LibreTexts vs SkillsCommons
LibreTexts
libretexts.orgSkillsCommons
skillscommons.orgSide by side
| Figure | LibreTexts | SkillsCommons |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $104.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 7 | 2 |
| Spec score · Open Educational Resource Platforms | 8.4 (#6) | 7.6 (#16) |
| Accessibility | LibreTexts states a goal for its platform and features to meet or exceed Revised Section 508 Standards and WCAG 2.1 AA, and says it audits accessibility at major development milestones. | The web interface supports screen readers, keyboard access, captions, and the Able Player; DocReader supports Word and PDF documents on devices without plugins. |
| Audience | LibreNet membership is open to institutions in K-12 and higher education, while individual educators can use LibreTexts to create, adapt, and host OER free of charge. | Its mission is to help individuals, communities, educational institutions, organizations, and businesses prepare people for successful employment. |
| LMS compatibility | A LibreTexts guide describes importing books into Canvas, Moodle, and D2L using IMS Common Cartridge 1.1, and also mentions Blackboard support. | Courses can be exported from an LMS and uploaded, with the support FAQ recommending LMS-specific and IMS Common Cartridge formats when available. |
| Support | LibreTexts offers free support tickets, monthly webinars, weekly office hours, and free Academy lessons. | The support center provides guides and FAQs and lists [email protected] for assistance; webinar scheduling is available by contacting support. |
Plans
LibreTexts
- ADAPTFree
- All-AccessFree
- Jupyter HubFree
- LibreTexts core platformFree
- The ForgeFree
- LibreNet Consortium (affiliate)$1,250 a year
- LibreNet Consortium (full)$2,500 a year
SkillsCommons
- SkillsCommons repository — browsing and downloadsFree
- SkillsCommons repository — hosting contributionsPriced on request
In their own words
LibreTexts
LibreTexts is a nonprofit open education platform for creating, adapting, and sharing accessible textbooks, homework, and related learning materials. Its libraries cover 17 subject fields and more than 2,000 textbooks, and instructors can remix chapters into custom books. Pages can include Jupyter Notebooks, ADAPT homework questions, 3D visualizations, and videos. ADAPT supports formative and summative assessment and includes a shared bank of more than 240,000 openly licensed elements. LibreTexts can be embedded in institutional learning management systems over a secure connection, with optional grade and assessment exchange. Guides cover importing books into Canvas, Moodle, and D2L, and also mention Blackboard. Book pages may provide PDF, EPUB, and editable downloads. Educators can create, adapt, and host open educational resources free of charge. The service is available on the web, Android, and iOS, with offline access and annotation tools. A free plan is listed, with paid pricing from $15/mo.
SkillsCommons
SkillsCommons is a free repository of learning and program-support materials for job-driven workforce development. It aims to help individuals and organizations prepare people for employment, but it is not an LMS: it does not enroll students or provide course credit. Visitors can search and download materials without an account; institutions and organizations need an account to upload, individually or in bulk using a CSV of metadata. Contributors can embargo attached files until a specified date, after which requesters may ask the submitter for access. Courses exported from an LMS can be uploaded, with LMS-specific and IMS Common Cartridge formats recommended when available. Programmatic discovery options include keyword search, item METS data and OAI metadata harvesting. The interface supports screen readers, keyboard access, captions and Able Player; DocReader supports Word and PDF documents on devices without plugins. SkillsCommons says it works toward Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 accessibility and aligns its commitment with WCAG 2.0 AA. The support center offers guides and FAQs, and large uploads may require support planning for connection speed and bandwidth.