# Page 2 | Brightspace Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 2 - Is Brightspace the right Higher Education solution for you? Explore 234 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/122854/Brightspace/reviews --- Brightspace 4.3 (234) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/122854/Brightspace/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 2 - Reviews of Brightspace ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 26-50 of 234 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use LA Louis A. Adjunct Instructor Higher Education Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Worst LMS ever" July 31, 2025 1.0 It wastes so much of the instructor's time as well as the students. All my students hate BS. Canvas was much easier to navigate, setup and use. Pros There is nothing that I like about Brightspace. It is poorly designed, non-inuitive, and a general mess to get anything done. Cons D2L Brightspace is the worst LMS that I have ever used. As an instructor it is not intuitive. Everything I need to do takes way too long, too many clicks and then it makes such a mess on the student end of things because it is full of bugs and no one at D2L cares. There is no reason why in 2025 I would need to contact our BS administrator every week for help. Their Help manuals make no sense and use a word-salad of vocabulary to describe something any normal person can say in 3 words. It is like they are desperately trying to sound smart; or they are so out of touch with the real world that they don't care how confusing and obtuse it all is. I would say to anyone considering using it, don't. Switched from [Canvas](https://www.capterra.com/p/127214/CANVAS/) School decided to switch, it was not my decision Review Source JN Jean-Pierre N. Instructional Designer Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "D2L is a powerful Learning Management System" December 22, 2025 5.0 D2L is a powerful Learning Management System with a powerful backend for experienced designers, and it is easy to navigate. Pros I like the fact that D2L is user-friendly, including mobile and PC users, and accommodates the accessiblity to all users. D2L has improved the HTML templates for the designers. Cons The graphic interface can be complex for instructors or new users. In addition, the customization of certain tools requires the help of the Technical Support. Switched from [Blackboard](https://www.capterra.com/p/14500/Blackboard-LMS-for-Business/) It was very affordable and easy to learn. Review Source CS Claire S. Intake Worker Mental Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Brightspace (D2L) " December 3, 2025 3.0 Pros Brightspace was a simple tool to use for course management when completing online courses. The courses were clear and detailed. Cons Brightspace had some bugs and functioning issues around discussion threads and boards. When going to post some threads would not allow you to respond due to and error. Review Source EB Erika B. Massage Therapist Alternative Medicine Used the software for: 1-2 years ### " Detailed yet easy to navigate! " October 14, 2025 4.0 I used Brightspace as an employee at an organization that implemented Brightspace for training and compliance purposes. As an employee it was annoying because you had to actually click through during the training and couldn’t fast forward or just let it play. However as someone who has also had compliance responsibilities in the past, as annoying as it may have been as an employee, from a training and compliance aspect Brightspace was an excellent platform. Pros The learning modules were well put together and clearly conveyed the information and knowledge that was important for each module. It was also easy to track and see what was or wasn’t completed. Cons It seemed like it was glitchy at times, my log in occasionally needed to be updated more than it seemed like it should because my credentials weren’t recognized. However that may have been more of an issue with our HR administrator and not actually any issue on the part of Brightspace. Review Source Joe R. IT Director Education Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A real review of brightspace " October 8, 2025 5.0 Overall I'm very happy with Brightspace and would recommend it to anyone that may be looking for a web based learning platform Pros Brightspace is a great tool for advancing online learning. It offers great value and has very good customer support. Cons Brightspace can be a little clunky and laggy at times. I have also noticed that sometimes it will not fully load causing you to have to manually refresh. Review Source EB Ethan B. Detailer Automotive Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "D2L review" December 1, 2025 5.0 Good especially for a program that is so diverse in the amount of things it can support as a program Pros I liked how it is able to be used not just for management but also in the eduction space for schools Cons It is a little wonky for programming wise, inconsistent with how it manages documents and assignments Review Source TC Teresa C. Student E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Please let us toggle the menu bar along the top" March 28, 2025 4.0 Pros When used well it is great to have everything I need all in one place, course readings, assignments and lecture content is easily accessible Cons The bar along the top takes up so much space on IOS that it is difficult to read PDFs, I wish this was a feature I could toggle on and off. Switched from [Sakai LMS](https://www.capterra.com/p/124698/Sakai-CLE/) My University made the switch to Brightspace Review Source GT Geeta T. Administrative Support E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Functional & Aesthetic " January 9, 2025 5.0 Daily usage, it is such a pleasure to work with as it is a well designed interface