Blackboard Collaborate vs Skype for Business comparison

Blackboard and Microsoft are both solutions in the Virtual Meetings category. Blackboard is ranked #27 with an average rating of 6.0, while Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.1. Blackboard holds a 0.9% mindshare in VM, compared to Microsoft’s 11.7% mindshare. Additionally, 75% of Blackboard users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 79% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

Blackboard Collaborate

Read 4 Blackboard Collaborate reviews

152 Views
143 Comparison Views

75% willing to recommend

Skype for Business

Read 62 Skype for Business reviews

1,415 Views
990 Comparison Views

79% willing to recommend

Blackboard Collaborate

Skype for Business

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

Blackboard Collaborate and Skype for Business are tools competing in virtual collaboration. Skype for Business often has the upper hand in corporate settings due to Microsoft's integration and broader application.

Features: Blackboard Collaborate offers an interactive whiteboard, breakout groups, and polling capabilities. Skype for Business includes integration with Microsoft products, IM, and presence indicators, supporting large meetings.

Room for Improvement: Blackboard Collaborate needs improved ease of deployment, more intuitive user interface, and better integration with non-educational tools. Skype for Business can enhance mobile interface quality, reduce complexity in non-Microsoft environments, and improve video quality.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Skype for Business has straightforward deployment in Microsoft-rich environments with comprehensive support. Blackboard Collaborate requires more specialized setup but offers targeted guidance for educational settings.

Pricing and ROI: Blackboard Collaborate offers good ROI for educational institutions through specialized tools. Skype for Business provides better value for those integrated within Microsoft's ecosystem, maximizing ROI through its wide feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed Blackboard Collaborate vs. Skype for Business Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Collaborate vs. Skype for Business

July 2025

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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

27th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Skype for Business

Ranking in Virtual Meetings

4th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Virtual Meetings category, the mindshare of Blackboard Collaborate is 0.9%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Skype for Business is 11.7%, up from 8.1% 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.

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Magdalena Teodorczuk

Senior at Krajowy Depozyt Papierów Wartosciowych S.A.

Offers great audio and video quality for virtual meetings

I like the instant messaging feature in the product since I prefer to use the chat functionalities provided by the solution. It is easy to integrate the product with some of the other solutions in the market. I rate the integration capabilities of the product a ten out of ten. The product's user interface is user-friendly. I use the product at a personal level, so I can't speak about the support it provides for the maintenance part. I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.

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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

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

"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."

"Document loading and annotation."

"It's a good and stable product that fits my needs."

"What is most valuable about Skype for Business is that almost everyone knows about it and almost everyone has it. You will be able to reach a large number of people."

"The integration with Microsoft Outlook for creating and scheduling meetings is nice."

"I like the seamless integration to local telecommunications."

"It saves trouble, and it saves us time."

"The security seems good."

"I use the chat feature to communicate with my staff, which is very helpful."

"The solution’s video quality is fine."

More Skype for Business pros

Cons

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

"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."

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

"The solution's functionality needs to be moved to Microsoft Teams. Its technology is outdated."

"The initial setup could be simplified."

"We need a feature where you can virtually raise your hand to silently let the presenter know that you have a question."

"There are not many options, in terms of some other third-party integration."

"Lacks a zoom-in feature for whoever is presenting."

"The solution has been discontinued by Microsoft."

"I would like to see an updated user interface and layout even though no functionality is missing."

"There might be some invitation issues with Skype for Business."

More Skype for Business cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"Previously, I did not use another solution."

"The solution is priced fairly."

"The pricing is really good. It is quite affordable because it came with our Office 365. It is on a per-user license, which is nice. I quite like that they have made it very granular with all of their licensing."

"It may be slightly costly, but the features are awesome."

"We negotiated a fair price with Microsoft. It is definitely worthwhile to negotiate with them for the best price for your solution."

"I use the product's open-source version."

"I am using a corporate account for which I have not made any payments."

"To realize value from the purchase of Skype Business, you need to take advantage of all the important functions of the program."

More Skype for Business pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Manufacturing Company

17%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

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 do you like most about Skype for Business?

The solution’s video quality is fine.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Skype for Business?

Skype for Business is affordable and has decent pricing. The video quality is a bit lower than Teams or Zoom, but it remains a good solution overall.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Skype for Business?

The video quality could be improved, possibly due to internet connection issues. However, there is no significant weakness in Skype for Business.

See all answers

Comparisons

Zoom Workplace Business vs Blackboard Collaborate

Compared 100% of the time

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Cisco Unified Communications vs Skype for Business

Compared 23% of the time

Webex vs Skype for Business

Compared 23% of the time

TeamViewer Business vs Skype for Business

Compared 18% of the time

Zoom Workplace Business vs Skype for Business

Compared 17% of the time

GoToMeeting vs Skype for Business

Compared 7% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Virtual Meetings

July 2025

Download Blackboard Collaborate product report

Buyer's Guide

Skype for Business

July 2025

Download Skype for Business product report

Also Known As

Blackboard Mobile

Skype for Business Plan 1, Skype for Business Plan 2, Lync Server

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

Skype for Business offers features including presence, IM, voice and video calls, online meetings, conferencing, and telephony solutions that support enterprise-level collaboration requirements. Skype for Business Record meetings, share your screen, and annotate PowerPoint for real-time collaboration with up to 250 people and use whiteboard, polls, Q&A, and built-in IM during your business meetings to make them more productive. Skype for Business provides new client experience, Skype for Business Server provides several new features to improve manageability of on-premises servers and hybrid solutions. Skype for Business also supports the Lync client experience so that you can choose a phased upgrade approach to the new client experience for users. Skype for Business is also an integral part of Microsoft Office 365, providing PSTN Conferencing, Cloud PBX, PSTN Calling, and Skype Meeting Broadcast capabilities to Office 365 users.

Microsoft

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

EmpireCLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services,LA Fitness, MedcoEnergi International, Tampa General Hospital, and HopewellHoldings Limited.

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Collaborate vs. Skype for Business

July 2025

Free Report: Blackboard Collaborate vs. Skype for Business

Find out what your peers are saying about Blackboard Collaborate vs. Skype for Business and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.

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