Education & E-Learning · head to head
Open edX vs Khan Academy
Open edX
Education & E-Learning
Open-source platform powering online learning
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Khan Academy
Education & E-Learning
Free world-class education for anyone, anywhere
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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.; 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.
- They diverge on capability: Open edX covers Course authoring, Khan Academy covers Video lessons.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Open edX and Khan Academy actually diverge.
| Attribute | Open edX | Khan Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2008 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 Open edX
- Course authoring
- Interactive videos
- Assessments
- Discussions
- Certificates
- Analytics
- Mobile apps
- xBlocks
Only in Khan Academy
- Video lessons
- Practice exercises
- Mastery system
- Progress tracking
- Personalized learning
- Teacher tools
- Parent dashboard
- Test prep
Both cover
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Open edX
- MOOC creationnot Khan Academy
- Corporate trainingnot Khan Academy
- Blended learningnot Khan Academy
- Degree programsnot Khan Academy
Khan Academy
- Free self paced learning across maths, science and humanitiesnot Open edX
- Assigning practice and tracking student progress in a classroomnot Open edX
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
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.
Pricing, plan by plan
Open edX
Free- Self-HostedFree
- Full platform
- Community support
- All features
- Managed Hosting$undefined/month
- Hosted solution
- Support
- Maintenance
Khan Academy
Free- FreeFree
- Video lessons
- Practice exercises
- Progress tracking
Which should you pick?
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.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Open edX or Khan Academy better?
- Neither clearly leads. Open edX starts at Free and Khan Academy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Open edX or Khan Academy?
- Open edX starts at Free and Khan Academy at Free.
- Does Open edX or Khan Academy 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?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Open edX best used for?
- Open edX is most often used for mooc creation, corporate training, blended learning, degree programs. Of those, mooc creation and corporate training are not what Khan Academy is typically brought in for.
- What can Open edX do that Khan Academy cannot?
- Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Khan Academy covers Video lessons, Practice exercises, Mastery system, Progress tracking. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android support.