Moodle vs Open edX (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Moodle grades higher than Open edX: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Moodle grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Moodle
Open-source learning platform you host yourself or on MoodleCloud
Free plan
Open edX
Free open-source learning platform stewarded by Axim Collaborative
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Moodle if
- Fits if you have IT staff who can run a server
- Works for schools that want a free, extendable LMS
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you can't host and update a server, as that is your job
- Tight if you want MoodleCloud, as the trial is 28 days and paid prices are not listed
- Watch out: Moodle Solutions, the enterprise service, is quoted case by case
- Watch out: the page does not list the mobile app's platforms
Pick Open edX if
- Fits if you have a technical team and many learners
- Works for organizations that want to pick a hosting provider
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you can't run infrastructure, as setup and maintenance are yours
- Pricey if you pay a provider, as each sets its own prices
- Watch out: costs scale with enrollments through hosting
- Watch out: the pages read do not list mobile app platforms
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAMoodleFair | 2.2GPAOpen edXFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CFree to download, but only useful if you host it yourself, so it sits in the middle. MoodleCloud's paid prices are not on the downloads page. | CThe software is free, but hosting costs are yours or a provider's, so this sits in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BMoodle LMS is free to run with no limit stated. MoodleCloud has a 28-day trial with no card. | BFree to use under open-source licenses with no per-learner fee. Hosting is your cost. |
| Features | BSelf-hosted LMS, MoodleCloud, a plugin marketplace and an official mobile app. The listing shows no gap in the core job. | BLMS and course authoring, flexible formats, analytics, SSO and large-scale enrollment. The listing shows no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | DSelf-hosting needs a web server with PHP, a database and upkeep. No store rating is on record. | DSelf-hosting makes setup and upkeep the organization's job. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus an official mobile app, whose platforms the page does not list, and a plugin marketplace. | CWeb only, with no integrations listed, and the pages read do not list app platforms. |
| Best for | a free LMS you run yourself | free open-source learning at scale |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Moodle and Open edX. How we grade
Where they differ
- Open edX also covers reports.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceSelf-hostableOnline courses
At a glance
| Moodle | Open edX | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | Not published | Free |
| Free plan | Moodle LMS is free to download and run on your own server; hosting, maintenance and support are your own cost. | The software is free to use under open-source licenses; hosting, infrastructure, maintenance and support are your own cost or a provider's. |
| Free trial | MoodleCloud: free 28-day trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Moodle | Axim Collaborative |
| Price read from | download.moodle.org | openedx.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Moodle
- Self-hosting requires your own web server with PHP and a database, plus upkeep and security updates.
- MoodleCloud's paid prices are not listed on the downloads page; the trial runs 28 days.
- The enterprise Moodle Solutions service is quoted individually.
- The vendor's page mentions an official mobile app but does not list its platforms.
Open edX
- Self-hosting makes setup, maintenance and infrastructure entirely the organization's job.
- Provider hosting is priced by each provider, and the vendor notes that cost and flexibility vary.
- Costs scale with enrollments through hosting, even though there is no per-learner license fee.
- The pages read describe learner access by browser or mobile app but do not list app platforms.
Key features
Moodle
- Self-hosted open source
- The full LMS is a free download under GPL-3.0, with total control over customization and source code on GitHub.
- MoodleCloud
- A hosted option for teachers and small teams with unlimited courses and activities and no server maintenance.
- Plugin marketplace
- Thousands of plugins and themes extend a site, available through the Moodle Marketplace.
- Official mobile app
- Students can reach course materials from the Moodle app, including offline.
- Enterprise service
- Moodle Solutions offers unlimited users, bespoke branding, custom theme and feature development and full-service support.
Open edX
- LMS and course authoring
- A learner-facing LMS with schedules, discussion boards and notifications, plus a CMS with authoring tools and reusable content blocks.
- Flexible course formats
- Supports self-paced, instructor-led and blended courses, with stackable content and credential pathways.
- Analytics
- Aspects analytics covers enrollment, progress, assessment performance, forum activity and video engagement.
- SSO
- Third-party sign-in through SAML and OAuth 2.0 providers such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft and LinkedIn.
- Hosting choice
- Self-host for full control and data ownership, or choose a listed Open edX provider to handle hosting, updates and scaling.
- Large-scale enrollment
- The project states support for large-scale enrollment and e-commerce, with no per-learner license fee.
Plans
Moodle
Moodle LMS (self-hosted)$0
Free open-source download. You host it yourself; it needs a web server with PHP and a database.
Open edX
Open edX (self-hosted)$0
No license fee for the software. You or a hosting provider run it; provider pricing varies.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Moodle or Open edX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Moodle publishes no starting price, and Open edX is free.
Which has a free plan, Moodle or Open edX?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Moodle and Open edX have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.