edX is a legitimate, high-quality online learning platform that offers university-level courses from prestigious institutions, making it an excellent choice for career advancement and skill development in 2024.
Looking for an in-depth edX review? As an experienced online learning platform reviewer, I’ve thoroughly tested edX to help you make an informed decision.
This review covers everything from course quality and pricing to certifications and user experience, focusing on what matters most! So, let us find out whether edX is worth your time and money in 2024.
edX Review — In A Nutshell (2024)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform Type | Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) provider |
| Course Variety | Wide range: Computer Science, Business, Humanities, etc. |
| Course Quality | High-quality content from top universities and institutions |
| Pricing | Free to audit most courses; Paid options for certificates |
| Certification | Verified certificates available for a fee |
| User Interface | Clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate |
| Mobile App | Available for iOS and Android |
| Partnerships | Collaborates with 160+ universities and institutions |
| Unique Features | MicroMasters and Professional Certificate programs |
| Accessibility | Subtitles and transcripts available for most courses |
| Completion Rate | Varies, generally higher for paid certificate tracks |
| Student Support | Discussion forums, limited instructor interaction |
| Career Benefits | Certificates can enhance resumes; some credit-eligible courses |
| Quick Verdict | Excellent platform for high-quality online learning from top institutions; ideal for self-paced learners seeking knowledge or career advancement |
A massive open online course (MOOC) provider, edX was founded by Harvard and MIT in May 2012, offering free courses from top universities worldwide, with the option to get paid certificates. The online education site runs on the free Open edX open-source software platform.
As of 2024, edX has 230+ partners, including universities, for-profit organizations, NGOs, 15 thousand instructors, and over 42 million edX learners.
edX courses generally consist of weekly modules with pre-recorded videos that you can watch at a schedule or your speed. There are homework assignments, short quizzes, and exams to assess your progress. Auditing courses let you learn for free. However, the paid approach allows you to enjoy the benefits of learning materials and a verified certificate when you complete the course.
Is edX Accredited?
Yes, edX is fully accredited.
It partners with over 260 leading institutions, including Harvard, MIT, and Berkeley, offering verified certificates and credit-eligible courses recognized by universities and employers worldwide.
Is edX Good For College?
EdX offers college-level courses from top universities, helping students in the following ways:
- Prepare for college
- Earn transferable credits
- Explore potential majors before committing to full degree programs.
Are edX Certificates Worth It?
EdX certificates hold significant value as they’re issued by prestigious universities and recognized by employers.
They demonstrate skill mastery and commitment to professional development on your resume.
Features Of edX
- edX offers over 3000 courses covering various subjects and disciplines, including art, law, and medicine.
- Top-notch educators from multiple top institutes and colleges like Yale, Harvard, and MIT.
- edX provides various learning pathways like short courses, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, etc.
- Most of the courses are beginner-friendly and self-paced.
Pros Of edX
- Accredited Certificates: Paying a fee lets you avail of a verified certificate, along with unlimited access to the course and graded homework.
- Partnerships with Prestigious Organizations: edX has world-class instructors from top schools such as MIT, Harvard, Berkley University, etc., and has ties to Microsoft and IBM, among other companies.
- 14-Day Refund Policy: If you decide to terminate your membership within 14 days of purchasing a verified course, edX will provide you with an immediate full refund.
- Free Course Audit Option: A large selection of information on edX is free to learn without a certificate and graded assignments.
- Learn at Your Own Pace: Most of edX programs allow you to begin and continue a course as and when you like.
- Accessible on All Devices: edX is available on laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets. The app has a 4.7-star rating on both Android and iOS.
Cons of edX
- Limited Topics: edX focuses on higher education and the sciences so you won’t find courses on topics like baking, filmmaking, etc.
- No Course Structure: Instructors on edX can create a course in whatever flow they like, which can lead to course inconsistency.
- More Expensive than Other Platforms: edX courses have a hefty price tag between $50-$300 compared to cheaper alternatives like Coursera and Udemy.
edX For Business
edX for Business is a learning platform that assists companies in retaining top talent and efficiently training their employees in the skills their job demands. It has worked with top-notch corporations like Goldman Sachs, Boston Consulting Group, and Mercedes Benz – and all these companies have given positive edX reviews.
edX for Business offers over 3000 courses that uplift learners to maximize learning. The Corporate Learning Platform also has administration and learner dashboards to deliver insight into an employee’s progress. Supervisors can view company-level data and narrow it down for a detailed overview.
However, some equally important talent management features, such as compensation management, are not offered. Since it customizes a flexible learning path for each organization’s needs, there is no pricing estimation.
Courses Offered By edX
edX provides a plethora of courses divided into different subjects with multiple topics under each subject. One can choose from more than 3000 courses according to interest and difficulty level. Top universities and colleges offer these courses and usually last between 4 – 12 weeks. Many edX courses require some prerequisites and have time limits to finish the path to get certificates.
Some of the disciples available on edX:
- Architecture
- Business Administration
- Data Analysis
- Engineering
- Language
- Medicine
- Computer Programming
- Art
- Chemistry
- Economics
- History
- Humanities
- Business Communication
- Biology
- Design
- Electronics
- Healthcare
- Maths
- Nutrition
- Science
Popular edX Courses And Programs
There are many edX courses and programs that excel in terms of quality and value for money. Some of them are listed below:
1. edX Computer Science Course
The following is the most popular Computer Science Course on edX.
1.1 Introduction To Cloud Development With HTML5, CSS3, And JavaScript
This course is brought to you by IBM. It will help you discover the key tools and programming languages to bootstrap your career as a Cloud Developer. It is an introductory-level course and does not require prior knowledge of computer programming.
You will practice and work with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. After completing the course, you will become familiar with the developer tools and IDEs used by web programmers and will be able to work with programming languages developers use to create user interfaces. It is a 2-week-long self-paced course requiring 2-4 hours per week.
1.2 Programming For Everybody (Getting Started With Python)
This course was brought to you by the University of Michigan and seeks to teach you the basics of programming computers using Python 3.
It is an introductory-level course, and anyone with moderate computer experience should be able to master it. In this program, you will learn about variables, conditional execution, repeated execution, and how we use functions. It is a 7-week self-paced course requiring 2-4 hours per week.
2. edX Business Courses
There are two popular courses within this category:
2.1 Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles
This course is accredited by Harvard University. It aims to help mobilize people to meet enormous adaptive challenges. This is an introductory course where you will approach complex strategies for leading in a changing world. It is a 4-week-long self-paced course requiring 2-3 hours per week.
2.2 Introduction To Project Management
This course is brought to you by the University of Adelaide, where you will learn to apply project management principles in your work and life. You will discover practical ways to analyze and comprehend the goals of your project and consider factors that may influence it. This is an introductory-level course that requires no prerequisites. It is a 6-week-long self-paced course requiring 2-3 hours per week and has great edX.org reviews.
3. edX Data Science Courses
Below are the best courses on data science offered by edX.
3.1 Python Basics For Data Science
IBM publishes this course and aims to get you started with the basics of programming, machine learning, and data visualization. This is an introductory-level course, which requires you to understand basic maths. Additionally, you will learn how to use pandas, a must-have package for anyone attempting data analysis in Python. It is a 3-week-long self-paced course requiring 4-10 hours per week.
3.2 Probability: The Science Of Uncertainty And Data
This MIT-accredited course will help you build foundational data science while covering elemental probability concepts, including random processes and the essential elements of statistical inference. This advanced-level course requires you to be thorough with college-level calculus, mathematical reasoning, sequences, limits, infinite series, the chain rule, and ordinary or multiple integrals. It is a 16-week-long instructor-paced course requiring 10-14 hours per week.
4. edX Design Courses
Here are the most engaging edX design courses:
4.1 The Architectural Imagination
This edX certificate from Harvard University has gained a lot of popularity. It helps you read, analyze, and understand different forms of architectural representation — by studying some of history’s most important buildings. This is an introductory-level course and does not require previous knowledge of architecture.
The course will also familiarise you with the social and historical contexts behind major works of architecture and the basic principles to produce your architectural drawings and models. It is a 10-week-long self-paced course requiring 3-5 hours per week.
4.2 Product Management Fundamentals
This course is brought to you by the University of Maryland. It is to help you understand the roles and responsibilities of a product manager, marketing challenges and guiding principles, and managing innovative product teams. This is an introductory level course requiring no previous business and management knowledge. It is a 4-week-long self-paced course requiring 2-3 hours per week.s and management. It is a 4-week-long self-paced course requiring 2-3 hours per week.
Pricing Of edX
Pricing is an essential parameter when it comes to online learning. edX takes a slightly different approach to pricing courses. They offer two options: verified courses and audit tracks.
The verified courses of edX usually range from $50-$300. The degree of price varies with the programs and instructors. You will get all the necessary study materials and certificates.
The audit tracks are self-paced and uncharged courses offered by edX to audit the courses. In this track, you won’t get any certificate or study material.
Is edX Courses Free?
EdX offers free audit access to most courses, letting you explore course content and lectures without paying. However, the trial version does not offer certificates or graded assignments, so you must pay if you need the certificate.
edX Refund Policy
EdX provides a 14-day refund guarantee for verified track courses. You can request a full refund within 14 days of purchase or after your course starts, whichever comes later.
Scholarships – edX Review
One of the qualities that set edX apart from other online learning platforms is its scholarship and financial assistance program. It is different from the audit feature, which lets you enroll in a course without paying. The edX scholarship fund offers up to a 90% discount on verified courses.
If your scholarship application is accepted, you must use your coupon code within 30 days of approval to avoid forfeiting the scholarship. Even if you do not qualify for the scholarships, you can still apply for financial assistance.
Is edX Suitable For Me?
edX has recorded over 110 million enrolments and issued 1.4 million verified course certificates since it started. It is a perfectly legit website that provides you with quality certificates to refresh and recharge your resume.
If you want to study a higher education program or learn a new set of skills to advance your career, or if you are looking to positively set your resume apart and add a verified certificate to your LinkedIn profile, or to expand your knowledge, then EdX is the right choice for you.
Is edX Worth The Hype In 2024?
Unlike other websites, edX tutors are certified professionals who are qualified to teach. Therefore, there is no compromise on the quality of teaching. Each tutor has a dedicated profile page that you can visit to read about their area of specialization and accomplishments. Moreover, let us not forget that Edx has tie-ups with more than 150 leading experts.
The programs are valuable and designed to pass knowledge to students and professionals. Moreover, what you learn from any program will improve your skills and performance.
Companies acknowledge the edX certificates as edX has tie-ups with top institutions and organizations. It will include your name, the institution’s name, the course title, the professors’ signatures and names who taught the course, and the edX logo.
Real Student Experiences with edX
I checked for EDX reviews on Reddit, but all of them were ancient reviews with outdated information. Then I did some digging and found helpful information on G2.
According to G2 reviews (4.5/5 stars from100+ reviews), students particularly appreciate:
- Course quality from prestigious institutions
- Flexible learning schedule
- Valuable certification options
- Comprehensive course materials
Student feedback and experiences are crucial in understanding edX’s real value.
Here’s what learners are saying about edX on G2:
“I like edX because i can access different courses, like those from Harvard University & complete them at my own pace.”
Irica May T. via G2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“EDx – One stop shop for skill building”
Sachin J. via G2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The best part of edx was that it provides variety of management courses along with many more free of cost.”
Megha G. ⭐⭐⭐
edX vs Other Learning Platforms
If you think you need to try out other platforms like edX, let me help you by giving you a quick comparison of edX with its competitors:
| Feature | edX | Coursera | Udemy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificates | Accredited | Accredited | Completion |
| Course and Instructor Quality | Top Universities | Mixed sources | Novice and expert Course Makers |
| Pricing | Starts $50 | Starts $49 | Starts $9.99 |
| Target Audience | Academic | Academic/ Professional | Hobby/Skills |
| University Patterns | 260+ | 325+ | ❌ |
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Final Notes On edX Review
EdX delivers exceptional value through its partnership with prestigious institutions and high-quality course content.
While pricing ranges from $50-$300 for verified certificates, the platform offers free audit options and financial aid.
The verified certificates, comprehensive course dashboard, and structured learning paths make it a worthwhile investment for serious learners seeking career advancement or academic growth.
From verified certificates from top institutions to enhance your career prospects, flexible learning options with both free and paid tracks, quality content, and a user-friendly platform, edX has it all.
So what are you waiting for? Get edX today!
FAQs
Both platforms excel in different areas. EdX offers more academic-focused content from prestigious universities, while Coursera provides a broader range of professional development courses.
edX is fully accredited and partners with top American universities like Harvard and MIT. Its certificates and credentials are recognized nationwide.
edX certificates are legitimate credentials issued by accredited institutions and recognized by employers worldwide.
Employers value edX certificates because prestigious institutions issue and verify specific skills and knowledge acquisition.
EdX offers university-backed certificates and academic-quality courses, while Udemy provides more informal, skill-based learning from individual instructors.
EdX is completely safe to use, with secure payment processing and data protection. As a platform created by Harvard and MIT, it maintains high-security standards across all operations.
