Blackboard Learning Management vs Moodle comparison

Blackboard Learning Management

Read 29 Moodle reviews

1,878 Views
1,251 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

Blackboard Learning Management and Moodle are competing educational platforms. Blackboard has the upper hand in environments where enterprise stability and support are needed, while Moodle leads in flexibility and customization due to its open-source nature.

Features: Blackboard provides advanced analytics and comprehensive assessment tools and integrates seamlessly with large institutions for added stability. Moodle offers a high degree of customization with thousands of plugins and robust community support, making it ideal for tailored educational experiences. Its flexibility allows institutions to modify and extend capabilities as needed.

Room for Improvement: Blackboard could enhance its user interface to be more intuitive for educators and students and address the high cost of integration for smaller institutions. Additionally, greater transparency in pricing models could be improved. Moodle's open-source nature adds a technical demand which can be challenging for non-technical users, and its user interface may benefit from redesigning for a more modern, user-friendly experience. Continuous community updates can sometimes lead to inconsistency in feature availability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Blackboard offers diverse deployment models, including cloud-based and on-premises, with strong customer support that aids in smooth transitions. Moodle requires more technical involvement during deployment but provides extensive documentation and community forums for assistance, allowing for significant adaptability to user needs.

Pricing and ROI: Blackboard typically involves higher setup costs which may impact initial ROI, yet offers long-term scalability and support that can justify the initial outlay. Moodle’s open-source platform means lower upfront costs, enhancing initial ROI, particularly for institutions with in-house technical resources. However, ongoing maintenance and customization can affect the total cost of ownership over time.

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

Blackboard Learning Management vs. Moodle

Download the complete report

Helped 845,406 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

Moodle

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

2nd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Blackboard Learning Management is 2.4%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Moodle is 11.6%, down from 16.1% 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.

Read full review

Ertan Aslan

Head of Educational Technology and Innovation Department Experience at a educational organization with 51-200 employees

Plenty of modules, highly flexible, and advantageous different user types

It would be a benefit if there was an easy single sign-on with social media services for Moodle. There are some plugins that I tried, but they didn't work seamlessly. it is a work in progress. Having the single sign-on with social media services would be appreciated because in my school we are using Google suite and the main reason why we use Google Classroom is that it is integrated seamlessly with the suite. If I have the same seamless integration with Google suite with Moodle, I would use Moodle more often. I'm using it for myself, but school-wise, it's limited because of the ease of access. Google Classroom is very simple, and straightforward for teachers. It has many features with most being basic. It's easy for everyone to learn. Moodle has a lot of advanced features which can scare people who are not advanced users. If Moodle could improve user-friendliness or more people would use it. This includes the user interface and the overall user experience could improve. When comparing it to Google, it's a bit more difficult. For example, with Google Classroom, as long as you have a Google account any teacher can go there and create a classroom. However, with Moodle, it's a bit difficult. You need to have a system first. It has to be installed, and then you need to know how to create a classroom. You need to know how to use those tools. It requires some getting used to and some training.

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 is easy to use."

"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."

"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"

"The modules and courses are flexible."

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

"It is scalable."

"It is relatively easy to use to build processes for establishing and conducting work within the templates that are used. It is not that hard to follow along or use, and it is pretty simple to pick it up and run with it."

"It doesn't take long to learn how to use it and to set up basic courses and things like that."

"The fact that it's modular means you can easily expand with thousands of plugins that you can freely download from Moodle headquarters, and adding or removing functionality is easy."

"One of my biggest pet peeves is that many LMSs do not offer a course or site-level backup that is an industry-standard file. So, if you decide you don't like Moodle or some other LMS, you should be able to back up all your data and take it and go somewhere else. Moodle does offer that. There are several others that do that as well, but there are some LMSs that don't, which isn't a very good business practice because they hold their clients hostage. That's one of the things I really like about Moodle."

"This is a scalable solution. We have had 30,000 students using the solution. During COVID, we were able to accommodate a 500% increase in traffic."

"The monitoring aspect is important for students."

"The solution is stable."

"They have made it really easy for you to see the flow on the forums. The information is well organized and the UI is fairly easy to navigate."

More Moodle pros

Cons

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

"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."

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

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

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

"Moodle could improve by being more user-friendly. Sometimes it worked and other times it didn't. If you get stuck, then you don't have a point of contact. Additionally, a VPN is required to make sure the connection is secured."

"Where Moodle could definitely improve is the user interface. You have a lot of themes and you can customize themes, but if you are going to use Moodle off the shelf, even with a hosting company, a lot of training is involved. Training is available, but if your faculty or your development team isn't highly technical, it's going to be a challenge, whereas there are other interfaces that are much easier, but they don't do as much. So, there is a give and take there. If Moodle could find a way to make the user interface for the instructional designers and the learners more intuitive, it probably would be a huge improvement. The manager area and the admin area are fine, but when it comes to the people who are using the system but might not be highly technical, it needs improvement."

"The customization of the interface could be improved."

"The solution architecture could be improved."

