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Software · head to head

edX vs Pear Deck

edX logo

edX

Software

Online courses from the world's top universities

From
On request
Rated
-
Pear Deck logo

Pear Deck

Software

Interactive presentations that engage every student

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Pear Deck has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: edX individual course costs not displayed; pricing requires enrollment to view; Pear Deck the Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • They diverge on capability: edX covers Video lectures, Pear Deck covers Interactive slides.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which edX and Pear Deck actually diverge.

Attributes where edX and Pear Deck differ
AttributeedXPear Deck
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Chrome Extension
Founded20122014

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 edX

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

Only in Pear Deck

  • Interactive slides
  • Real-time responses
  • Formative assessment
  • Student-paced mode
  • Dashboard
  • Audio responses
  • Drawing
  • Vocabulary

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

edX

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

Pear Deck

  • Turning slide decks into interactive lessons with student responsesnot edX
  • Running formative checks for understanding during classnot edX
  • Student paced review activities and assessmentsnot edX

Where each one falls short

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

edX

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

Pear Deck

  • The Teacher Dashboard, draggable and drawing responses and Reflect and Review require Teacher Premium at $149 per year
  • Pear Assessment Premium is a separate $125 per year purchase from Pear Deck Premium
  • Standards aligned content, district library and efficacy reports are only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • SIS and LMS integration is only in the Schools and Districts plan
  • School and district pricing is by quote with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

edX

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the edX review.

Pear Deck

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 5 question types
    • Real-time responses
    • Student-paced mode
  • Premium$149.99/month
    • All question types
    • Audio responses
    • Flashcard factory
  • School/District$undefined/month
    • All Premium
    • Admin dashboard
    • Rostering

Which should you pick?

Choose edX if

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

Choose Pear Deck if

  • You need interactive slides.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension.
  • You also want real-time responses.

Questions people ask

Is edX or Pear Deck better?
Neither clearly leads. edX starts at On request and Pear Deck at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, edX or Pear Deck?
Pear Deck has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for edX and Free for Pear Deck.
Does edX or Pear Deck run on more platforms?
edX runs on Web, iOS, Android. Pear Deck runs on Web, Chrome Extension.
Can I use Pear Deck for free?
Yes. Pear Deck has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. edX starts at On request.
What is edX best used for?
edX is most often used for learners seeking university-level credentials from elite institutions (mit, harvard, cambridge), career changers pursuing micromasters or professional certificates, individuals in regions with limited access to higher education. Of those, learners seeking university-level credentials from elite institutions (mit, harvard, cambridge) and career changers pursuing micromasters or professional certificates are not what Pear Deck is typically brought in for.
What can edX do that Pear Deck cannot?
edX covers Video lectures, Interactive exercises, Discussion forums, Certificates. Pear Deck covers Interactive slides, Real-time responses, Formative assessment, Student-paced mode. Both handle Web support.

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