LMS · head to head
edX vs Skilljar
Skilljar
LMS
Customer education platform that treats training completion as a commercial signal in the CRM
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: edX individual course costs not displayed; pricing requires enrollment to view; Skilljar pricing is an enterprise annual commitment, so a first certification pilot costs more than it can demonstrate and teams should prove the programme elsewhere first.
- They diverge on capability: edX covers Video lectures, Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which edX and Skilljar actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Skilljar
- Branded course catalogue
- CRM data write-back
- Certification with expiry
- Domain and theme control
- Self-paced and instructor-led
- Engagement analytics
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 Skilljar
- Career changers pursuing MicroMasters or professional certificatesnot Skilljar
- Individuals in regions with limited access to higher educationnot Skilljar
Skilljar
- A software company whose support ticket volume is driven by customers who were never trainednot edX
- Customer success teams that want training engagement visible next to renewal risk in Salesforcenot edX
- Partner certification programmes where credentials must expire and be renewednot edX
- Reducing time to first value during onboarding by giving customers self serve training before implementationnot 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
Skilljar
- Pricing is an enterprise annual commitment, so a first certification pilot costs more than it can demonstrate and teams should prove the programme elsewhere first.
- The commercial value depends on the Salesforce integration being properly configured, and companies with messy CRM data get engagement reporting joined to accounts that do not reflect reality.
- It is built for external audiences, so using it for internal employee compliance means paying for capability that internal training does not need.
- Content authoring is not a strength, so most customers licence an authoring tool separately and run two content workflows.
- Attribution remains contested. The platform shows that trained accounts renew better, but establishing that training caused the renewal rather than that engaged customers train more is a problem the reporting cannot solve for you.
Pricing, plan by plan
edX
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the edX review.
Skilljar
On request- Skilljar$undefined/year
- Annual enterprise contract, quoted
- Entry point sits well above self-serve course platforms
- Implementation and integration services quoted separately
Which should you pick?
Choose edX if
- You need video lectures.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want interactive exercises.
Choose Skilljar if
- You need branded course catalogue.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want crm data write-back.
Questions people ask
- Is edX or Skilljar better?
- Neither clearly leads. edX starts at On request and Skilljar at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, edX or Skilljar?
- edX starts at On request and Skilljar at On request.
- Does edX or Skilljar run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- 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 Skilljar is typically brought in for.
- What can edX do that Skilljar cannot?
- edX covers Video lectures, Interactive exercises, Discussion forums, Certificates. Skilljar covers Branded course catalogue, CRM data write-back, Certification with expiry, Domain and theme control.
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.
SourceSkilljar: How is Skilljar different from a corporate LMS?
A corporate learning platform reports on employees for compliance. Skilljar reports on customers for retention and expansion, and writes that activity into the CRM so account teams see it.
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.
SourceSkilljar: Do learners need accounts before they can browse?
No. Catalogues can be public so prospects and customers browse and enrol without a sales conversation, which is a large part of the self serve onboarding case.
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.
SourceSkilljar: Is it worth it for a small customer education team?
Usually not at the start. The contract floor assumes an established programme, so prove the value on a cheaper platform and move once retention or revenue evidence exists.
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.
SourceRelated pages
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