edX Review: Is it the Best Online Learning Platform

If you want to level up your skills to build your career, this edX review will rightly guide you and tell you if this course platform is worth it. 

Surprisingly, online education is nothing modern, but it holds more importance today than ever. The advancement in technology has enabled students to access their study materials on the cloud, attend virtual classes, and interact with the instructors. 

As the demand for online education surges, the need for a user-friendly yet comprehensive education platform deepens. edX is one such online course platform that boasts over 3,500 courses and currently has 76 million learners. 

But Is edX certification worth it? Is edX completely free? 

I have answered everything in my edX review. I will begin by talking about the edX, its course library, and instructor quality. In the subsequent sections, I will also talk about the students’ experience, certifications, scholarships, and pricing plans. 

edX Overview

edX was started back in 2012 by scientists from MIT and Harvard, and later, Stanford partnered in 2013 to offer extensive courses. Within a year, the course provider reached almost a million users.

Currently, edX has over 35 million users, with 15,000 instructors and 160 partner institutions.

edX is known to provide university-level courses from the comfort of being remote. It has partnered with top institutions and universities worldwide to upskill their knowledge. 

Parts of edX

#1. Course Selection and Diversity

edX aims to be among the leading MOOCs (massive open online courses) among the long list of MOOC providers. Well, it has got a large catalog of over 3,500 courses. 

As you head to the website, you will notice a course menu at the top. Hover the menu, and you will notice a list of all edX courses. These courses are sorted by subjects ranging from technical to non-technical. 

edX further breaks down the subject categories by skills so you can land on the right type of course. In the course catalog page, you can search for courses through the search bar or sort using various filters. 

Here are some course filters that help you sort through the course catalogs: 

• Subject: Choose from a wide range of subjects and topics like Physics, Chemistry, English, Law, Philosophy, Design, Art and culture, etc. 
• Skills: You can categorize the subject and select the skills among Management, Research, Data Analysis, Decision making, etc. 
• Partner: Choose the course partner offering different programs. 

What I liked about edX is its variety of learning options.

edX has a plethora of free and paid course options in a variety of topics. You can choose these courses by reading through edX reviews on specific courses. 

Students can choose different types of programs and learning options that include: 

• One-off courses: These courses are standalone and do not offer any other programs or series of courses. Instead, the course focuses on only a specific topic. 
• Certificate Programs: edX certification courses consist of a curated set of topics accredited by top universities and standard institutes that provide hands-on experience to the learners. 
• MicroBachelors and MicroMasters Programs: Evident by the name, these courses are stackable and short credential courses created to perfect the candidates and gain skills equivalent to semester exams in college.

#2. Instructor Quality

There’s no use of the captivating UI, low pricing, or variety of courses when course quality is low. If you’re someone who prefers instructor-led training, edX is the best choice. 

edX partners with reputed universities and institutions like MIT and Harvard that have highly qualified professors and faculty skilled in various topics. These instructors possess real-world knowledge and have the ability to deliver the right content. 

Moreover, the instructors offer the same experience as the physical classroom, as they can engage seamlessly through live discussions, Q&A, and community forums. 

#3. Course Delivery

edX is a platform for serious learners, and learners need a strong commitment from the course providers. edX gives two options to the learners for course completion. They can either choose a self-paced option or set a course duration for the learning. 

By setting the course duration, the instructors need to complete the course within a specific timeframe. Most edX’s courses are 4-12 weeks long and involve approximately 5-8 hours of attention. 

#4. Student Learning Experience & Usability

The basis of my edX review depends on answering this question- “Is edX good for students?”

In my experience, edX provides a user-friendly dashboard for the students, making learning easy. You won’t miss the need to attend the physical classroom while learning with edX. 

The dashboard gives you weekly progress through a pie chart and a leaderboard of the students enrolled in the course. To enhance learning, edX gives the course materials and assessments that need to be completed in a fixed time. 

The dashboard has clear, visible fonts that make navigating through the courses and programs easier. Users can keep an eye on their course progress through the course status with filtering options such as ‘In progress,’ ‘Not Started,’ ‘Done,’ ‘Not Enrolled,’ and ‘Upgraded.’

Here is how the edX learning dashboard looks:

If you are a non-native English speaker, don’t worry! You can request access to the courses in other languages, such as Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French, and Italian.

#5. Verified Certificates and Credentials 

Worried if edX certificates are worth it? Well, edX highly boasts of its tangible verified certificates. These certificates are verified by the universities and institutions that have partnered with edX. 

This means you will get a certificate of completion from the likes of Harvard, Yale, Oxford, the LSE, Stanford, Cambridge, Sorbonne, and McGill. 

Most edX reviews ask if – “edX certificates can get you the job?” It definitely does. 

Certificates from edX are credible as its collaboration with renowned universities helps you stand out from other employees. Each certificate is uniquely designed, featuring the emblem and signature of the instructor. 

You can use the free certificate on your LinkedIn to display as an accolade. However, the verified certificate holds more credibility and authenticity. You will need to pay for the course to obtain the verified certificate. 

#6. edX Financial Aid and Scholarships 

Like any international university, edX offers financial aid for students who can’t afford these courses. edX offers scholarships with up to 90% discount on university-level exams. 

With these super reliable financial aids, you can take up any course and complete it without worrying about the budget. You will need to apply for the edX scholarships. You need to fill out the application and submit it for financial aid approval. 

edX may take some days to approve your application for the scholarship. However, the percentage of scholarships is not guaranteed. Depending on your application, you might get up to 90%. 

You’ll receive a mail upon application with a unique code. This code can be applied to the payment checkout and avail the discount in accredited courses. 

edX’s scholarships make it a preferable choice for students since no other course provider platform gives a verified university certificate with such a discount. 

How Much Do edX Courses Cost? 

edX is different from other education platforms when it comes to cost. Most of the courses on edX are free. 

Usually, edX uses two pricing approaches: Audit track and verified track. 

• Audit Track: You can start with the course for free, but you won’t get any resources or graded assessments for these courses. However, you will get the course materials, which you can complete at your own pace. 
• Verified Track: edX gives you a verified certification along with the course materials, assessments, and video tutorials. The paid courses come at a cost between $50-$300. 

If you wish to get Bootcamp programs, Microbachelor’s, or X series degree programs, these can go up by $ 1,000-$2,000. 

Compared to any university degree, edX costs less, and it isn’t a bad idea to get a verified certificate recognized by a prestigious university. 

The table below shows the degree programs and the cost: 

As for the payment options, you can use your debit or credit card or even PayPal wallet to pay for the course. 

edX Advantages 

➡️ Free course content: edX is known for its vast library of free courses on various topics. Even if you don’t get a verified certificate, the learnings from world-class universities are a feather in your cap. 

➡️ Verified certificates: Don’t take these certificates merely as a consolation award. edX’s verified certificates are recognized and stamped by the university that offers the course. The best part is that they work as a testament to your job interviews. 

➡️ 14-day refund policy:  If you’re unwilling to continue with the course, you can cancel it within 14 days of purchase and get a 100% refund. 

➡️ Self-paced courses:  Most courses are self-paced, meaning you can start anytime. 

➡️ Easy to track: Compared to other online course platforms, edX offers a navigable and easy-to-use dashboard to track students’ progress. 

edX Disadvantages

➡️ No fixed course structure: edX partners with different universities for different courses. This leads to confusion and inconsistency in the course structure. 

➡️ Lack of some courses: While it has subjects like law, physics, and other higher education courses, edX does not have courses like baking or filmmaking. 

edX Alternatives   

After considering the cons, let’s look at some good alternatives to edX. 

Skillshare offers courses that are focused on artistic and creative skills. This learning platform focuses on topics such as writing, design, photography, and more. Skillshare has a subscription-based pricing model where you can learn a set of courses under one pricing. 

Compared to edX, this is a more economical option and offers incredible value for money. 

#2. Udacity 

Udacity is a MOOC platform that offers free courses, Nanodegrees, Executive Programs, and Single Paid Courses. Each course is self-paced and comes with a mentor to assist you. 

Compared to edX, the courses are limited, whereas you can get feedback from the instructors. On average, these courses cost around $200. 

#3. Coursera 

Coursera is a similar platform as edX. It partners with institutions and government agencies to offer courses on from science to arts. There are over 3,900 courses for degrees and certifications, whereas 100 free courses are in Coursera. 

Coursera has courses with a fixed start and end date and gives a verified certificate by universities. 

#4. Udemy

Udemy is a marketplace for courses that offers a range of topics from programming to business, personal growth, and management. Experts from around the world can create and upload the courses. 

You can complete these courses at your convenience. Udemy has a vast library of over 10,000 courses. However, you won’t get any certificates or validation from universities. 

Author’s Note  

By the end of this edX review, I can answer this question- Is edX legit? 

While it depends on the personal choice, I would have no answer other than yes. The biggest pro of this platform is its open-source nature. 

The course content also lives up to the hype by offering quality university-level courses. edX also delivers the best user experience through its easy-to-navigate dashboard. I love the course quality and the grade assessments that make it worth the money. 

Above all, what’s better than getting a verified certification from a prestigious university? There is always a need for improvement; the benefits of edX overshadow the minor defects it has. 

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to edX and get started with it. 

Next, read our list of best places to create online courses.