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Blackboard Learning Management vs Thinkific Plus comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

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)
7th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Thinkific Plus
Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)
25th
Average Rating
5.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.5
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category, the mindshare of Blackboard Learning Management is 1.0%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Thinkific Plus is 0.8%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Learning Management Systems (LMS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Blackboard Learning Management1.0%
Thinkific Plus0.8%
Other98.2%
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
 

Featured Reviews

JS
Senior Consultant / Security Consultant at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consistently supports dynamic learning environments and strengthens educational interactions
Since I've been working with Blackboard Learning Management for an extended period, I've witnessed its evolution and consistent dedication to pedagogy. The platform's ability to deliver exams and content in a technical way is superior to most other platforms. This delivery system allows for establishing checkpoints before progressing to new content, ensuring students understand current material before moving forward. The platform offers various conditions for content progression and exams. Students can take exams multiple times at the instructor's discretion, requiring specific passing scores for content release. Additionally, peer-reviewed paper submissions can be required before accessing new content. If a student struggles with an exam section, the system halts the exam and allows review of the specific content they might not understand. The adaptive release feature is particularly interesting as it customizes the learning environment for individual students, including those with special needs or delivery requirements. The platform checks documents for accessibility, sending alerts for missing alt text in images and can generate automatic alt text. This ensures compliance with universal design laws, similar to U.S. 508 compliance. While specific measurable benefits cannot be specified since this course has always been delivered through Blackboard Learning Management, the course has grown from 12 students to nearly 200 at semester start. The structured delivery enables incorporation of additional teaching assistants due to uniform methodologies. The platform's compatibility for data export to other institutions opens interesting revenue streams through course sharing agreements, which has influenced my consistent choice to work with it.
Carlos Da Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at a comms service provider with 1-10 employees
Supports assessment creation but needs gamification and automation
I used it mainly for clients that worked in the school industry, taking their educators through content or a course concept It had options where you could create quizzes and assessments and upload PDFs. These features were beneficial in structuring educational content. Some of the limitations…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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"
"One of the most important features is the possibility of creating unlimited subdomains."
"The solution is easy to use."
"Meeting dynamic educational requirements with Blackboard Learning Management's adaptability and personalized learning environments is the main reason for success in academic performance in this business school."
"It encompasses various components, including course delivery modules, content management, community engagement features, digital classrooms, and mobile integration."
"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."
"The platform's ability to deliver exams and content in a technical way is superior to most other platforms, allowing for establishing checkpoints before progressing to new content and ensuring students understand current material before moving forward."
"The modules and courses are flexible."
"User management is good in Thinkific Plus. The solution has nice features like certifications and email notifications."
"It had options where you could create quizzes and assessments and upload PDFs."
 

Cons

"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 must provide better integration with third-party software."
"It would be ideal to create a more responsive or more intuitive template for access from telephones or tablets."
"The solution is not flexible."
"The system falls short in terms of managing assessments and exams effectively."
"The solution doesn't have too many templates. There are only three templates."
"Some of the limitations are the lack of gamification and automation, which we considered important."
 

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."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
University
20%
Educational Organization
19%
Government
12%
Comms Service Provider
6%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business2
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise5
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

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?
To make Blackboard Learning Management better, I believe maintaining, updating, and upgrading the content is the key success factor for the platform to provide value to students.
What is your primary use case for Blackboard Learning Management?
I use Blackboard Learning Management in a business school. I utilize it to take courses and lessons in a virtual way.
What needs improvement with Thinkific Plus?
Some of the limitations are the lack of gamification and automation, which we considered important. These were areas where I felt the product could improve.
What is your primary use case for Thinkific Plus?
I used it mainly for clients that worked in the school industry, taking their educators through content or a course concept.
What advice do you have for others considering Thinkific Plus?
Overall, I would rate Thinkific a three or four out of ten. With the affordability, you get a lower level of quality.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

University of Derby, University of Warwick, John Moore's University
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Blackboard Learning Management vs. Thinkific Plus and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.