Blackboard Learning Management vs CYPHER Learning comparison

Blackboard and CYPHER LEARNING are both solutions in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category. Blackboard is ranked #6 with an average rating of 7.3, while CYPHER LEARNING is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7. Blackboard holds a 2.4% mindshare in LMS, compared to CYPHER LEARNING’s 5.1% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Blackboard users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of CYPHER LEARNING users who would recommend it.

Blackboard Learning Management

Read 8 Blackboard Learning Management reviews

2,265 Views
214 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

CYPHER Learning

Read 51 CYPHER Learning reviews

2,924 Views
520 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Blackboard Learning Management

CYPHER Learning

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Blackboard Learning Management and CYPHER Learning are competitors in the educational technology industry, both offering robust solutions for online learning. CYPHER Learning appears to have the upper hand due to its innovative features and ease of use, despite its higher pricing.

Features: Blackboard Learning Management offers extensive administrative and course management tools, supporting diverse instructional needs and integration capabilities. Its features include comprehensive grading data collection, attendance tracking through Blackboard Collaborate, and robust analytics for engagement and interest measurement. CYPHER Learning offers AI-driven learning paths, gamified learning experiences, adaptive e-learning solutions, and personalized lesson creation, providing rich features and innovative educational approaches.

Room for Improvement: Blackboard Learning Management may benefit from streamlining its complex setup process and improving its user interface to enhance user engagement. It could also expand its gamification capabilities. CYPHER Learning might improve by reducing its overall pricing to increase accessibility, expanding integration with other platforms, and enhancing report generation efficiency to better cater to larger institutions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Blackboard Learning Management requires a complex initial setup and often comprehensive technical support, yet it provides effective integration with existing systems. On the other hand, CYPHER Learning offers a streamlined deployment process, with excellent customer support ensuring a faster setup and user adoption, giving it a notable advantage.

Pricing and ROI: Blackboard Learning Management generally incurs higher initial setup costs due to extensive integration and configuration needs, delivering a substantial ROI for institutions utilizing its capabilities fully. CYPHER Learning, with a higher ongoing investment, quickly achieves a tangible ROI through its feature-rich offerings and efficient deployment, leading to a greater perceived value in the market.

To learn more, read our detailed Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning

January 2025

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Helped 831,265 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 Learning Management

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

6th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

CYPHER Learning

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

1st

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Blackboard Learning Management is 2.4%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of CYPHER Learning is 5.1%, down from 6.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Featured Reviews

James Phelps

Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern University

Expandable with good real-time live interactions but is very expensive

Initially, Blackboard had problems for faculty members who were forced to use it to try to get it set up and running. That said, over time, they improved that. Unfortunately, due to its licensing requirements on standalone systems, like at a university on our servers, we run into problems where we can only set it up in one way. The way you teach a biology class is not the way you teach a social science class, for example. It's not flexible. Often you are forced into compromising in such a manner that neither group would be happy. If you need help, the help desk in-house will provide 24-hour help to both students and faculty. That means you have eight people, eight hours a day, supervisors, and an overall manager. It takes at least 12 people to handle maintenance for a 10,000-person campus for 24-hour coverage.

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Paulo Ian Perez

HR Director at Potato Corner

We have seen cost savings because we no longer need to send training teams to international territories

We use almost all the functionalities of the platform especially for product training videos, lectures, onboarding, assessment, and exams. We also use the gamification function to engage our employees and effectively reward them. In terms of portal usage. With these developments, we are able to automate almost all the onboarding and training requirements for both our new and existing workforce. The rules engine has helped us personalize content based on users’ goals and performance. For example, we are now working on further improving the training process for China, Middle East, and soon India markets. There is also a wide range of analytics in the platform that show level of engagement and interest - logged in hours, percentage of trainees / attendees taking exams and those actively using the platform. Since we have drastically lessened onsite training to almost none, we rely heavily on trainees' consistent use of the platform. CYPHER Learning's competency-based learning feature is very important for helping ensure content is compliant with the goals of the course. A case in point would be our crews that are assigned to stores. They go through the program and thereby complete and pass the required exams and related "certification processes". Getting them "certified" to man stations and shifts are enough proof of competence to be deployed. For those who do not pass the certification, we have them go through retraining until they eventually get certified.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"One of the most important features is the possibility of creating unlimited subdomains."

"One of Blackboard's strengths is its historical prominence as a leading LMS for universities in the US and Europe a decade or more ago."

"It is scalable."

"The solution is easy to use."

"Blackboard enables instructors to collectively gather all the grading data into one place. If students upload content or post it to a Google Doc, I can do my grading and calculate the grades. It is an excellent holding place for all of that data"

"It encompasses various components, including course delivery modules, content management, community engagement features, digital classrooms, and mobile integration."

"The modules and courses are flexible."

