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Education & E-Learning · head to head

Pluralsight vs Blackboard

Pluralsight logo

Pluralsight

Education & E-Learning

Technology skills platform for IT professionals

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Blackboard logo

Blackboard

Education & E-Learning

Comprehensive learning platform for educational institutions

From
$10/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Pluralsight core Tech plan lists at $49/month while the broader Complete plan across all domains lists lower at $29/month on the same pricing page; Blackboard user interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks
  • They diverge on capability: Pluralsight covers Video courses, Blackboard covers Course management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Pluralsight and Blackboard actually diverge.

Attributes where Pluralsight and Blackboard differ
AttributePluralsightBlackboard
Starting priceOn request$10/year
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, IOS, Android, Apple TVWeb
Founded20041997

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education & E-Learning).

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 Pluralsight

  • Video courses
  • Skill assessments
  • Learning paths
  • Hands-on labs
  • Certifications
  • Mobile learning
  • Offline viewing
  • Slack

Only in Blackboard

  • Course management
  • Assessment tools
  • Discussion boards
  • Virtual classroom
  • Gradebook
  • Mobile app
  • Accessibility
  • SIS systems

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Pluralsight

  • Technology teams building structured skill development and certification prep programsnot Blackboard

Blackboard

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Pluralsight

  • Core Tech plan lists at $49/month while the broader Complete plan across all domains lists lower at $29/month on the same pricing page
  • Free trial is limited to 10 days

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  • User interface is outdated, cluttered, and unintuitive with hidden menus and excessive clicks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

Pricing, plan by plan

Pluralsight

On request
  • Standard$29/month
    • Core library
    • Learning paths
    • Skill assessments
  • Premium$45/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Hands-on labs
    • Exams
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • All content
    • Analytics
    • SSO

Blackboard

$10/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Blackboard review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Pluralsight if

  • You need video courses.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV.
  • You also want skill assessments.
Pluralsight review

Choose Blackboard if

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

Questions people ask

Is Pluralsight or Blackboard better?
Neither clearly leads. Pluralsight starts at On request and Blackboard at $10/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Pluralsight or Blackboard?
Pluralsight starts at On request and Blackboard at $10/year.
Does Pluralsight or Blackboard run on more platforms?
Pluralsight runs on Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV. Blackboard runs on Web.
What is Pluralsight best used for?
Pluralsight is most often used for technology teams building structured skill development and certification prep programs. Of those, technology teams building structured skill development and certification prep programs is not what Blackboard is typically brought in for.
What can Pluralsight do that Blackboard cannot?
Pluralsight covers Video courses, Skill assessments, Learning paths, Hands-on labs. Blackboard covers Course management, Assessment tools, Discussion boards, Virtual classroom. Both handle Analytics, 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.

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