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LMS · head to head

edX vs Pear Deck

edX logo

edX

LMS

Online courses from the world's top universities

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pear Deck logo

Pear Deck

LMS

Interactive presentations that engage every student

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

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 (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 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

  • Interactive classroom presentations for teachersnot edX
  • Student practice and assessment toolsnot edX
  • Standards-aligned content delivery for schoolsnot 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
  • Pear Start FreeFree
    • 40+ AI tools for teachers
    • unlimited usage
  • Pear Deck FreeFree
    • basic interactive presentations
    • anonymous responses
    • student-paced mode
  • Pear Deck Premium$149/year
    • Teacher Dashboard with named responses
    • drawing/draggable features
    • Reflect & Review
  • Pear Assessment FreeFree
    • basic assessment creation
    • autograding

Which should you pick?

Choose edX if

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

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.
Pear Deck review

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.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Pear Deck: What is the price for individual teacher subscriptions?

Pear Deck Premium: $149/year; Pear Assessment Premium: $125/year. Pear Practice and Start have custom pricing for paid tiers.

Source
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
Pear Deck: Are there free versions available?

Yes, all Pear Deck products offer free teacher plans: Pear Start, Pear Deck, Pear Practice, and Pear Assessment are free for educators.

Source
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
Pear Deck: What features require payment in Pear Assessment?

Free version includes basic assessment creation and autograding. Premium ($125/year) adds advanced security, accessibility tools, state test interface mimicry, and rubric scoring.

Source
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
Pear Deck: Do schools get discounted pricing?

Yes, schools and districts receive custom pricing with additional features like standards-aligned content, shared libraries, and LMS integration.

Source
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