that is very easy to navigate Pros So user friendly, easy to navigate, aesthetic but also functionally designed Cons Email system is a little archaic, could be changed to a chat system Switched from [Blackboard](https://www.capterra.com/p/14500/Blackboard-LMS-for-Business/) Ease of use and functionality, so much easier to navigate, great design, not overwhelming or "boring" Review Source PS Paulina S. Lecturer Education Management Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Not recommended " March 2, 2025 1.0 Awful too many clicks to add anything to course . Course material is blunt and lacks the depth , difficult for students to navigate Pros Nothing , hard to find anything good about this platform Cons Everything . Such time consuming platform. Have used many but this is by far the worst most time consuming one. It does not make my already busy schedule less busy, too many clicks and not well through. Switched from [Class for Web](https://www.capterra.com/p/141222/Blackboard-Collaborate/) Because of my company what can I say other. You make it even worst I. This form so we don’t leave bad reviews Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Student Education Management Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Brightspace Review" October 3, 2025 4.0 Overall Brightspace is a pretty good platform for course management. I really like that I can use it very easily without having to dive deeper into the specifics of the platform. Pros I like that D2L is a centralized place to keep all my courses and I can switch between courses very quickly. Anything posted on D2L by my professor can be seen pretty quickly. The quizzes I take on D2L are also in a good format Cons Its not for the website but the app does not show number grades or all the different days where the things are posted. Review Source AS Amy S. Owner Hospitality Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great product" January 31, 2025 4.0 It was good.. I have been in school for years so I have a lot of experience with then Pros The ease of use.. it was so simple... Everything was in good placement too Cons It was hard to get back toy college page Review Source TS Terri S. Online Learning Coordinator E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Ease of Use" March 28, 2025 4.0 My students used D2L through Virtual High School classes. Pros Easy for students to learn how to use and calendar feature is also really helpful for keeping track of upcoming deadlines and events. Cons The appearance isn't very sleek. Sometimes the layout can be confusing at times. everything can feels a bit scattered. Review Source MP Michael P. Financial Analyst Government Administration Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great educational product" March 27, 2025 5.0 Great product that helped me advance my career. Pros Very easy to navigate classes and learn without combatting technology Cons Seemed a little outdated for some other classes I have taken Review Source ES Ed S. Professor of Aviation Aviation & Aerospace Used the software for: 2+ years ### "D2L - Academic Freedom!" September 18, 2024 5.0 I have used it as a Faulty member for the last 10+ years without any assistance for regular use. Now I am using Widgets, Icon's, and Homepage design without involving the Administrator Pros D2L is always looking ahead and improving and adding new features Cons Some features have a few got ya's such as not being able to manage due dates in discussions Review Source AS Angela S. Assistant Hospital & Health Care Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Brightspace 5 stars" August 12, 2024 5.0 I love brightspace! I haven’t used any other website and I don’t want to Pros Bright space is easy to use. I can easily find where my work is and when it needs to be done. Cons Sometimes, things can get lost but this is usually a teacher error. Review Source RO Rachel O. Graduate Student Higher Education Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Suitable but not great" February 25, 2021 3.0 Brightspace allows completion of basic tasks for learner management and grade dissemination. However, it is frustrating to use and has more case-by-case / glitching problems that other learning management softwares I have used. It allows me to get the job done, and I suppose I will get used to it eventually, but it is certainly not ideal. Pros Brightspace makes it easy to contact students in a class. I like the 'classlist' feature that lists all the students in a class and their university-related contact email. This simplifies either bulk-emailing students (as an instructor) and finding students to study with (as a student). It is also a secure site to centrally access all the information necessary for all my courses. Cons Brightspace provides multiple places to find the same things. This is confusing, especially when some assignments are loaded in a given course module but not in the 'Assignments' tab, or vice versa. There are multiple levels of redundancy that are not kept consistent throughout the interface, so it is often confusing to locate materials. Brightspace is also slow to load. Often, when moving between tabs when I am creating a quiz for the students I teach or grading material, the browser loads for 30-45 seconds before transitioning pages. This is frustrating. After a class is officially 'over', the course pages are greyed out and prevent access (even when a school has not officially ended yet). This happens immediately after the final in a class, which prevents students from going in to do final grade calculations or download any materials. This is frustrating. Brightspace has had many issues with plugins, such as Kaltura Media Gallery, which disable access or have perpetual loading or glitching. This leaves the software as unreliable. Alternatives considered [Canvas](https://www.capterra.com/p/127214/CANVAS/) Reason