Open edX vs Gibbon
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?
Open edX
Scalable open-source platform for online courses
VS
Gibbon
Open-source school management and learning platform
| Feature | Open edX | Gibbon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | bare-metal, docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,156 | ★ 620 |
| First released | 2013 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Coursera, Canvas | PowerSchool, Blackboard |
Why pick each one
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
Choose Gibbon if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Open edX or Gibbon better?
Neither is universally better. Open edX has the larger community, while Gibbon is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Open edX and Gibbon free and open-source?
Yes. Open edX is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Gibbon under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Open edX and Gibbon with Docker?
Open edX: yes. Gibbon: yes.