Software · head to head
Blackboard vs Babbel
Blackboard
Software
Comprehensive learning platform for educational institutions
- From
- $10/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Blackboard user interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks; Babbel the App Store listing for Babbel (seller of record: Babbel GmbH) states that subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, with payment charged to the buyer's Apple account; plans are sold in 1, 3, 6 and 12 month terms, and the listing itself discloses no price figure, so the actual monthly-equivalent cost is not visible without proceeding into a purchase flow.
- They diverge on capability: Blackboard covers Course management, Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Blackboard and Babbel actually diverge.
| Attribute | Blackboard | Babbel |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/year | On request |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Web | Web, IOS, Android |
| Founded | 1997 | 2007 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Blackboard
- Course management
- Assessment tools
- Discussion boards
- Virtual classroom
- Gradebook
- Mobile app
- Analytics
- Accessibility
Only in Babbel
- Bite-sized lessons
- Speech recognition
- Review sessions
- Podcasts
- Games
- Live classes
- Progress tracking
- Offline mode
Both cover
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Blackboard
- Course deliverynot Babbel
- Student engagementnot Babbel
- Assessmentnot Babbel
- Virtual learningnot Babbel
Babbel
- Language learningnot Blackboard
- Travel preparationnot Blackboard
- Career developmentnot Blackboard
- Hobbynot Blackboard
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Blackboard
- User interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks
- Slow response times and platform crashes when opening multiple tabs simultaneously
- Cannot track detailed student activity beyond most recent login information
- Limited ability to handle large file uploads for content and assignments
- Minimal customization options for page and template design
Babbel
- The App Store listing for Babbel (seller of record: Babbel GmbH) states that subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, with payment charged to the buyer's Apple account; plans are sold in 1, 3, 6 and 12 month terms, and the listing itself discloses no price figure, so the actual monthly-equivalent cost is not visible without proceeding into a purchase flow.
Pricing, plan by plan
Blackboard
$10/yearNo published plan breakdown. See the Blackboard review.
Babbel
On request- 3 Months$8.95/month
- 1 language
- All lessons
- Speech recognition
- 6 Months$7.45/month
- 1 language
- Review sessions
- Podcasts
- 12 Months$6.95/month
- 1 language
- Games
- All features
- Lifetime$249/month
- All 14 languages
- Lifetime access
Which should you pick?
Choose Babbel if
- You need bite-sized lessons.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want speech recognition.
Questions people ask
- Is Blackboard or Babbel better?
- Neither clearly leads. Blackboard starts at $10/year and Babbel at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Blackboard or Babbel?
- Blackboard starts at $10/year and Babbel at On request.
- Does Blackboard or Babbel run on more platforms?
- Blackboard runs on Web. Babbel runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- What is Blackboard best used for?
- Blackboard is most often used for course delivery, student engagement, assessment, virtual learning. Of those, course delivery and student engagement are not what Babbel is typically brought in for.
- What can Blackboard do that Babbel cannot?
- Blackboard covers Course management, Assessment tools, Discussion boards, Virtual classroom. Babbel covers Bite-sized lessons, Speech recognition, Review sessions, Podcasts. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Blackboard: What does Blackboard LMS offer?
Blackboard is a learning management system that includes course management, assignment and gradebook tools, discussion forums, and analytics for tracking learner progress in online, hybrid, and in-person courses.
Source