"The ability to input modified, individual, independent grades in a grade center component is not just hard. It almost always requires you to get tech involved. When you're dealing with a learning system where you have people in an open enrollment with all different levels of learning modes or methodologies, and as well as a worldwide student body, you end up with situations where you have to absolutely exempt somebody from a grade or an assignment and enter a new, different kind of assignment because of their skillset or lack thereof. You can't do that in Moodle. It is virtually impossible to do that in Moodle without having a tech do it for you, and when you have to have that level of tech support, it becomes problematic. They need to fix the grade book center. It is the part where you do evaluations. They need to fix it so that the individual professors can make changes directly without having to get a hold of tech support to do it for them."

"It would be a benefit if there was an easy single sign-on with social media services for Moodle. There are some plugins that I tried, but they didn't work seamlessly. it is a work in progress. Having the single sign-on with social media services would be appreciated because in my school we are using Google suite and the main reason why we use Google Classroom is that it is integrated seamlessly with the suite."

"The multi-tenancy system within Moodle could be improved. IOMAD is what makes the multi-tenancy possible but this comes with many issues."

"It would be good to have a feature that would ensure that students are the ones performing the given assessment."

More Moodle cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

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

"It is a free-of-cost solution."

"It is open source, and it has a lot of free documentation. It can be by far the least expensive option, but it depends on how one decides to use it. It can be free if you download it and host it on-prem, and you don't count your time as being worth anything. So, it can be almost free, or it can be very expensive just depending on if you get a package with a provider and if it is a huge solution."

"Moodle is an open-source solution that is free of cost."

"Moodle is a free open-sourced solution. This is one of the best aspects of Moodle."

"It varies depending on the partner you're going with. It depends on whether they are a certified partner or not. It also varies depending on the demand. Usually, with Moodle and other LMSs, there is concurrent licensing. It's hard to figure out the best way to do it at the company that is selling the LMS. Moodle is usually one of the most cost-effective LMSs you can get."

"Moodle is a free online learning platform, but it also offers a paid version of it."

"Moodle is a free solution."

"Moodle offer a 14 day free trial and then requires payment."

More Moodle pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Learning Management Systems (LMS) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

21%

Educational Organization

20%

Government

10%

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

13%

Comms Service Provider

13%

Manufacturing Company

University

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.

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.

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.

What do you like most about Moodle?

The customization features of Moodle significantly enhance the learning experience for our users.

What needs improvement with Moodle?

The customization of the interface could be improved. Although we can load and change themes, it still always looks like Moodle. We have not found a way to significantly alter its appearance.

What is your primary use case for Moodle?

We use Moodle to manage our students' information, the classes, and the course catalog, which are mainly related to education. It serves as a learning management system for teaching in class.

Google Classroom vs Blackboard Learning Management

Comparisons

Compared 100% of the time

More Blackboard Learning Management Competitors

SAP SuccessFactors Learning vs Moodle

Compared 26% of the time

Google Classroom vs Moodle

Compared 20% of the time

Cornerstone Learning vs Moodle

Compared 9% of the time

LearnWorlds vs Moodle

Compared 8% of the time

CYPHER Learning vs Moodle

Compared 7% of the time

More Moodle Competitors

Product Reports

Blackboard Learning Management

Download Blackboard Learning Management product report

Download Moodle product report

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.

Blackboard

Moodle is an open-source LMS offering course management, community plugins, and comprehensive integrations. Its modular design supports extensive customization, making it suitable for education sectors and corporate training.

Moodle provides a robust platform for creating and managing educational content. It integrates seamlessly with tools like Zoom and Teams, enhances cheat prevention with exam question shuffling, and supports advanced customization and accessibility. While its flexibility caters to diverse educational and corporate environments, Moodle faces challenges with login issues, improving mobile functionality, and a cumbersome setup process. Efforts to enhance documentation and ensure ease of navigation are ongoing. Its integration capabilities with ERP systems and support for LTI tools further position Moodle as a valuable resource for both educators and learners.

What are Moodle’s key features?

Course Management: Enables the creation and organization of courses, assignments, and exams.
Community Plugins: Offers extendable features through a variety of plugins supporting collaborative learning.
Integration with Tools: Supports platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Google Suite for enhanced communication and collaboration.
Security: Ensures robust protection of data with advanced security measures.
Accessibility Options: Provides tools to make learning accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
Document Import/Export: Easy management of course materials via import/export capabilities.
LTI Tool Integration: Seamless incorporation of Learning Tools Interoperability standards for broader resource access.

What benefits can users expect from Moodle?

Customization: Flexibility allows tailoring of the platform to specific requirements or objectives.
Ease of Use: Designed for efficient course administration and facilitation of learning.
Role-Based Access: Supports personalized user roles and permissions.
Cost-Effectiveness: Open-source nature ensures budget-friendly deployment and maintenance.
Wide Range of Plugins: Enhances capability through a supportive plugin ecosystem.

In educational and corporate industries, Moodle is implemented for exam scheduling, resource management, and online assessments. It facilitates instructor-student interactions and is adaptable for both on-premises and cloud deployments. Organizations leverage Moodle for customizing employee certifications and training programs, benefiting from its versatile access controls and management tools.

Sample Customers

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

Acacia University, Alliant International University, American University of Health Sciences, Anaheim University Online, Aspen University, Cal State University San Bernardino, California State University Los Angeles, Chattanooga Fire Training, City of Humble Fire Department, George Washington University, Georgia Institute of Emergency Medical Services, Michigan Online Classroom, Virginia Beach Sheriffs Office, Washington Post

Blackboard Learning Management vs. Moodle