edX Review For 2023

Last Updated: January 28, 2023

Did you know 80% of companies use digital learning platforms to train their employees, and more than 50% of the students have taken at least one distance course in the past year? The concept of “Online Learning” was coined 20 years ago, but now the industry has grown by 900%.

The convenience and flexibility of time make online learning ideal for students and business owners. But with hundreds of options available, choosing the right e-learning platform that fits your needs and expectations becomes challenging. edX is a commonly recommended digital learning space. But you may find this name weird and uncommon if you have never stepped foot into online learning.

If you’re considering hopping in the drill and taking some courses on edX, you need to uncover its different aspects before becoming a paying member. In case you’re wondering, is edX legit? Read our full-fledged edX review to know everything about this platform. In our unbiased review, we will cover the best features of edX, its pricing plans, suitability, and pros and cons in depth.

Pros and Cons of edX

Pros

• Certified Micro Bachelors and Micro Masters programs
• Availability of financial aid or scholarships
• Self-paced learning environment
• An excellent 14-day refund policy
• A diverse range of courses ranging from privacy and cyber security to women making history
• Valuable courses for levels of learners from advanced to beginners
• Verified certificates after course completion
• Free edX courses
• An open-source platform to help developers build and share assessment modules
• Availability of video transcripts
• A wide range of university-level courses from some of the world’s best institutions and universities
• Offline learning options
• Option to enroll in self-paced or timed classes that can range between 4 to 12 weeks

Cons

• Lack of casual courses such as baking
• Master’s programs are expensive
• You need to enroll in a verified paid track to get an accredited certificate for completing a course
• Lack of format in specific courses

What is edX: A Brief Overview

edX is one of the reputable platforms focusing on pursuing new ways for virtual education. It is a non-profit educational space founded by Harvard and MIT. The platform features more than 3,000 courses from 140 different institutions. edX has partnered with some prestigious universities, such as Berkeley, MIT, and Harvard, and some top-rated companies like Microsoft. edX’s partnership with top-excelling corporations proves that the platform offers top-notch quality and advanced level teaching style to lifelong learners.

edX shows its professionalism and suitability by empowering more than 25 million learners all over the globe. Apart from its vast courses, the platform features college-level curated content, accredited certificates, instructor-led classes, and easy-to-navigate resources. edX is a versatile learning platform accessible to learners of all understanding levels.

The diversity of the edX helps it set itself apart from the competition. You can digest this platform’s valuable content, even if you’re a non-English speaker. The platform delivers its courses in different languages, such as:

• English
• Italian
• Spanish
• French

The endless variety of courses makes edX indeed a diversified e-learning platform. From law to history to music to Business to agriculture, edX covers almost every industry niche.

Unlike some other digital learning spaces, edX is relatively flexible. In addition, the platform is compatible with all Android and iOS devices to ensure you get all the lessons.

Best edX Courses

edX features 3,000+ courses from world-class colleges and prestigious universities. All courses offered by the platform are unique in terms of commitment, subjects, features, and duration. The platform divides its courses into different issues with multiple topics. Every edX topic includes at least 2 to 3 courses.

Some notable courses that you can pursue on edX include:

• Science
• Nutrition
• Healthcare
• Architecture
• Engineering
• Art
• Environmental Sciences
• Biology
• Physics
• Economics
• Business Administration
• Education
• Data Analysis
• Computer Programming
• Design
• Business Communication

It is worth mentioning that all courses featured by edX require some prerequisites. In addition, you need to give 5-10 hours every week to complete an edX course on time. Completing your edX course on time is required to get an accredited course after completing a course.

Learning Options of edX

edX offers different learning options to choose from, including:

1. MicroMasters

edX has 59 different MicroMasters programs that offer graduate-level courses to help students achieve their career goals. A MicroMaster program may cost between $700 and $1,400. The platform has no eligibility criteria for enrolling in its MicroMaster programs. Only a few courses may require prerequisites that you can find on the enrollment page.

2. MicroBachelors

edX also offers different MicroBachelors programs. The platform features a series of college courses by partnering with top-class corporations, colleges, and universities. You can enroll in the following MicroBachelors level programs:

• Professional Writing
• Elements of Data Science
• Information Technology Career Framework
• Computer Science Fundamentals
• Marketing Essentials

You can get transferable college credits by completing MicroBachelors programs. Each program may cost between $500 and $1,500 and take up to 3 to 6 months to complete.

3. Professional Certificates

If you want to grow your career and enhance your professional skills, edX’s professional certificate programs are best suited. The platform features more than 140 professional certificate programs covering a range of industry niches.

The best thing about this learning program is that you can complete the course at your own pace and get an accredited certificate. Most professional certificate programs take up to 3-6 months to complete and cost between $100 and $2,340.

4. XSeries

XSeries are designed to help learners explore a specific topic in depth. These courses are entirely self-paced and created by top-ranking universities. Each series contains several classes, which may take months to complete. XSeries of edX can cost from $100 to $450 because some prestigious institutions like Harvard, Columbia, and MIT create them.

Best Features of edX

edX has proven itself one of the best online learning platforms worldwide. Some notable features of this platform include the following:

• Financial Aid

edX lends a helping hand to those passionate students who can’t afford quality education. With edX financial aid, you can access all the programs and courses offered on the platform without worrying about budget constraints. edX will review your scholarship application and send approval within a few days.

• Customization

edX is a highly customized learning platform. You must select your preferred subject, the partnering institution where you want to learn, the level of understanding, and an edX learning course. The platform also enables you to customize your searches to find out about any upcoming course.

• Easy Pathways

edX offers well-crafted and curated pathways to help learners find the best learning options according to their needs and goals.

• Self-Paced Learning

Self-paced learning is one of the best features of edX. You can access edX’s learning options whenever and wherever you want. The platform aims to meet the commitment level of full-time workers and students with busy schedules.

edX Pricing

Although you can take numerous free edX courses, you must pay for them if you want to enroll in professional education programs. However, you can select the audit option on the course information page to enroll in a free course. With free edX courses, you can access all the learning material, but you won’t get graded assignments and a certificate of completion.

To get a course completion certificate of edX, you need to enroll in its verified track. The course cost on the verified track may vary depending on the subject’s features, duration, and complexity. But you may expect to pay between $50 and $300 for enrolling in edX’s verified track.

Unlike some other online learning platforms, edX does not offer free trials, but you can audit most courses for free. You can start your journey with edX by joining its demo course. The demo course helps learners better understand if the platform works well.

edX for Business

edX offers a dedicated business edition to help larger organizations and businesses empower employees with up-to-date and relevant information. The corporate-focused content of edX makes it an ideal choice for businesses.

edX features more than 100 courses for companies, including some unconventional job fields like communications, leadership, and writing. It also has a progress tracker to help organizations get an insightful overview of their employees’ learning progress.

edX Reviews

edX has a mixture of both positive and negative reviews. Most students review this platform positively due to its wide selection of courses and financial aid programs. Only a few members check edX negatively due to its lack of free trial and expensive verified tracks.

Final Verdict: Is edX Worth Investing?

edX checks all the boxes of beginner-friendly courses, device-friendly applications, availability of offline modes, and ease of use. In addition, the platform is worth the hype due to its sheer vastness of courses. edX is one of the platforms that deliver an accurate explanation of concepts and user experience in various classes.

Some additional benefits, such as financial aid, self-paced learning, and accessible pathways, take edX to a higher level. However, apart from an array of exclusive features, the platform also has some downsides, such as the unavailability of casual courses.