably room for improvement in interoperability.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Polycom RealPresence Desktop?

We use the desktop. It was used in the same case. We use it with our partners.

See all answers

Comparisons

No data available

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Virtual Meetings

April 2025

Download Blackboard Collaborate product report

Buyer's Guide

Virtual Meetings

April 2025

Download Polycom RealPresence Desktop product report

Also Known As

Blackboard Mobile

RealPresence Desktop

Overview

Blackboard Mobile give your learners, educators, and community access to all aspects of the educational experience on their mobile devices and they'll be able to go anywhere. Giving you the power to engage everyone on their terms and devices. Offering instant access to the information they need. Encouraging the interaction they crave.

Blackboard

Polycom RealPresence Desktop is a powerful, enterprise-grade video chat app for PC & Mac. The video conferencing software extends communications beyond the typical conference room setting to mobile professionals. RealPresence Desktop combines quality HD video, industry-leading interoperability, and security that is both cost effective and highly scalable.

When powered by Polycom's infrastructure, customers can extend desktop collaboration value with app management, interoperability, scalability, resiliency, and multi-point calling.

Poly

Sample Customers

University of Derby Online, Universty of Warwick, University of Liverpool, City College Norwich, Northumberland College, Mid-Kent College, Watson Pharmaceutials, Capella University, Shore Tel Sky, Lincoln PD, City of Somerville MA, Somerset County Council

John Laing, China Daily, Lincoln Fire and Rescue, NATO Communications and Information Agency, NHS Home Dialysis, Silver Chain, South Carolina Department of Mental Health, nimed

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