"The usability makes it easy for our doctors to find whatever they're looking for. The groups help them interact with each other, creating a kind of network and a place of engagement. It's not just a platform to go and learn and get out. It's a place where they can actually interact with other doctors and share experiences."

"The ability to integrate it with a lot of our third-party service providers like Turnitin, through a plugin, is helpful. There aren't many learning management systems that integrate so well with different APIs and LTIs, especially when a school has various tools in its tech stack."

"Compared to other platforms, it is very user-friendly and intuitive, and both teachers and students can easily find what they need and use the functions without extensive training."

"For as long as I have been working with MATRIX (for a few years now), they have the social aspect with groups. The thing that they did not have for years, until earlier this year, was a reply-all feature. I had been asking for that for years and they finally added it this year. That has been helpful because now our students are less frustrated."

"It has 100% helped me organize my time. It provides more time for interaction and feedback with my students, both in the classroom or personally. This is why I consider the solution as an achievement. It feels more collaborative in the sense that planning not only depends on me, but also on my students."

"When I do a survey, CYPHER Learning is helpful because then I can more quickly peruse students' responses. I don't have to go through question by question. Grading-wise, it has certainly helped, when giving a survey, to streamline my grading for that assignment."

"One of the features that is very good is the automation for setting trigger rules that show or hide specific class sections or assignments."

"The in-depth reporting feature of CYPHER Learning enables us to better understand the training needs of our customers and monitor the performance of our training services."

More CYPHER Learning pros

Cons

"It would be ideal to create a more responsive or more intuitive template for access from telephones or tablets."

"The solution must provide better integration with third-party software."

"The system falls short in terms of managing assessments and exams effectively."

"Blackboard could benefit from significant improvements in its data storage and software functionality to remain competitive with more innovative LMS solutions."

"Blackboard has limitations in terms of delivering content and assessing student assignments because it can't handle large file sizes. It's also limited in its ability to track student activity. Instructors can see the student's most recent login, but they can't follow the activity."

"The solution is not flexible."

"I would like to have the ability to search by certificate number in order to verify the validity of a certificate."

"The gamification option is a section that we have not learned because we have not been able to specify a training space for the use of this gamification tab. However, it would be good to have training and learn about how to use it."

"I would also like to see them improve accessibility for younger kids. Perhaps they could enable us to customize folders in a more playful way."

"CYPHER Learning should definitely offer live video conferencing integration."

"The vendor could improve on the chat system. Right now, the student only has access to messaging. Maybe it would be good to have a mini chat or the ability to do video calls with teachers if they have any questions about an assignment."

"There is further work to be done on the translation accuracy of international languages. It is really a challenge to have a system for perfect translation, especially as there are unique dialects embedded in different languages. In the future, the platform can have an integrated application that can "precisely" translate languages."

"One thing I find annoying is that the system is quite limited when it comes to roles. I was used to our old system where I could create custom roles to cater to specific users and that's not available in CYPHER Learning."

"One thing that I wish was different was that it showed the full title in the catalog when I create something outside, such as in Articulate 360, and bring it in. When you go into the catalog title, it does not show you the whole title. If it is a long title, it will just have three dots. I wish it would just show the entire title, even if it goes into the next line so that people can see the whole title."

More CYPHER Learning cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product pricing tends to be higher than alternatives."

"At the beginning, you can choose a basic plan. As your users grow you can buy a more expensive license."

"The price was fair for all the features we received."

"When I first started, I wanted the enterprise package. We had to build up our student base to get up to the number of students that we needed to be in that enterprise package. Then, we had a 100% return on investment within the first year of using the program."

"Our satisfaction with the pricing is a 10 out of 10."

"NEO's price is good."

"The pricing is somewhere in the middle. It's not too expensive and, for what it is, it's very reasonable."

"Their plans are based on enrollment numbers. We're at the silver level with 100 active learners. So, you're really beholden to how many learners you're going to accommodate. There are no extra costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."

"Understanding your active users, compared to total users, in terms of the plan you choose, is something to be aware of."

"For our for-profit entities, CYPHER Learning is the perfect solution in terms of cost. It is not too expensive and is about the same as what other service providers charge."

More CYPHER Learning pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

23%

Educational Organization

20%

Government

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

25%

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Blackboard Learning Management?

The modules and courses are flexible.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Blackboard Learning Management?

The product pricing tends to be higher than alternatives like Canvas, making Blackboard more suitable for larger universities with substantial budgets.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Blackboard Learning Management?

Blackboard could benefit from significant improvements in its data storage and software functionality to remain competitive with more innovative LMS solutions.

See all answers

What do you like most about NEO LMS?

Creating courses for our resources is one of the best features of CYPHER Learning.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NEO LMS?

It seems moderate and as per industry standards. In my previous organization, we had to hire an outside company, so I know what companies charge to do just a single course. Considering that, the pr...

See all answers

What needs improvement with NEO LMS?

