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Source-backed analysis10

Review basis

Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.

10 reference sources

Information updated Nov 11, 2026

How we review
edX logo

edX Review

Online courses and certificates from universities, now owned by 2U

Editorial Team6.9/10Write the first review

By Official AppDuo editorial team · Fact-checked

  • Web
  • iOS
  • Android
Freemium · Free
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Decide at a glance

Our verdict

edX suits learners who want content from major universities: audit for free first, then pay from $50 per course if you need a certificate. The trade-offs are per-course pricing, time-limited audit access, few interface languages and a parent company, 2U, that went through Chapter 11 in 2024.

Best for: Learners who want to try university courses before paying

Skip it if: Individuals who want one flat subscription covering any number of courses

Pros

  • Strong partner roster: the homepage names Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, Oxford Saïd, Georgia Tech and others
  • Many levels in one place: single courses, Professional Certificates, MicroMasters, MicroBachelors, bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees
  • Free audit lets you see course content before paying

Cons

  • Priced per course: from $50 for a single course, around $500 and up for a Professional Certificate
  • Audit access is time-limited and excludes graded work
All pros and cons · Who is it for?

More pros

  • App downloads materials and transcripts for offline study; rated 4.8/5 on the App Store and 4.9/5 on Google Play

More cons

  • Web interface in English and Spanish only; the iOS app lists English and Ukrainian
  • Parent company 2U filed for Chapter 11 in July 2024

Best for

  • People who want certificates, professional programs or online degrees
  • Companies that want a per-seat course library

Skip it if

  • Learners who need a broad choice of interface languages

Experience & key features

What edX is

edX is an online course platform founded by MIT and Harvard in May 2012, per Wikipedia. 2U acquired edX's assets in 2021; the footer now reads © edX LLC. The homepage lists single courses, Professional Certificates, XSeries, MicroMasters, MicroBachelors, Executive Education and bachelor's and master's programs; the Google Play description also mentions doctorates.

Scale and app

On Google Play, edX claims 4.5K+ programs from 250+ partners, naming Amazon and Google alongside MIT and Harvard. The mobile app streams video, downloads materials and transcripts for offline access, and handles quizzes, assignments and exams. The store descriptions also highlight programs in AI, cybersecurity and data science.

Pricing and value

Individuals get no single subscription. Audit is free but time-limited; graded work and a certificate cost extra per course. Per edX, single courses start at $50, Professional Certificates around $500 and Executive Education around $2,500. For companies, Essentials starts at $150 and Teams at $396 per user per year, with Enterprise priced on request. We found no official VND price list.

More analysis

Versus alternatives

edX fits learners who want university-linked content and only pay for the courses they need certified. For subscription-style access, look at Coursera or LinkedIn Learning; for hands-on coding practice, Codecademy. Also weigh 2U's financial history and the data-sharing lawsuit.

Screenshots

First App Store product image of the edX iPhone app
First App Store product image of the edX iPhone app
Second App Store product image of the edX iPhone app
Second App Store product image of the edX iPhone app
Third App Store product image of the edX iPhone app
Third App Store product image of the edX iPhone app

Plans & pricing

Prices last verified Nov 11, 2026

Audit

Personal

Free

Per edX, auditors get temporary access to course materials at no cost, without graded assignments or a certificate.

Verified certificate

Personal

Contact sales

One-off payment per course, not a subscription. Per edX, a single course costs from $50, Professional Certificates start around $500 and Executive Education around $2,500. It unlocks graded assignments, a certificate and unlimited access to materials. On the US App Store, "Upgrade Course" purchases range from $29 to $299.

Essentials

Business

$12.50/mo/user

From $150 per user per year, billed yearly only. Includes 1 academy (16 self-paced courses).

Teams

Business

$33/mo/user

From $396 per user per year, billed yearly only, with a 14-day free trial. Includes 8 academies, 2,300+ self-paced courses and 300+ professional certificates.

Enterprise

Business

Contact sales

For 50+ learners; contact sales for pricing. Full course library plus enterprise services.

Free plan limits
Free audit: temporary access to course materials, without graded assignments or a certificate.
Free trial
No free trial
Cancellation & refunds

Per the Help Center, verified-track courses are refunded automatically if you unenroll from your dashboard within 14 days of the course start date or payment date; refunds are not available 6 months after payment. Boot camps and Professional Education follow their own terms.

