Softwr

Education · head to head

Open edX vs Welcome

Open edX logo

Open edX

Education

Open-source platform powering online learning

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Welcome logo

Welcome

Webinars

Enterprise event experience platform for memorable virtual events

From
On request
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 no license fees for software but requires separate spending on hosting, infrastructure, and maintenance; Welcome the Internet Archive's capture of Welcome's homepage on 3 January 2021 confirmed its virtual events platform is sold only via 'Book a demo', with no price figure published, only customer case metrics (an average NPS score of 92 cited for one client).
  • They diverge on capability: Open edX covers Course authoring, Welcome covers Immersive event spaces.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Open edX and Welcome differ
AttributeOpen edXWelcome
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryEducationWebinars
Founded20122020

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 Welcome

  • Immersive event spaces
  • Networking lounges
  • Breakout sessions
  • Event analytics
  • White-label options
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Slack

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 Welcome
  • Corporate trainingnot Welcome
  • Blended learningnot Welcome
  • Degree programsnot Welcome

Welcome

  • Virtual Eventsnot Open edX
  • Enterprise Eventsnot Open edX
  • Networkingnot 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

Welcome

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Welcome's homepage on 3 January 2021 confirmed its virtual events platform is sold only via 'Book a demo', with no price figure published, only customer case metrics (an average NPS score of 92 cited for one client).

Pricing, plan by plan

Open edX

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

Welcome

On request
  • Professional$999/month
    • Up to 1000 attendees
    • Custom event spaces
    • Basic analytics
  • Business$2499/month
    • Up to 5000 attendees
    • Advanced customization
    • Networking features
  • Enterprise$4999/month
    • Unlimited attendees
    • White-label solution
    • Dedicated support

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 Welcome if

  • You need immersive event spaces.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want networking lounges.
Welcome review

Questions people ask

Is Open edX or Welcome better?
Neither clearly leads. Open edX starts at Free and Welcome at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Open edX or Welcome?
Open edX has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Open edX and On request for Welcome.
Does Open edX or Welcome 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?
Yes. Open edX has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Welcome starts at On request.
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 Welcome is typically brought in for.
What can Open edX do that Welcome cannot?
Open edX covers Course authoring, Interactive videos, Assessments, Discussions. Welcome covers Immersive event spaces, Networking lounges, Breakout sessions, Event analytics. Both handle Web support, IOS support, Android 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
Share

Related pages

More on Open edX

More on Welcome

Keep looking

Other head to heads