for choosing Brightspace Brightspace was significantly cheaper. Switched from [Blackboard](https://www.capterra.com/p/14500/Blackboard-LMS-for-Business/) Cost - Brightspace was less expensive Review Source EW Ella W. Full-time student Primary/Secondary Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great learning source if teachers know how" June 12, 2022 5.0 It makes learning accessible to all with its compatibility, mobility, and clear navigation for first time users. Their resources provide great service and always fix the problem when one occurs. Pros Brightspace is flawless. It makes seeing your grades, assignments, class resources, discussion forums, and online lectures accessible from anywhere. It is compatible with every device (laptop, desktop, phones). Brightspace help services are clearly stated and always available. Great customer service skills as well. Cons Brightspace is not the easiest when teachers do not know how to properly use it. A simple video how to guide for each feature would enhance all aspects of Brightspace. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Instructional Designer E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Top Tier LMS" August 14, 2021 5.0 Pros It’s extremely customizable, but no matter how each course might be built, there is a feeling of familiarity. I love the assessments, open ended plugins to embed for my faculty, user support, and the student experience. I really love the course builder. It’s an easy to use yet extremely effective tool. Cons I would say the fact that it is so customizable and open ended at first is daunting to faculty. However with proper training and support, my faculty have really excelled with the LMS. Review Source LL Lee L. Program Coordinator Higher Education Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Brightspace, keeps users in the dark." December 16, 2021 4.0 I have taught online for over a decade and used multiple different platforms, and I am sorry to write that this is by far the worst program I have ever used. Editing tools are not named well. There is no instructor file or content repository for easy access. You have to drill down in multiple pages to make simple course edits, and guiding students is not easy. There is not a natural flow or progression where the student can easily move from one assignment to the next. Pros I know this is bad, but I can honestly say I haven’t found anything I like about the Brightspace program! The only good thing I can think of is the college has selected a bolt-on (Zoom) and it is important for live synchronous meetings. The recordings can be easily accessed from within the course tools. Cons Brightspace is not user friendly from an instructor’s perspective. Points have to be changed in multiple places. Constantly having to switch to the “student view” to see if instructions have loaded correctly or saved recent changes is not an efficient way to function or make course edits. You can’t add points when reading discussions, you have to go out to a separate page to enter points/grades. The list could go on and on. Switched from [Blackboard](https://www.capterra.com/p/14500/Blackboard-LMS-for-Business/) The college administration made the change. Review Source TT Tyler T. Student Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very helpful tool throughout university" December 15, 2022 4.0 Overall positive, it was an efficient and effective tool that I used throughout university that allowed me to be very successful in my courses. Pros I used D2L Brightspace throughout all of university. In terms of uploading any learning documents such as assignments, solutions, homework, PowerPoints, lecture videos, and more, it was always very easy to navigate and get what you need on your computer or on mobile. Navigation is very simple, and the user interface is easy to learn. The best feature was the notifications bell which I used the most to have consistent and clear updates for all of my courses. Cons I think there are some aspects of the user interface which could be redesigned to be more aesthetically pleasing. Some features and sections appear out of date and could use some visual improvements. The onus of including or excluding certain sections I believe is on the onus of the professor, but maybe there could be more clear instruction to them on how to best format course pages/sections. Review Source CS Carolyn S. Faculty E-Learning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Brightspace" May 11, 2022 5.0 My overall experience with BrightSpace is positive. Learners also find the LMS easy to use and navigate. Pros The most impactful features of BrightSpace are discussion opportunities, auto-grading, and navigation. Cons The cost of the LMS is the only drawback. Switched from [Moodle](https://www.capterra.com/p/80691/Moodle/) Administrative decision. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer PostDoctoral Researcher Research Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Comprehensive Platform for Effective Teaching" April 8, 2023 5.0 As a professor who has used D2L Brightspace for many years, I can confidently say that it is an excellent platform for managing course content, assignments, and grading. Its user-friendly interface and advanced features make it easy for both instructors and students to navigate and use. The ability to create folders for student assignments and manage everything in one place is a major advantage of the platform. Overall, I highly recommend D2L Brightspace for educators looking for a comprehensive, efficient, and user-friendly platform for managing their courses. Pros As a professor, I've used D2L Brightspace for many years and have found it to be an excellent tool for managing my courses. I love that I can easily post class content, syllabus, and grade assignments all in one place. It's also great for creating forums and discussions for students to engage with each other. One of my favorite features is creating folders for students to submit their assignments. It makes it easy to grade and provide feedback all in one place. Cons Some advanced features may require additional training or guidance. