Education & E-Learning · head to head
Khan Academy vs Pluralsight
Khan Academy
Education & E-Learning
Free world-class education for anyone, anywhere
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Pluralsight
Education & E-Learning
Technology skills platform for IT professionals
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Khan Academy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Khan Academy the Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.; Pluralsight core Tech plan lists at $49/month while the broader Complete plan across all domains lists lower at $29/month on the same pricing page
- They diverge on capability: Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Pluralsight covers Video courses.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Khan Academy and Pluralsight actually diverge.
| Attribute | Khan Academy | Pluralsight |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | free | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV |
| Founded | 2008 | 2004 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education & E-Learning).
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 Khan Academy
- Video lessons
- Practice exercises
- Mastery system
- Progress tracking
- Personalized learning
- Teacher tools
- Parent dashboard
- Test prep
Only in Pluralsight
- Video courses
- Skill assessments
- Learning paths
- Hands-on labs
- Certifications
- Mobile learning
- Offline viewing
- Analytics
Both cover
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Khan Academy
- Free self paced learning across maths, science and humanitiesnot Pluralsight
- Assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroomnot Pluralsight
Pluralsight
- Technology teams building structured skill development and certification prep programsnot Khan Academy
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Khan Academy
- The Internet Archive's capture of Khan Academy's homepage on 1 January 2021 stated it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and that its full library of practice and lessons 'is all free for learners and teachers', funded by donations rather than subscriptions.
Pluralsight
- Core Tech plan lists at $49/month while the broader Complete plan across all domains lists lower at $29/month on the same pricing page
- Free trial is limited to 10 days
Pricing, plan by plan
Khan Academy
Free- FreeFree
- Video lessons
- Practice exercises
- Progress tracking
Pluralsight
On request- Standard$29/month
- Core library
- Learning paths
- Skill assessments
- Premium$45/month
- Everything in Standard
- Hands-on labs
- Exams
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- All content
- Analytics
- SSO
Which should you pick?
Choose Khan Academy if
- You need video lessons.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want practice exercises.
Choose Pluralsight if
- You need video courses.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV.
- You also want skill assessments.
Questions people ask
- Is Khan Academy or Pluralsight better?
- Neither clearly leads. Khan Academy starts at Free and Pluralsight at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Khan Academy or Pluralsight?
- Khan Academy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Khan Academy and On request for Pluralsight.
- Does Khan Academy or Pluralsight run on more platforms?
- Khan Academy runs on Web, IOS, Android. Pluralsight runs on Web, IOS, Android, Apple TV.
- Can I use Khan Academy for free?
- Yes. Khan Academy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pluralsight starts at On request.
- What is Khan Academy best used for?
- Khan Academy is most often used for free self paced learning across maths, science and humanities, assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroom. Of those, free self paced learning across maths, science and humanities and assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroom are not what Pluralsight is typically brought in for.
- What can Khan Academy do that Pluralsight cannot?
- Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Practice exercises, Mastery system, Progress tracking. Pluralsight covers Video courses, Skill assessments, Learning paths, Hands-on labs. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android support.