Softwr

Software · head to head

D2L Brightspace vs Khan Academy

D

D2L Brightspace

Software

The LMS built to focus on the learning moment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Khan Academy logo

Khan Academy

Software

Free world-class education for anyone, anywhere

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Khan Academy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: D2L Brightspace no pricing tiers or figures are published on the site for Brightspace or its add-on products; the only path to cost is Request a Demo, per d2l.com, August 2026; Khan Academy the Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which D2L Brightspace and Khan Academy actually diverge.

Attributes where D2L Brightspace and Khan Academy differ
AttributeD2L BrightspaceKhan Academy
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2008

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

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 D2L Brightspace

Nothing recorded that Khan Academy does not also cover.

Only in Khan Academy

  • Video lessons
  • Practice exercises
  • Mastery system
  • Progress tracking
  • Personalized learning
  • Teacher tools
  • Parent dashboard
  • Test prep

What people use each for

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

D2L Brightspace

No use cases recorded yet. See the D2L Brightspace review.

Khan Academy

  • Free self paced learning across maths, science and humanitiesnot D2L Brightspace
  • Assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroomnot D2L Brightspace

Where each one falls short

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

D2L Brightspace

  • No pricing tiers or figures are published on the site for Brightspace or its add-on products; the only path to cost is Request a Demo, per d2l.com, August 2026

Khan Academy

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.

Pricing, plan by plan

D2L Brightspace

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the D2L Brightspace review.

Khan Academy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Video lessons
    • Practice exercises
    • Progress tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose D2L Brightspace if

Nothing in the data separates D2L Brightspace from Khan Academy on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

D2L Brightspace review

Choose Khan Academy if

  • You need video lessons.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want practice exercises.
Khan Academy review

Questions people ask

Is D2L Brightspace or Khan Academy better?
Neither clearly leads. D2L Brightspace starts at On request and Khan Academy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, D2L Brightspace or Khan Academy?
Khan Academy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for D2L Brightspace and Free for Khan Academy.
Does D2L Brightspace or Khan Academy run on more platforms?
D2L Brightspace runs on Web. Khan Academy runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Khan Academy for free?
Yes. Khan Academy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. D2L Brightspace starts at On request.
What can D2L Brightspace do that Khan Academy cannot?
Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Practice exercises, Mastery system, Progress tracking.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on D2L Brightspace

More on Khan Academy

Keep looking

Other head to heads