The AI feature needs some fine-tuning or tweaking. They use Microsoft Copilot. I have had courses on and used the AI feature. I find myself having to correct a lot of mistakes that it has made. It ...

See all answers

Comparisons

Google Classroom vs Blackboard Learning Management

Compared 100% of the time

More Blackboard Learning Management Competitors

Moodle vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 36% of the time

Canvas LMS vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 33% of the time

Cornerstone Learning vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 16% of the time

TalentLMS vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 15% of the time

More CYPHER Learning Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management

January 2025

Download Blackboard Learning Management product report

Buyer's Guide

CYPHER Learning

December 2024

Download CYPHER Learning product report

Also Known As

No data available

MATRIX LMS, NEO LMS

Learn More

Blackboard

CYPHER LEARNING

Overview

Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) is a comprehensive platform designed to enhance the teaching and learning experience in educational institutions. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Blackboard LMS enables educators to create, deliver, and manage online courses effectively. Blackboard LMS is facilitates communication and collaboration among students and instructors. The platform's built-in discussion boards, chat rooms, and messaging systems enable real-time interaction and engagement, fostering a sense of community and allowing students to participate actively in the learning process.

Blackboard LMS also provides a full set of tools for content creation and management. Educators can easily upload and organize course materials, including documents, videos, and multimedia resources. The platform supports various file formats, making it convenient for instructors to deliver diverse content to their students.

Assessment and grading are simplified with Blackboard LMS. Educators can create online quizzes, assignments, and exams, and even set automated grading criteria. This saves time and effort, while also providing students with immediate feedback on their performance. The platform also offers grade book functionality, allowing instructors to track and manage student progress easily.

Blackboard LMS features robust analytics and reporting capabilities. Educators can access detailed data on student engagement, performance, and participation, enabling them to identify areas for improvement and tailor their teaching strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach enhances the effectiveness of instruction and supports personalized learning.

Blackboard LMS is also highly customizable, allowing institutions to tailor the platform to their specific needs. It integrates seamlessly with other educational tools and systems, ensuring a smooth workflow and enhancing the overall learning experience.

Blackboard Learning Management System is a powerful and versatile platform that empowers educators to deliver engaging and effective online courses. With its comprehensive features, user-friendly interface, and customizable options, Blackboard LMS is a valuable tool for educational institutions seeking to enhance their teaching and learning environment.

CYPHER Learning® exists to give learners the power to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Trainers, learning and development (L&D) pros, HR pros, and educators get everything they need in one platform to deliver faster, more personalized, and better learning outcomes. We provide the only all-in-one AI-powered learning platform that is easy-to-use, beautifully designed, and built to power hundreds of millions of learning moments every day. Create courses faster. Train and teach better. Learn even quicker. Experience our "just in time, just for you, just the way you want to learn" approach that puts people first.

Brandon Hall Group says:

"CYPHER Learning is not your typical “way inside the box” parochial learning tech. This is a supercharged next-generation technology platform that rocks competency and skills-based learning.”

“The best way to describe the tech is to say it anticipates the moves of the learner. And it’s super powerful. Like a Ferrari, the tech effortlessly combines beauty with the beast to deliver an elegant and stylish learning environment. This is what modern learning is supposed to be.”

Forbes Advisor says:

“The intuitive user interface (UI) and multiple ways to award learners for using the CYPHER Learning platform scores major points—it’s visually pleasing and keeps learners engaged. Aside from the user experience (UX) though, it’s a comprehensive platform that’s simple to use to create courses and track analytics of learner performance.”

Enduring benefits of the CYPHER human-centric approach
Learners desire and demand modern, holistic learning - to keep competitive, entertained, and ready for what’s ahead. Our human-centric approach delivers benefits and outcomes that have lasting positive effects on their personalized school path, career path, and life path.

CYPHER for Business
- Increased employee engagement
- Better employee lifecycle outcomes
- Increased competitive advantage
- Stronger culture of continuous learning
- Increased trainer and admin productivity

CYPHER for Academia
- Increased student engagement
- Better workforce preparedness
- Increased enjoyment of learning
- Stronger sense of purpose
- Increased teacher and admin productivity

Millions of users look to CYPHER everyday to deliver dynamic and personalized learning solutions like:

- Personalized skills development
- Hybrid learning
- Teacher and trainer productivity
- Training (employee, partners, customers, product, + more)
- Onboarding
- Employee lifecycle management
- Compliance
- Extended enterprise

and so much more!

The CYPHER platform has it all. Sophisticated automation, leveled-up gamification, insightful reporting and analytics (ROI), skills development, smart learning paths and proactive recommendations, customization, personalization, toolsets for every user.

“...users discover what great looks like when they use CYPHER."
- Brandon Hall Group

See the modern learning platform at: www.cypherlearning.com

Sample Customers

University of Derby, University of Warwick, John Moore's University

Millions of users across business, academia, and entrepreneurs - worldwide.

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning

January 2025

Free Report: Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning

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