Softwr

LMS · head to head

Claroline vs edX

Claroline logo

Claroline

LMS

Open source French-language learning platform, now developed as Claroline Connect

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
edX logo

edX

LMS

Online courses from the world's top universities

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Claroline has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Claroline two products share the name and the abandoned original, last released in December 2021, dominates search results, so institutions regularly install unmaintained software believing it is current.; edX individual course costs not displayed; pricing requires enrollment to view
  • They diverge on capability: Claroline covers Workspaces, edX covers Video lectures.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Claroline and edX actually diverge.

Attributes where Claroline and edX differ
AttributeClarolineedX
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, LinuxWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2012

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

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 Claroline

  • Workspaces
  • Resource model
  • Learning paths
  • Quizzes and evaluation
  • Competency framework
  • Planning and events
  • Self-hosting
  • SaaS option

Only in edX

  • Video lectures
  • Interactive exercises
  • Discussion forums
  • Certificates
  • MicroMasters
  • Professional certificates
  • Degrees
  • Mobile learning

What people use each for

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

Claroline

  • A French or Belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are French-first rather than translated.not edX
  • A public body required to keep learner data on European infrastructure under an open licence it can audit.not edX
  • A training provider assembling learning paths from a shared library of reusable resources across many client workspaces rather than duplicating courses.not edX
  • An institution already running the abandoned Claroline 13 line that needs to plan a migration onto the maintained Connect codebase before its dependencies become unsupportable.not edX

edX

  • Learners seeking university-level credentials from elite institutions (MIT, Harvard, Cambridge)not Claroline
  • Career changers pursuing MicroMasters or professional certificatesnot Claroline
  • Individuals in regions with limited access to higher educationnot Claroline

Where each one falls short

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

Claroline

  • Two products share the name and the abandoned original, last released in December 2021, dominates search results, so institutions regularly install unmaintained software believing it is current.
  • The community is small compared with Moodle, so plugin choice, third-party integrations and the pool of people who can administer it in production are all thin.
  • Documentation and community discussion are French-first and English coverage is partial and inconsistent, which raises the effort for any non-francophone team.
  • The commercial hosting is offered by a small operator rather than a large partner network, so an institution depending on paid support has concentrated supplier risk.
  • The workspace and resource model is different enough from a conventional course-based LMS that staff moving from Moodle or Canvas have to relearn how content is organised, and migrations do not map cleanly.

edX

  • Individual course costs not displayed; pricing requires enrollment to view

Pricing, plan by plan

Claroline

Free
  • Claroline ConnectFree
    • GPL licence, no fee
    • Full source on GitHub
    • You provide Symfony and PHP hosting and operations
  • Hosted distribution$undefined/year
    • Managed hosting, maintenance and updates
    • Support from the commercial operator
    • Quoted by user count

edX

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the edX review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Claroline if

  • You need workspaces.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux.
  • You also want resource model.
Claroline review

Choose edX if

  • You need video lectures.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want interactive exercises.
edX review

Questions people ask

Is Claroline or edX better?
Neither clearly leads. Claroline starts at Free and edX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Claroline or edX?
Claroline has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Claroline and On request for edX.
Does Claroline or edX run on more platforms?
Claroline runs on Web, Linux. edX runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Claroline for free?
Yes. Claroline has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. edX starts at On request.
What is Claroline best used for?
Claroline is most often used for a french or belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are french-first rather than translated., a public body required to keep learner data on european infrastructure under an open licence it can audit., a training provider assembling learning paths from a shared library of reusable resources across many client workspaces rather than duplicating courses., an institution already running the abandoned claroline 13 line that needs to plan a migration onto the maintained connect codebase before its dependencies become unsupportable.. Of those, a french or belgian training organisation that needs a francophone platform where the interface and support are french-first rather than translated. and a public body required to keep learner data on european infrastructure under an open licence it can audit. are not what edX is typically brought in for.
What can Claroline do that edX cannot?
Claroline covers Workspaces, Resource model, Learning paths, Quizzes and evaluation. edX covers Video lectures, Interactive exercises, Discussion forums, Certificates.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Claroline: Which Claroline should I install?

Claroline Connect, the Symfony and React codebase currently on version 15. The original PHP Claroline stopped at 13.1.3 in December 2021 and should not be deployed.

edX: Does edX offer free courses?

Yes, edX allows you to audit courses for free, as indicated by their 'How to Audit a Course' resource. Auditing provides access to course content without earning a certificate.

Source
Claroline: Is it still maintained?

Yes. Point releases in the 15.0 line continued into 2026 with active commits on GitHub.

edX: Do you have to pay for certificates on edX?

Yes, edX offers Verified Certificates which require payment. Exact pricing varies by course but is available when you view individual course pages.

Source
Claroline: Is it free?

The software is GPL and free. Hosted distribution with maintenance and support is a paid service from the commercial operator.

edX: What types of credential programs does edX offer?

edX offers Professional Certificates (multiple bundled courses), Degree Programs (Master's, Bachelor's, MicroMasters, MicroBachelors), and Executive Education premium offerings.

Source
Claroline: Does it work in English?

The interface has English, but documentation and community support are French-first, so a non-francophone team will hit gaps.

edX: Are there current discounts on edX?

Yes, edX offers periodic discount codes. Currently they have a code ACTION2026 providing up to 20% off for a limited time.

Source
Claroline: How big is the ecosystem compared to Moodle?

Much smaller. If you need a wide plugin market or an easy administrator hiring pool, Moodle is the safer open source choice.

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