edX vs Open edX
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted learning & courses options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
edX
The Open edX platform is open-source code that powers edX.org
VS
Open edX
Scalable open-source platform for online courses
| Feature | edX | Open edX |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 8,192 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | — | ★ 8,156 |
| First released | 2020 | 2013 |
| Replaces | — | Coursera, Canvas |
Why pick each one
Choose edX if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Open edX if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 8.2k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is edX or Open edX better?
Neither is universally better. Open edX has the larger community, while edX is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are edX and Open edX free and open-source?
Yes. edX is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Open edX under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run edX and Open edX with Docker?
edX: check the project docs for container support. Open edX: yes.