Softwr

Learning Management · head to head

edX vs uBlock Origin

edX logo

edX

Learning Management

Online courses from the world's top universities

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
uBlock Origin logo

uBlock Origin

Browser Extensions

Free, open-source ad content blocker

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only uBlock Origin 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; uBlock Origin cNAME uncloaking of third-party trackers disguised as first-party is only available on Firefox, because the required DNS API does not exist in Chromium
  • They diverge on capability: edX covers Video lectures, uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which edX and uBlock Origin actually diverge.

Attributes where edX and uBlock Origin differ
AttributeedXuBlock Origin
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidChrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera
CategoryLearning ManagementBrowser Extensions
Founded20122014

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 edX

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

Only in uBlock Origin

  • Ad blocking
  • Tracker blocking
  • Malware domain blocking
  • Custom filter lists
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Opera 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 uBlock Origin
  • Career changers pursuing MicroMasters or professional certificatesnot uBlock Origin
  • Individuals in regions with limited access to higher educationnot uBlock Origin

uBlock Origin

  • Blocking advertisements and third-party trackers in the browsernot edX
  • Running a default-deny policy on third-party scripts and resourcesnot edX
  • Element picking and cosmetic filtering of unwanted page contentnot 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

uBlock Origin

  • CNAME uncloaking of third-party trackers disguised as first-party is only available on Firefox, because the required DNS API does not exist in Chromium
  • HTML filtering of response bodies requires the webRequest.filterResponseData API, which is only available in Firefox
  • On Chromium-based browsers uBO is not reliably ready at browser launch, so tracker and advertisement payloads can reach already-open tabs before filtering starts
  • Pre-fetch blocking is not reliable on Chromium-based browsers because they give websites precedence over user settings
  • The Chromium build does not use the WebAssembly filtering code paths, because the extra manifest permission would create friction publishing to the Chrome Web Store
  • LZ4 storage compression is Firefox only, and on Chromium in incognito mode IndexedDB resets, so uBO launches with out-of-date filter lists

Pricing, plan by plan

edX

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the edX review.

uBlock Origin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Ad blocking
    • Tracker blocking
    • Custom filter lists

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 uBlock Origin if

  • You need ad blocking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
  • You also want tracker blocking.
uBlock Origin review

Questions people ask

Is edX or uBlock Origin better?
Neither clearly leads. edX starts at On request and uBlock Origin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, edX or uBlock Origin?
uBlock Origin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for edX and Free for uBlock Origin.
Does edX or uBlock Origin run on more platforms?
edX runs on Web, iOS, Android. uBlock Origin runs on Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera.
Can I use uBlock Origin for free?
Yes. uBlock Origin 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 uBlock Origin is typically brought in for.
What can edX do that uBlock Origin cannot?
edX covers Video lectures, Interactive exercises, Discussion forums, Certificates. uBlock Origin covers Ad blocking, Tracker blocking, Malware domain blocking, Custom filter lists.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on edX

More on uBlock Origin

Keep looking

Other head to heads