Blackboard Learning Management vs CYPHER Learning comparison

Blackboard and CYPHER LEARNING are both solutions in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) category. Blackboard is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.8, while CYPHER LEARNING is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.1. Blackboard holds a 2.0% mindshare in LMS, compared to CYPHER LEARNING’s 3.9% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Blackboard users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of CYPHER LEARNING users who would recommend it.

Blackboard Learning Management

Read 10 Blackboard Learning Management reviews

1,959 Views
1,508 Comparison Views

90% willing to recommend

CYPHER Learning

Read 55 CYPHER Learning reviews

1,985 Views
1,945 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Blackboard Learning Management

CYPHER Learning

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 27, 2025

Blackboard Learning Management and CYPHER Learning are competitors in the educational technology industry. CYPHER Learning appears to have an advantage due to its innovative features that cater to modern educational needs.

Features: Blackboard Learning Management is equipped with comprehensive assessment tools and robust reporting features, making it ideal for large educational institutions. It integrates seamlessly with various systems, providing versatility in deployment. CYPHER Learning, on the other hand, offers a more intuitive platform with automation and AI-driven learning paths, supporting personalized learning experiences with features like competency-based learning and child classes.

Room for Improvement: Blackboard Learning Management could enhance its user interface to become more intuitive and modernize its mobile access. Additionally, streamlining its integration process with newer applications could attract a broader user base. CYPHER Learning could improve by expanding its customer support services, refining documentation for advanced features, and enhancing scalability for very large institutions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Blackboard Learning Management provides extensive support and a structured deployment process, tailored for institutions with complex needs. CYPHER Learning simplifies deployment through cloud-based solutions, offering a quicker setup time and responsive customer assistance. Blackboard stands out with its established support network, whereas CYPHER is noted for rapid deployment and adaptive customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Blackboard Learning Management tends toward higher setup costs due to its extensive features and customization options but justifies this with substantial ROI for large-scale implementations. CYPHER Learning offers more competitive pricing, focusing on quick ROI through lower setup costs and operational efficiencies. Blackboard is preferred by those seeking comprehensive solutions despite higher initial expenses, while CYPHER attracts institutions that prioritize cost-effectiveness and innovation.

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

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning

July 2025

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Helped 865,295 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)

5th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

CYPHER Learning

Ranking in Learning Management Systems (LMS)

3rd

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 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 5.1% 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.

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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

"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."

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

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

"It is scalable."

"The solution is easy to use."

"The ability to build and customize our own courses is one of the most valuable features. When we launched with CYPHER LEARNING, their team helped us build our courses. They took our paper-based coursework and developed a really engaging digital solution on the platform. The best part, for us, is being able to continue to customize and edit it."

"With class folders in place, it is possible to follow up on the children. I know when students have seen the material that has been uploaded to the platform and, thus, understand if they are following the classes."

"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."

"CYPHER Learning is a user-friendly platform that makes it easy for me to manage my instructors and track my learners."

"It provides an easy way to report who has taken the courses, how long they have been out, how long they were on when they logged in, and when they logged out. It is very easy to pull up data and run reports."

"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."

"One of the most valuable features is the ability to use private external portals through which we can sell our courses, which is enormous. This feature is one of the primary reasons we stitched from our previous LMS, as it allows us to grow and create customization. We can customize the portals within CYPHER Learning for specific clients, and that's huge."

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

More CYPHER Learning pros

Cons

"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."

"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."

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

"We have teachers of all ages and those who are a little older hardly interact with the platform. It needs greater accessibility and more detailed updates and information regarding all its tools."

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

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

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

"There needs to be greater granularity of user packages. We don't always have 100 users per month. However, we pay for 100."

"They are not the cheapest solution, but they are not the most expensive."

"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."

"Due to the complexity of our business, we would welcome more options for access rights management."

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."

"I am happy with it. It is very well priced."

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

"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 price of CYPHER Learning is in the typical cost range."

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

"We are on a plan where we pay for 1,000 users every month. The pricing structure is pretty straightforward. It just depends on what you need. We are currently going with a monthly model because sometimes there are still months during the year where we will have a lot less students on the system, and we took that into consideration."

"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."

"CYPHER Learning's price is slightly higher than other solutions."

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

More CYPHER Learning pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

University

23%

Educational Organization

18%

Government

Computer Software Company

Educational Organization

21%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

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.

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?

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.

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

The pricing for CYPHER Learning is on par with other solutions. I've been a single user of the system for a while and priced out several other options, and it's probably standard pricing if not may...

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What needs improvement with NEO LMS?

One of the areas that I believe CYPHER Learning could improve on is having a saving function as you type in, much as some Google products. That would really help in my classroom because we do a lot...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering NEO LMS?

I absolutely recommend CYPHER Learning to other users. My students really connect with it because it doesn’t resemble anything else available. The ease of use, the autonomy it provides my students,...

See all answers

Comparisons

Google Classroom vs Blackboard Learning Management

Compared 100% of the time

More Blackboard Learning Management Competitors

Cornerstone Learn vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 45% of the time

Canvas LMS vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 32% of the time

Moodle vs CYPHER Learning

Compared 23% of the time

More CYPHER Learning Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management

August 2025

Download Blackboard Learning Management product report

Buyer's Guide

CYPHER Learning

August 2025

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.

Buyer's Guide

Blackboard Learning Management vs. CYPHER Learning

July 2025

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