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Open edX vs Star Walk 2

Open edX logo

Open edX

Education

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Star Walk 2 logo

Star Walk 2

Education

Freemium stargazing app with a low-cost ad-free upgrade, aimed at casual sky watchers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Open edX no license fees for software but requires separate spending on hosting, infrastructure, and maintenance; Star Walk 2 its object catalogue is far smaller than SkySafari Pro, so it has little to offer once someone wants to go beyond naked-eye stargazing.
  • They diverge on capability: Open edX covers Course authoring, Star Walk 2 covers Augmented reality sky view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Open edX and Star Walk 2 actually diverge.

Attributes where Open edX and Star Walk 2 differ
AttributeOpen edXStar Walk 2
Pricing modelfreeFreemium, low-cost ad-free subscription upgrade
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidiOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).

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 Star Walk 2

  • Augmented reality sky view
  • Time travel mode
  • Satellite tracking
  • Night mode
  • Meteor shower and event alerts
  • Ad-free Plus tier

What people use each for

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

Open edX

  • MOOC creationnot Star Walk 2
  • Corporate trainingnot Star Walk 2
  • Blended learningnot Star Walk 2
  • Degree programsnot Star Walk 2

Star Walk 2

  • A parent wanting a cheap, simple app to show a child the night skynot Open edX
  • A traveller who wants to identify stars and planets without a big subscription commitmentnot Open edX
  • A casual stargazer who does not need telescope control or a deep-sky cataloguenot Open edX
  • Someone wanting satellite pass tracking including the ISS on a budgetnot Open edX

Where each one falls short

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

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

Star Walk 2

  • Its object catalogue is far smaller than SkySafari Pro, so it has little to offer once someone wants to go beyond naked-eye stargazing.
  • It has no telescope control, unlike SkySafari Plus and Pro, so it cannot drive a motorised mount.
  • The free tier carries ads, which some users find intrusive during a stargazing session.
  • It shares a visual style with many similar AR sky map apps, so its differentiation beyond price is limited.
  • Content depth for deep-sky objects and satellite catalogues lags noticeably behind Sky Guide Pro and SkySafari Pro.

Pricing, plan by plan

Open edX

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

Star Walk 2

Free
  • Star Walk 2Free
    • Core sky map and AR view
    • Ad-supported
  • Star Walk 2 Plus$5.99/year
    • Ads removed
    • Additional sky content

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 Star Walk 2 if

  • You need augmented reality sky view.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want time travel mode.
Star Walk 2 review

Questions people ask

Is Open edX or Star Walk 2 better?
Neither clearly leads. Open edX starts at Free and Star Walk 2 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Open edX or Star Walk 2?
Open edX starts at Free and Star Walk 2 at Free.
Does Open edX or Star Walk 2 run on more platforms?
Open edX runs on Web, IOS, Android. Star Walk 2 runs on iOS, Android, 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 Star Walk 2 is typically brought in for.
What can Open edX do that Star Walk 2 cannot?
Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Star Walk 2 covers Augmented reality sky view, Time travel mode, Satellite tracking, Night mode.

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
Star Walk 2: Is Star Walk 2 free?

A free ad-supported version exists; Star Walk 2 Plus removes ads and adds content for a low annual or monthly fee.

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
Star Walk 2: Does it support telescope control?

No. For telescope control, SkySafari Plus or Pro is the better choice.

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
Star Walk 2: How does it compare to SkySafari on price?

It is substantially cheaper, but with a much smaller star and deep-sky object catalogue.

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