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Learning Management · head to head

D2L Brightspace vs Open edX

D

D2L Brightspace

Learning Management

The LMS built to focus on the learning moment

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Open edX logo

Open edX

Education & E-Learning

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Open edX 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; Open edX open edX has no licensing fee as open source software, but the vendor's own site states that hosting and infrastructure costs are the operator's responsibility, so there is no bundled managed-hosting price to compare against SaaS competitors.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which D2L Brightspace and Open edX actually diverge.

Attributes where D2L Brightspace and Open edX differ
AttributeD2L BrightspaceOpen edX
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, IOS, Android
CategoryLearning ManagementEducation & E-Learning
FoundedUnknown2012

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

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 Open edX does not also cover.

Only in Open edX

  • Course authoring
  • Interactive videos
  • Assessments
  • Discussions
  • Certificates
  • Analytics
  • Mobile apps
  • xBlocks

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.

Open edX

  • MOOC creationnot D2L Brightspace
  • Corporate trainingnot D2L Brightspace
  • Blended learningnot D2L Brightspace
  • Degree programsnot 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

Open edX

  • Open edX has no licensing fee as open source software, but the vendor's own site states that hosting and infrastructure costs are the operator's responsibility, so there is no bundled managed-hosting price to compare against SaaS competitors.

Pricing, plan by plan

D2L Brightspace

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the D2L Brightspace review.

Open edX

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Full platform
    • Community support
    • All features
  • Managed Hosting$undefined/month
    • Hosted solution
    • Support
    • Maintenance

Which should you pick?

Choose D2L Brightspace if

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

D2L Brightspace review

Choose Open edX if

  • You need course authoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want interactive videos.
Open edX review

Questions people ask

Is D2L Brightspace or Open edX better?
Neither clearly leads. D2L Brightspace starts at On request and Open edX at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, D2L Brightspace or Open edX?
Open edX has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for D2L Brightspace and Free for Open edX.
Does D2L Brightspace or Open edX run on more platforms?
D2L Brightspace runs on Web. Open edX runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Open edX for free?
Yes. Open edX has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. D2L Brightspace starts at On request.
What can D2L Brightspace do that Open edX cannot?
Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions.
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Related pages

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