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Professor / Coordinator Higher Education Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Poor excuse for a modern LMS" November 8, 2018 2.0 No benefits realized. Purely a frustrating experience having to use this LMS to manage my post-secondary classes. Pros Nothing at all. The LMS has a LONG list of features but nearly all of them are poorly designed and frustrating to use. I have moved back to old solutions that I used before I was given this piece of software. Clearly no teachers with any experience were consulted in the design of this. There was a huge opportunity for D2L when they moved from their old solution to a new Cloud based one. They missed the opportunity Cons The interface was not intuitive. There were very few clear best practices in the interface. The way that you complete tasks changes depending on which part of the interface you are using. Non-technical users will become quickly frustrated with the number of steps required to complete even the most basic of tasks. The interface feels like it was built by different groups of developers and designers who didn't communicate with each other. Every developer had their own idea about how to accomplish a task. Many default options are counter to what an actual teacher would need in their day-to-day tasks. Nothing in the interface saves you work. Every task prolongs how long it takes me to do something. After months of trying to use this tool I have given up and am now searching for alternative tools that make my life easier not harder. Review Source Response from D2L November 20, 2018 We're sorry to hear you're having problems with Brightspace and want to help. Please feel free to reach out to me directly so we can discuss the challenges you're having and get you some help. CO Candace O. Student Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "As a student, Brightspace/D2L gave me the opportunity to take classes I couldn't fit in my schedule!" July 21, 2018 4.0 I have gained the ability to take some higher-level courses online which are necessary for college admissions/success, which I could not fit into my senior year schedule due to being a busy student! Pros I love that I can take these classes outside of school. I am currently taking four classes on Brightspace (Sociology, Psychology, Spanish III Semesters 1 & 2) because I could not fit them into my schedule for my senior year. In addition, each class comes with a "90 Day Plan" in the course materials, which helps keep me on track; I try to do more per day than what is on the plan, as I'm trying to get most of the workload finished before school starts again. This brings me to my next point: Working at my own speed! As evidenced by my taking four classes over the summer, I am an advanced student who is serious about her education. Brightspace gives students the flexibility of working at their own speed. Although a "90 Day Plan" is offered as a guideline, there are no daily requirements set by the software itself. As a high schooler, some days I'm just busy, plain and simple. I don't have to worry about fulfilling a daily requirement with Brightspace. Again, the flexibility of completing online courses at my own pace is invaluable to a busy student like myself. Cons There's not much to complain about with this software. However, there is one issue I face on the daily with Brightspace. When working on a lesson, every now and again there will be a little box that pops up warning the user that if the session exceeds 30 minutes of inactivity, they will be logged out and will have to log back in again. I understand that it is set to do this for security reasons, but it is incredibly annoying when I'm taking notes on the lesson (which takes a decent amount of time) to have to be wary of the pop up appearing. Review Source LW Lilian W. HR Manager Staffing and Recruiting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Robust and diverse LMS for best results " March 6, 2019 5.0 I think this app is equally useful for both teachers and students. It is perfect for sharing files between users, it can keep people organized, and it also can provide with a high level of communication, as it has features that are not available in other platforms. Pros This app has everything students can use to avoid failing deadlines. It helps students to keep all critical data in one place, so it makes them more organized and aware of the education process. In Brightspace you can drag and drop all kind of files, as well as rearrange them, so new content can be easily seen. For teachers, it is also easy to create different types of tests or quizzes without spending much time or many resources. Brightspace is a well-known LMS and is used across our college as the learning management platform. It is used to distribute the different type of information, assignments tests, which makes the education process for both students and teachers more convenient. Cons This app lacks an intuitive interface. It is difficult to get used it, and it requires time to understand how to activate one feature or another. You need time to customize your interface; otherwise, it will be cluttered and even more complicated to use. There is an option to create discussions, but it is hard to organize them. It also would be nice to have a video chat option so that some lectures can be given online. Tech support can be improved, as it is not helpful and it usually blames users instead of fixing the problem. Review Source Similar Products Featured