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Education & E-Learning · head to head

Open edX vs Udacity

Open edX logo

Open edX

Education & E-Learning

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Udacity logo

Udacity

Learning Management

Nanodegrees for in-demand tech skills

From
$249/month
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: 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.; Udacity expensive compared to many online learning alternatives at $249/month or annual commitments
  • They diverge on capability: Open edX covers Course authoring, Udacity covers Nanodegree programs.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Open edX and Udacity actually diverge.

Attributes where Open edX and Udacity differ
AttributeOpen edXUdacity
Starting priceFree$249/month
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Free tierYesNo
CategoryEducation & E-LearningLearning Management
Founded20122011

Identical on both: platforms (Web, IOS, Android), 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 Udacity

  • Nanodegree programs
  • Real-world projects
  • Mentorship
  • Code review
  • Career services
  • Industry partnerships
  • Mobile learning
  • Enterprise platforms

Both cover

  • SSO
  • 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 Udacity
  • Corporate trainingnot Udacity
  • Blended learningnot Udacity
  • Degree programsnot Udacity

Udacity

  • Tech skill developmentnot Open edX
  • Career transitionnot Open edX
  • Upskillingnot Open edX
  • Team trainingnot 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.

Udacity

  • Expensive compared to many online learning alternatives at $249/month or annual commitments
  • Course certificates lose value after subscription ends if not continuously maintained
  • Limited offline access to course materials
  • May lack breadth of non-tech courses compared to general learning platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Open edX

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

Udacity

$249/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Udacity 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 Udacity if

  • You need nanodegree programs.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real-world projects.
Udacity review

Questions people ask

Is Open edX or Udacity better?
Neither clearly leads. Open edX starts at Free and Udacity at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Open edX or Udacity?
Open edX has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Open edX and $249/month for Udacity.
Does Open edX or Udacity run on more platforms?
Open edX runs on Web, IOS, Android. Udacity runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Open edX for free?
Yes. Open edX has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Udacity starts at $249/month.
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 Udacity is typically brought in for.
What can Open edX do that Udacity cannot?
Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Udacity covers Nanodegree programs, Real-world projects, Mentorship, Code review. Both handle SSO, Web support, IOS support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Udacity: How is Udacity priced?

Udacity offers subscription-based pricing: $249/month or $846 for 4 months (approximately $212/month with 15% discount). One subscription covers 500+ courses and all 80+ Nanodegree and Executive programs. Month-to-month subscriptions are cancellable anytime.

Source
Udacity: Does Udacity offer degree programs?

Yes, Udacity offers a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence ($199 enrollment fee plus subscription) and MBA in AI Product Management, both priced under $5,000 total, approximately 90% cheaper than traditional programs.

Source
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