Privacy

On Google Play, edX declares the app may collect personal info, photos/videos and device IDs and may share some data types with third parties; data is encrypted in transit and deletion can be requested. The App Store privacy label lists email, name, user ID and usage data as linked to you, used for analytics and personalisation. A 2024 class action alleges the app shared video-viewing data with Google, Braze and Twilio; we found no public response from edX.

Official pricing page

edX alternatives

Khan Academy logo8.3/10

Khan Academy

A nonprofit's free K-12 course library, with the Khanmigo AI tutor

Freemium
Coursera logo7.4/10

Coursera

University and company courses with certificates and online degrees

Freemium
All alternatives

Controversies & incidents

Issues documented by the press, regulators, courts or the vendor itself. Every item is sourced; unproven claims are labelled as allegations. Last researched: Nov 11, 2026

  • Medium impactAllegedPrivacy ·

    Class action alleges app shared video-viewing data

    A class action filed April 19, 2024 alleges 2U and edX shared app users' personal data and video-viewing history with third parties. These are allegations; we found no ruling.

    Read the full account

    Per ClassAction.org, De la Paz v. 2U Inc. and edX LLC (No. 1:24-cv-11049) invokes the Video Privacy Protection Act of 1988. The complaint alleges the app sent email, username, user ID and the titles and URLs of videos viewed to Google, Braze and Twilio through their APIs and SDKs, for targeted marketing. The proposed class covers US users who watched pre-recorded videos in the app. We found no public response from the defendants and no outcome.

    Sources:ClassAction.org: edX app lawsuit

  • Low impactResolvedRegulator ·

    Justice Department accessibility settlement

    In 2015 edX agreed to modify its website, platform and apps so disabled students can take part. The settlement carried no fines.

    Read the full account

    Per Higher Ed Dive (April 6, 2015), the Justice Department treats the courses as public accommodations under the ADA. edX had 18 months to make its online operations fully accessible, with partner universities getting a further 18 months for their own content. The article carries no edX statement.

    Sources:Higher Ed Dive: edX reaches deal with Justice Dept.

Frequently asked questions

Is edX free?

Partly. Per edX, auditors get temporary free access to course materials. Graded work and certificates are paid, from $50 per course.

Who owns edX?

2U. The $800M cash deal closed on November 16, 2021, per Wikipedia. 2U filed for Chapter 11 on July 25, 2024 to cut its debt and go private again, per Higher Ed Dive.

Can I get a refund?

Yes, if you unenroll within 14 days of the course start date or payment date. Refunds are not available 6 months after payment.

Does edX support Vietnamese?

No. The web navigation offers only EN and ES, and the iOS app lists English and Ukrainian.

Review evidence & sources10

Scores

Ease of use
7.0
Why this score

Mobile app and a clear path from audit to degrees, but few interface languages and prices only visible course by course.

Features
7.8
Why this score

Broad scope: courses, certificates, MicroMasters, MicroBachelors, degrees, downloads, quizzes and exams. The business plan comparison adds the Xpert AI learning assistant, progress reports and SSO.

Value for money
7.0
Why this score

Free audit helps. Certificates start at $50 per course and Professional Certificates around $500, so heavy learners pay more than with a subscription. Business plans publish prices from $150 per user per year.

Performance
7.0
Why this score

High store ratings (4.8 and 4.9), though a recent Google Play review reports skipped sections and videos that won't play. No independent performance data.

Support
6.5
Why this score

The Help Center covers payments, refunds and financial assistance, with a contact form. Response times could not be verified.

Privacy & security
6.0
Why this score

A class action filed in April 2024 alleges video-viewing data was shared with third parties; we found no ruling. The app declares some third-party data sharing, encryption in transit and deletion on request.

What users say

Sources

Specs & compatibility
Developer
2U (edX LLC)
Headquarters
United States
Launched
2012
Category
Education

Capabilities

  • Mobile app
  • Works offline
  • Integrations

Platforms

  • Web
  • iOS
  • Android

Interface languages

  • English
  • Spanish

Integrations

  • Open edX
  • edX for Business

Support

  • Help center
  • Email

Change history

  1. Company.2U files for Chapter 11 to restructure its debt.
  2. Update.De la Paz v. 2U and edX class action filed under the VPPA.
  3. Company.2U completes its acquisition of edX.
Full change history (8)
  1. Company.edX and 2U announce 2U will acquire edX's assets for $800M in cash.
  2. Feature.First two MicroBachelors programs launch.
  3. Feature.edX launches 19 MicroMasters programs.
  4. Update.edX settles with the US Justice Department over accessibility.
  5. Launch.MIT and Harvard found edX.
About the author

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