LearnDash vs Open edX
LearnDash
liquidweb.com
Open edX
openedx.orgSide by side
| Figure | LearnDash | Open edX |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $21.58/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Online course platforms | 8.8 (#13) | 8.7 (#17) |
| Spec score · Learning Management Systems | 8.6 (#12) | 8.7 (#8) |
| Spec score · E-Learning Software | 8.4 (#10) | 8.0 (#15) |
| Certificates | Certificate tools can issue certificates based on course completion or quiz performance. | Yes |
| Founded | 2013 | 2012 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Integrations | Official add-ons cover WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, MemberPress, Restrict Content Pro, Paid Memberships Pro, Gravity Forms, Elementor, bbPress, Event Espresso and Zapier. | The platform supports LTI 1.3 integrations and extensible course components called XBlocks. |
| Mobile app | LearnDash offers branded native iOS and Android apps with offline content, push notifications and in-app purchases. | Yes |
| Notable limit | Group-based enrollment, seat selling, and multi-instructor tools are listed as Elite plan features. | Open edX’s FAQ says organizations must arrange their own hosting, infrastructure, maintenance, support, and customization to operate an instance. |
| Support | The product page directs users to LearnDash software support and help documentation. | The site directs organizations seeking implementation help to service partners who can customize, host, and manage a distribution. |
| What it does | LearnDash is a WordPress learning-management plugin for creating, delivering and selling online courses. | Open edX is an open-source teaching and learning platform with course authoring tools and a learner-facing learning management system. |
Plans
In their own words
Open edX
Open edX is an open-source platform for teaching and learning, combining course authoring tools with a learner-facing learning management system. Open edX Studio supports creating, managing, reusing and remixing course content. Aspects analytics turns enrollment, learner progress, assessment performance, forum activity and video engagement into metrics and visualizations. The platform supports LTI 1.3 integrations and extensible course components called XBlocks. Listed sign-in integrations include SAML and OAuth 2.0 providers such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft and LinkedIn. Open edX supports assessments, certificates, APIs and mobile apps, and can be self-hosted. Universities, governments, nongovernmental organizations and enterprises use the platform. Institutions control their content, learner data, hosting environment and governance policies. The software has no license fees, but an organization operating an instance must arrange hosting, infrastructure, maintenance, support and customization. Organizations can seek implementation help from service partners. The project began in 2012 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Its security process directs vulnerability reports to its Security Working Group and does not offer bug bounties.