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Webinars · head to head

Microsoft Teams Live Events vs Open edX

Microsoft Teams Live Events logo

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Webinars

Enterprise live event and webinar platform by Microsoft

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Open edX logo

Open edX

Education

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Teams Live Events teams live events retired on June 30, 2026, and only events scheduled before that date remain supported through February 28, 2027; Open edX no license fees for software but requires separate spending on hosting, infrastructure, and maintenance
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Open edX covers Course authoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Teams Live Events and Open edX actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Teams Live Events and Open edX differ
AttributeMicrosoft Teams Live EventsOpen edX
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
PlatformsWindows, Mac, IOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android
CategoryWebinarsEducation
Founded19752012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • Live Q&A
  • Attendee engagement
  • RTMP support
  • Recording
  • Microsoft 365 integration
  • Microsoft 365
  • Azure
  • SharePoint

Only in Open edX

  • Course authoring
  • Interactive videos
  • Assessments
  • Discussions
  • Certificates
  • Analytics
  • Mobile apps
  • xBlocks

Both cover

  • IOS support
  • Android support
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • One to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiencesnot Open edX
  • Streaming an externally produced RTMP feed from a hardware encoder to Teams viewersnot Open edX

Open edX

  • MOOC creationnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Corporate trainingnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Blended learningnot Microsoft Teams Live Events
  • Degree programsnot Microsoft Teams Live Events

Where each one falls short

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

Microsoft Teams Live Events

  • Teams live events retired on June 30, 2026, and only events scheduled before that date remain supported through February 28, 2027
  • Microsoft directs users to the separate unified Teams events experience instead
  • Organizers must use the Teams web client to schedule a live event; scheduling is not available in the desktop client
  • Users cannot schedule meetings or live events when offline or running with limited bandwidth
  • Keeping internal broadcast traffic off the corporate network requires an eCDN, either Microsoft's own or a certified partner such as Hive, Kollective or Ramp

Open edX

  • No license fees for software but requires separate spending on hosting, infrastructure, and maintenance
  • Customization and support from third-party providers requires additional investment

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Teams Live Events

Free
  • Microsoft Teams FreeFree
    • Up to 300 participants
    • Live events
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
    • Enhanced live events
    • 10000 attendees
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard$12.5/month
    • Advanced features
    • Unlimited events

Open edX

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Teams Live Events if

  • You need live q&a.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want attendee engagement.
Microsoft Teams Live Events 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 Microsoft Teams Live Events or Open edX better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Teams Live Events starts at Free and Open edX at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Teams Live Events or Open edX?
Microsoft Teams Live Events starts at Free and Open edX at Free.
Does Microsoft Teams Live Events or Open edX run on more platforms?
Microsoft Teams Live Events runs on Windows, Mac, IOS, Android, Web. Open edX runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Microsoft Teams Live Events for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Microsoft Teams Live Events best used for?
Microsoft Teams Live Events is most often used for one to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiences, streaming an externally produced rtmp feed from a hardware encoder to teams viewers. Of those, one to many broadcast of company town halls to large internal audiences and streaming an externally produced rtmp feed from a hardware encoder to teams viewers are not what Open edX is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Teams Live Events do that Open edX cannot?
Microsoft Teams Live Events covers Live Q&A, Attendee engagement, RTMP support, Recording. Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Both handle IOS support, Android support, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Open edX: How much does Open edX cost?

Open edX software itself is completely free with no license fees. Organizations must cover their own hosting, infrastructure, maintenance, and customization costs.

Source
Open edX: Are there hosting options for Open edX?

Open edX offers three deployment options: self-hosted (organizations deploy independently), managed providers (third-party companies offer cost-effective managed services), and a free sandbox for testing.

Source
Open edX: What does free mean for Open edX?

There are no license fees to use the Open edX software. Organizations can download and deploy it independently or use managed hosting providers for a fee.

Source
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Related pages

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