Open edX vs TAO
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
TAO
Open-source computer-based assessment platform
| Feature | Open edX | TAO |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learning & Courses | Learning & Courses |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Python | PHP |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, kubernetes, bare-metal | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,156 | ★ 138 |
| First released | 2013 | 2010 |
| Replaces | Coursera, Canvas | ExamSoft, Questionmark |
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 TAO if…
- Released under the GPL-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in PHP
Frequently asked questions
Is Open edX or TAO better?
Neither is universally better. Open edX has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Open edX and TAO free and open-source?
Yes. Open edX is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and TAO under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Open edX and TAO with Docker?
Open edX: yes. TAO: yes.