edX
Teachable
| Feature | edX | Teachable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $50/mo | Free / from $59/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | career-advancers, university-students, professionals, degree-seekers | course-creators, coaches, educators, experts, solopreneurs |
| Founded | 2012 | 2013 |
| University Courses | ✓ | ✗ |
| Certificates | ✓ | ✓ |
| Degree Programs | ✓ | ✗ |
| Discussion Forums | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mobile App | ✓ | ✗ |
| Enterprise Training | ✓ | ✗ |
| Course Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Coaching | ✗ | ✓ |
| Digital Downloads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Quizzes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Affiliates | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email Marketing | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ edX Pros
- Courses from Harvard, MIT, Berkeley and 160+ institutions
- Free audit access to most course content
- Verified certificates and full degree programs available
- High academic quality with rigorous content
✗ edX Cons
- Certificates are expensive ($50-300+ each)
- Self-paced courses can lack community engagement
- Platform UX feels dated compared to newer competitors
✓ Teachable Pros
- Easy course builder with drag-and-drop
- Built-in payment processing and affiliates
- Custom domain and branding on all plans
- Coaching and community features included
✗ Teachable Cons
- Transaction fees on free and basic plans
- Limited site customization options
- No built-in community forum (added 2024)
The Verdict
edX is built for career advancers and university students, with a focus on university-courses and certificates. Teachable targets course creators and coaches and leads with course-builder and coaching.
On pricing, edX is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $50/mo compared to $59/mo for Teachable. That $9/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Teachable offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while edX takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.