Open edX vs RELATE
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
RELATE
Courseware package that includes features such as: flexible rules,
| Feature | Open edX | RELATE |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,156 | ★ 432 |
| First released | 2013 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Coursera, Canvas | — |
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 RELATE if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Written in Python
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Open edX or RELATE better?
Neither is universally better. Open edX has the larger community, while RELATE is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Open edX and RELATE free and open-source?
Yes. Open edX is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and RELATE under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Open edX and RELATE with Docker?
Open edX: yes. RELATE: check the project docs for container support.