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Education · head to head

Blackboard vs Lumosity

Blackboard logo

Blackboard

Education

Comprehensive learning platform for educational institutions

From
$10/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lumosity logo

Lumosity

Education

Brain training game app from Lumos Labs, which paid an FTC settlement in 2016 over unsupported cognitive improvement claims

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lumosity has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Blackboard user interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks; Lumosity lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.
  • They diverge on capability: Blackboard covers Course management, Lumosity covers Daily training set.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Blackboard and Lumosity actually diverge.

Attributes where Blackboard and Lumosity differ
AttributeBlackboardLumosity
Starting price$10/yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownFree with a subscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web
Founded1997Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

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 Lumosity

  • Daily training set
  • Brain Performance Index
  • Game library by domain
  • Fit Test assessment
  • Progress tracking
  • Insights and tips

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Blackboard

  • Course deliverynot Lumosity
  • Student engagementnot Lumosity
  • Assessmentnot Lumosity
  • Virtual learningnot Lumosity

Lumosity

  • An adult wanting a short daily game habit with a cognitive theme, treated as entertainment rather than medical interventionnot Blackboard
  • Someone comparing Lumosity against Elevate to decide between abstract cognitive games and practical skills practicenot Blackboard
  • A user who wants a long historical performance trend across many game sessionsnot Blackboard
  • A buyer evaluating whether the current marketing claims about cognitive benefit are consistent with the 2016 FTC settlement findings before subscribingnot 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

Lumosity

  • Lumos Labs settled with the US FTC in 2016 for 2 million dollars over deceptive claims that its games improved real-world cognitive performance and could delay age-related decline, and the company was barred from making such claims without solid supporting evidence, a fact any buyer evaluating cognitive benefit claims should weigh.
  • The free tier is limited to a small daily set of games, and the personalised training programme the product is built around is a paid-only feature.
  • As with the brain training category broadly, evidence that improved performance on the specific games transfers to real-world cognitive ability remains contested, independent of the marketing claims addressed by the settlement.
  • The subscription auto-renews and, like most mobile subscriptions, requires cancelling through app store account settings rather than within the app.
  • The game library has not changed dramatically in years, and long-term subscribers report the exercises becoming repetitive well before a years subscription is up.

Pricing, plan by plan

Blackboard

$10/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Blackboard review.

Lumosity

Free
  • Lumosity$11.99/month
    • Free tier gives a small daily set of games
    • Full subscription unlocks the complete game library and personalised programme
    • Annual plans typically run $59.99 to $79.99, cheaper per month than monthly billing

Which should you pick?

Choose Blackboard if

  • You need course management.
  • You also want assessment tools.
Blackboard review

Choose Lumosity if

  • You need daily training set.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want brain performance index.
Lumosity review

Questions people ask

Is Blackboard or Lumosity better?
Neither clearly leads. Blackboard starts at $10/year and Lumosity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Blackboard or Lumosity?
Lumosity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10/year for Blackboard and Free for Lumosity.
Does Blackboard or Lumosity run on more platforms?
Blackboard runs on Web. Lumosity runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Lumosity for free?
Yes. Lumosity has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Blackboard starts at $10/year.
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 Lumosity is typically brought in for.
What can Blackboard do that Lumosity cannot?
Blackboard covers Course management, Assessment tools, Discussion boards, Virtual classroom. Lumosity covers Daily training set, Brain Performance Index, Game library by domain, Fit Test assessment.

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
Lumosity: What was the FTC settlement about?

In 2016 the FTC found Lumos Labs advertising made unsupported claims that Lumosity games could delay cognitive decline, protect against conditions like Alzheimers, and improve real-world performance. The company paid 2 million dollars and was barred from such claims without solid evidence.

Lumosity: Is Lumosity still available and does it still make cognitive claims?

Yes, the app and games remain available, but the company is legally restricted from the specific unsupported claims covered by the settlement.

Lumosity: Is Lumosity free?

A small daily set of games is free. The full library and personalised training programme require a paid subscription.

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