Blackboard Learning Management vs CYPHER Learning comparison

Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning

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Helped 856,873 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)

2nd

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Blackboard Learning Management is 2.0%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of CYPHER Learning is 3.9%, down from 5.5% 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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Roland Lorenzo M Ruben

Philosophy Professor at De La Salle University - Dasmariñas

Offers flexible learning and saves printing costs; it has been excellent for us

There is room for improvement in the CYPHER Learning mobile application because my students have given feedback that they are not using the mobile app as it takes time to open. I also use the app. For me, it is easier to use than using the browser, but some of the students do not use it because it takes a very long time to open. Most of our students are using smartphones. Some students do not have laptops, so if the mobile app is more responsive, it would be a great help for us. The peer feedback feature is not user-friendly. Some of our faculty members were very happy when CYPHER gave the news that there is already a peer feedback feature because we were asking for it, but when they used it, they found it complicated and not user-friendly. They were disappointed with the peer feedback feature. When students submit their outputs, we want their classmates to give feedback as well, but that is not very easy to use. After I tried it, I also did not find it very friendly to use. They have this assessment type where we can group our students. We create groups, and they can work and collaborate with the group. While grading the submissions of the groups, although we can see that the students are separated by groups, we still have to grade them one by one. We would like a way to grade the group as one. For example, if there are five members in a group, currently, we give each member a grade. It would be easier to be able to give the same grade to all the members of the group. The team assessment feature could be improved to allow grading the group as one.

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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

"It is scalable."

"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 solution is easy to use."

"The modules and courses are flexible."

"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."

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

"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."

"We also use the platform for automation and adaptive learning purposes. The ability to set trigger rules that show or hide specific class sections or assignments is as optimal as possible. Because it is intuitive, it is easy to create content for students in a personalized way. And it is very intuitive for the students."

"I really like the fact that it's cloud-based. That means you don't have to look for updates. They happen automatically, which is great. It's also an easy, plug-and-play type of application. It is quite user-friendly and modern."

"I am able to monitor the classes: who has entered, who has not entered yet, and who has viewed the classes. If we are working on an assignment it allows me to upload an assessment rubric where they can see and learn about their progress."

"The competency-based learning systems that we have created are very important. Before, we were using Talent Elements and the reason we shifted to CYPHER Learning was because of this feature. They are the reason for buying this product."

"Having the SCORM packaging and the ability to move that SCORM packaging in is my number one feature."

"I like that you can choose your home screen widget. We have a centralized calendar that sends a reminder to students about tasks that are due."

"Initially, I was very excited about the automations. But when we started using the actual courses, I found that the ability to sync content and settings from parent courses to child courses is what I value the most. But both the automations and syncing are at the top of the list."

More CYPHER Learning pros

Cons

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

"The solution is not flexible."

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

"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."

"If there is one area that I would like to see more improvement in, it would be around detailed reporting. There are some little things that they could add that would give us more insights and we'd like to access those things through the reporting."

"As an administrator of our LMS, there are a lot of things that could be improved, but these are not seen by students or professors. One is the admin features for adding students."

"The user interface looks dated compared to more modern learning management systems, which are really clean."

"The search function needs to be improved; it isn't currently working correctly and has no value to us at this point, but it should be of great value. To my knowledge, CYPHER Learning is presently working on this issue."

"One of the things that I would like to see improvement on is detecting duplicate users by identifying them by their names and not only by their email addresses. Many people change their email addresses but we don't know that they have. This can result in unnecessary duplication of user accounts."

"I think it would be helpful if the resources were more structured in a how-to format."

"Most of the room for improvement is around my course design, the video content, and the structure of my courses so that they're more engaging and interactive. Whether the platform can help me deliver those outcomes, I'm not sure, but that will probably be my core focus over the next 12 months."

"eCommerce integration is crucial for us. They have two separate reporting styles. You can view information within the courses themselves, and you can view information on the eCommerce orders. The reporting within the courses and the eCommerce orders are separate, causing difficulty."

More CYPHER Learning 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."

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

"The system is not cheap but it's affordable. The pricing is fair... The cherry on top was that we received all the functionality with the simplest plan, the one with the minimal number of users. It couldn't be any better."

"The main reason we went for it was cost, which was very reasonable."

"Because our cost went down by 50%, I would say that the pricing is competitive."

"I'm an instructional designer, and from a build or a designer standpoint, it would be nice to have a more user-friendly resource folder to access artifacts to pull into course modules. The second feature that I would love is that while editing any page inside CYPHER Learning, there should be more functionality to design it well."

"Even though it's priced high, the return on investment is going to be phenomenal. It does what you want it to do."

"It is cheap for us. We started with CYPHER Learning, and then when our contract was finished, we needed to undergo a bidding process. We had to look at other LMSs as well and compare it with them. Its price convinced us to stay with CYPHER Learning. The cost is low, but the quality is excellent. The lower price compared to other LMSs makes it perfect for us."

"It's a little bit more than I want to pay, but I'm okay with it."

More CYPHER Learning pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

22%

Educational Organization

20%

Government

10%

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

17%

Computer Software Company

14%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Government

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 NEO LMS?

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

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

I did not negotiate the pricing, but from what I gathered, it was a significant purchase for us at West Music. We recognize its value and potential for growth, making it worthwhile.

What needs improvement with NEO LMS?

The primary area for improvement is the reporting between courses and eCommerce, which currently use two separate reporting styles. Information can be accessed within the courses themselves, as wel...

Google Classroom vs Blackboard Learning Management

Comparisons

Compared 100% of the time

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Cornerstone Learn vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 43% of the time

Canvas LMS vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 32% of the time

Moodle vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 25% of the time

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Product Reports

Blackboard Learning Management

Download Blackboard Learning Management product report

CYPHER Learning

Download CYPHER Learning product report

Also Known As

No data available

MATRIX LMS, NEO LMS

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

CYPHER Learning provides an AI-powered platform designed for efficient, personalized learning. It supports an ever-evolving educational and professional landscape with intuitive, comprehensive tools.

CYPHER Learning offers a unified learning experience, simplifying course creation and improving learner engagement through automation, gamification, and adaptive learning. Its intuitive design enhances communication and multimedia integration, making it suitable for trainers, educators, and HR professionals. Advanced analytics and customization options bolster its capabilities, positioning it as a leading choice for competency-based education and training.

What features define CYPHER Learning?

Gamification: Encourages engagement through game-like elements.
Adaptive Learning: Tailors content to individual learner needs.
Competency-Based Learning: Focuses on skill development and mastery.
Automation: Streamlines content delivery and administrative tasks.
Customizable Course Materials: Allows tailored content and pathways.

Why consider CYPHER Learning?

Enhanced Engagement: Keeps learners motivated with captivating experiences.
Improved Productivity: Increases efficiency for trainers and administrators.
Comprehensive Analytics: Provides insights into learner performance and engagement.
Seamless Integration: Integrates with external platforms for a unified experience.

CYPHER Learning finds applications in industries like health, insurance, and retail management, supporting technical training, onboarding, and professional development. Organizations leverage its customizable features for both self-paced and cohort-based learning, enriching their educational initiatives across sectors.

CYPHER LEARNING

Sample Customers

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

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

Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning