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Software · head to head

LinkedIn Learning vs Open edX

LinkedIn Learning logo

LinkedIn Learning

Software

Develop skills with expert-led courses

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Open edX logo

Open edX

Software

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Open edX has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: LinkedIn Learning listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £5.80 to £286 per user per year for LinkedIn Learning, submitted directly by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company; Open edX open edX has no licensing fee as open source software, but the vendor's own site states that hosting and infrastructure costs are the operator's responsibility, so there is no bundled managed-hosting price to compare against SaaS competitors.
  • They diverge on capability: LinkedIn Learning covers Video courses, Open edX covers Course authoring.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which LinkedIn Learning and Open edX actually diverge.

Attributes where LinkedIn Learning and Open edX differ
AttributeLinkedIn LearningOpen edX
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20032012

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 LinkedIn Learning

  • Video courses
  • Learning paths
  • Skill assessments
  • LinkedIn integration
  • Mobile learning
  • Offline viewing
  • Recommendations
  • LinkedIn

Only in Open edX

  • Course authoring
  • Interactive videos
  • Assessments
  • Discussions
  • Analytics
  • Mobile apps
  • xBlocks
  • LTI tools

Both cover

  • Certificates
  • Web support
  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

LinkedIn Learning

  • Skill developmentnot Open edX
  • Career growthnot Open edX
  • Team trainingnot Open edX
  • Professional developmentnot Open edX

Open edX

  • MOOC creationnot LinkedIn Learning
  • Corporate trainingnot LinkedIn Learning
  • Blended learningnot LinkedIn Learning
  • Degree programsnot LinkedIn Learning

Where each one falls short

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

LinkedIn Learning

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £5.80 to £286 per user per year for LinkedIn Learning, submitted directly by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company

Open edX

  • Open edX has no licensing fee as open source software, but the vendor's own site states that hosting and infrastructure costs are the operator's responsibility, so there is no bundled managed-hosting price to compare against SaaS competitors.

Pricing, plan by plan

LinkedIn Learning

On request
  • Monthly$29.99/month
    • All courses
    • Certificates
    • LinkedIn integration
  • Annual$19.99/month
    • All courses
    • Offline viewing
    • Personalized recommendations
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Admin tools
    • Analytics
    • Learning paths

Open edX

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Full platform
    • Community support
    • All features
  • Managed Hosting$undefined/month
    • Hosted solution
    • Support
    • Maintenance

Which should you pick?

Choose LinkedIn Learning if

  • You need video courses.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want learning paths.
LinkedIn Learning review

Choose Open edX if

  • You need course authoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want interactive videos.
Open edX review

Questions people ask

Is LinkedIn Learning or Open edX better?
Neither clearly leads. LinkedIn Learning starts at On request and Open edX at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, LinkedIn Learning or Open edX?
Open edX has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for LinkedIn Learning and Free for Open edX.
Does LinkedIn Learning or Open edX run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Open edX for free?
Yes. Open edX has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. LinkedIn Learning starts at On request.
What is LinkedIn Learning best used for?
LinkedIn Learning is most often used for skill development, career growth, team training, professional development. Of those, skill development and career growth are not what Open edX is typically brought in for.
What can LinkedIn Learning do that Open edX cannot?
LinkedIn Learning covers Video courses, Learning paths, Skill assessments, LinkedIn integration. Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Both handle Certificates, Web support, IOS support, Android support.
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Related pages

More on LinkedIn Learning

More on Open edX

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