Home / Comparisons / edX vs Coursera
Affiliate program comparison

edX vs Coursera

Compare edX vs Coursera by commission, attribution, approval, audience fit, restrictions and current first-party source evidence.

Online Learning PlatformsedX
Commission
Starting at 10% for standard affiliates and 5% for voucher/coupon/discount publishers on eligible purchases
Attribution
60 days
Model
Sale
VS
Education & CoursesCoursera
Commission
15%–45% baseline commission on eligible purchases
Attribution
30 days
Model
Sale
Choose edX when

Education, career, skills and developer-learning publishers.

First-party source checked · September 8, 2026
Choose Coursera when

Education, career, professional-development and skill-building audiences.

First-party source checked · September 8, 2026
Verify before you choose

Open the current program pages side by side.

Use the comparison to narrow the choice, then confirm the current qualifying event, attribution and promotion rules on each program before publishing a recommendation.

edX

Education, career, skills and developer-learning publishers.

Visit edX
Coursera

Education, career, professional-development and skill-building audiences.

Visit Coursera

Some outbound links may be affiliate links. If you sign up or purchase through one, this site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Decision differences

Where the two offers actually diverge.

Only material fields that differ are shown here. Equal fields are left out so the page is easier to scan.

Commission
edX

Starting at 10% for standard affiliates and 5% for voucher/coupon/discount publishers on eligible purchases

Coursera

15%–45% baseline commission on eligible purchases

Attribution
edX

60 days

Coursera

30 days

Recurring duration
edX

Not publicly stated in the reviewed source

Coursera

Monthly subscription products commission only the first month’s transaction; separate eligible purchases by the same user can generate additional commissions when qualified.

Approval
edX

Free application through Impact; review typically 2–3 business days

Coursera

Application through Impact

Paid search / PPC
edX

Not publicly stated in the reviewed source

Coursera

Not publicly summarized on the reviewed Coursera affiliate page; use the live Impact contract for paid-search/trademark rules.

Geography
edX

Not publicly stated in the reviewed source

Coursera

Course, subscription and affiliate eligibility can vary by product and region; the public program is operated through Impact.

Think twice about edX when

Masters and Boot Camps are not commissionable under the current page

Think twice about Coursera when

Not every offering has the same affiliate eligibility

Full terms

Side-by-side research table.

“Not published” means the reviewed first-party source did not expose that field clearly enough to state it as fact.

FactoredXCoursera
Current statusActiveActive
CategoryOnline Learning PlatformsEducation & Courses
Commercial modelSaleSale
CommissionStarting at 10% for standard affiliates and 5% for voucher/coupon/discount publishers on eligible purchases15%–45% baseline commission on eligible purchases
Attribution60 days30 days
Recurring durationNot published in the reviewed sourceMonthly subscription products commission only the first month’s transaction; separate eligible purchases by the same user can generate additional commissions when qualified.
Payout timingNot published in the reviewed sourceManaged through Impact; the reviewed Coursera public page does not publish a separate Coursera-specific locking/payment calendar.
Minimum payoutNot published in the reviewed sourceNot publicly stated on the reviewed Coursera affiliate page; Impact withdrawal settings apply.
Paid search / PPCNot published in the reviewed sourceNot publicly summarized on the reviewed Coursera affiliate page; use the live Impact contract for paid-search/trademark rules.
GeographyNot published in the reviewed sourceCourse, subscription and affiliate eligibility can vary by product and region; the public program is operated through Impact.
ApprovalFree application through Impact; review typically 2–3 business daysApplication through Impact
Approval difficultyLow-to-moderate — 2–3 business day reviewLow-to-moderate — joining through Impact is described as fast, easy and free, subject to program approval.
Source reviewed2026-09-082026-09-08
Best fitEducation, career, skills and developer-learning publishers.Education, career, professional-development and skill-building audiences.
edX

Strengths and checks

Reasons to consider it

  • 10% starting rate for standard affiliates
  • 60-day cookie
  • Free application through Impact

Verify first

  • Masters and Boot Camps are not commissionable under the current page
  • Only eligible verified certificates/pay-only courses qualify
  • Voucher/coupon publishers start lower
Read the edX profile
Coursera

Strengths and checks

Reasons to consider it

  • Official page publishes a 15%–45% baseline commission range
  • 30-day tracking window
  • Broad catalog creates many relevant education intents

Verify first

  • Not every offering has the same affiliate eligibility
  • Recurring subscription commissions are generally limited to the first month rather than every renewal
  • Avoid promising employment or salary outcomes
Read the Coursera profile
If neither fits

Open a nearby alternative.

These suggestions come from category, audience and existing comparison relationships—not an opaque ranking.

Overlaps both audiences

DataCamp

Data science, analytics, Python, SQL and professional-learning publishers whose audience is actively comparing online training.

Compare with Coursera
Overlaps both audiences

Preply

Language-learning, education, study-abroad, tutoring and international-lifestyle publishers.

Compare with Coursera