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Education & E-Learning · head to head

Open edX vs Apache Spark MLlib

Open edX logo

Open edX

Education & E-Learning

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apache Spark MLlib logo

Apache Spark MLlib

Machine Learning & Data Science

Scalable machine learning on Apache Spark

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; Apache Spark MLlib apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.
  • They diverge on capability: Open edX covers Course authoring, Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Open edX and Apache Spark MLlib actually diverge.

Attributes where Open edX and Apache Spark MLlib differ
AttributeOpen edXApache Spark MLlib
Pricing modelfreeopen-source
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryEducation & E-LearningMachine Learning & Data Science
Founded20121999

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 Open edX

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

Only in Apache Spark MLlib

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Collaborative filtering
  • Feature engineering
  • Apache Spark
  • Hadoop
  • Kafka

What people use each for

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

Open edX

  • MOOC creationnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Corporate trainingnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Blended learningnot Apache Spark MLlib
  • Degree programsnot Apache Spark MLlib

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Large-scale distributed machine learning on Spark clustersnot Open edX
  • Classification and regression with decision trees, random forests, gradient-boosted treesnot Open edX
  • Clustering with K-means and Gaussian Mixture Modelsnot 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.

Apache Spark MLlib

  • Apache Spark MLlib is Apache 2.0 licensed and free with no paid tier from the Apache project itself; SLA-backed support has to be sourced from a third party such as a managed Spark vendor rather than from Apache.

Pricing, plan by plan

Open edX

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

Apache Spark MLlib

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apache Spark MLlib review.

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.
Open edX review

Choose Apache Spark MLlib if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want regression.
Apache Spark MLlib review

Questions people ask

Is Open edX or Apache Spark MLlib better?
Neither clearly leads. Open edX starts at Free and Apache Spark MLlib at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Open edX or Apache Spark MLlib?
Open edX starts at Free and Apache Spark MLlib at Free.
Does Open edX or Apache Spark MLlib run on more platforms?
Open edX runs on Web, IOS, Android. Apache Spark MLlib runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 Apache Spark MLlib is typically brought in for.
What can Open edX do that Apache Spark MLlib cannot?
Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Apache Spark MLlib covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Collaborative filtering.
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