Updated September 30, 2026 · AcademyCue Editorial Team
EFEM vs International Open Academy
EFEM vs International Open Academy: the differences
| Compare |  EFEM |  International Open Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €27Lower | €129 |
| Certificate fee | €10Lower | €23.99 |
| Free tier | YesHas it | No |
| Platform type | Curated | Subscription |
| Course languages | Spanish | English, French, SpanishCovers more |
| Price per month | Not confirmed | €29.99 |
| Price per year | Not confirmed | €169 |
| Number of courses | Not confirmed | 300 |
| University partners | 2 | Not confirmed |
| Access period | Not confirmed | 2 months |
| Team plan | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Money-back period (14 days), Graded assessments (Yes).
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Key differences
- EFEM scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.7.
- Price from is lower at EFEM: €27 vs €129.
- Certificate fee is lower at EFEM: €10 vs €23.99.
- Free tier: only EFEM.
- Support channels: only EFEM offers Phone.
- Credit recognition: only EFEM offers Ects.
- Credit recognition: only International Open Academy offers Cpd.
- Subjects: only EFEM offers Coding, Data, It.
- Certificate types: only EFEM offers University credit.
- Certificate types: only International Open Academy offers Professional.
Our verdict on each
EFEM
EFEM suits Spanish speaking learners who want cheap entry points and a certificate they can pay for separately, and it opens below DRCertifications and Academy for Health and Fitness on starting price. Courses start at €27, credit is recognised through ECTS by 2 university partners, and refunds run for 14 days.
International Open Academy
International Open Academy suits learners who want one subscription covering many subjects rather than a single certificate, and it prices below the certificate specialists. It holds an overall score of 8.7 out of ten, and the team plan makes it workable for a small group buying together.
Score breakdown
| Area | EFEM | International Open Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9HigherEntry price €27 with a separate €10 certificate charge keeps the starting outlay low. | 8.7Subscription pricing starts at €129, monthly billing is €29.99 and yearly is €169, with a certificate fee of €23.99. |
| Offer | 9.0HigherFree tier, courses across coding, data and it and ECTS recognition add breadth beyond the price. | 8.7A subscription catalogue of 300 courses in English, French and Spanish, covering business and languages, with assessments yes and a team plan yes. |
| Trust | 8.8Spanish registered operator, 14 day refunds and credit from 2 university partners. | 8.8Money back runs 14 days, and support runs on email and help centre. |
Licences and countries
| Country | EFEM | International Open Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Spain | Ireland |
By the numbers
| Fact | EFEM | International Open Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €27 | €129 |
| Certificate fee | €10 | €23.99 |
| Money-back period | 14 days | 14 days |
Where these facts come from
EFEM
- efem.es: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
International Open Academy
- internationalopenacademy.com: 18 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | EFEM | International Open Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Online course platforms | 17 of 269 | 18 of 269 |
| Online professional certificates | 8 of 86 | 9 of 86 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | EFEM | International Open Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Coding, Data, It, Business, LanguagesCovers more | Business, Languages |
| Certificate types | Completion, University credit | Completion, Professional |
| Credit recognition | Ects | Cpd |
| Legal entity | GRUPO GATES FORMACION EMPRESARIAL Y MASTERS, S.L. | North Royal Training Limited |
| Headquarters | Spain | Ireland |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | EFEM | International Open Academy | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €27below the median | €129above the median | €65.50 |
| Price per month | Not confirmed | €29.99above the median | €29.45 |
| Price per year | Not confirmed | €169below the median | €180 |
| Certificate fee | €10above the median | €23.99above the median | €0 |
| Money-back period | 14 daysat the median | 14 daysat the median | 14 days |
| Number of courses | Not confirmed | 300above the median | 240 |
Median across 169 listed providers.
Pros and cons
EFEM
Pros
- Entry price of €27 sits below $19.99 and £25, and below the €35.08 site median.
- The certificate is a separate €10 charge, so the course price carries no bundled certificate cost.
- A free tier exists, so the catalogue can be sampled before any spend.
Cons
- Course material is offered in Spanish only, so learners needing English versions have a weaker fit here.
- A €10 charge on top of the €27 course price means the cheapest route is not the finished one.
- Refunds run 14 days, shorter than the 30-day offered by providers higher up this list.
International Open Academy
Pros
- A single subscription price of €29.99 covers 300 courses, so the cost per course falls as study volume rises.
- The yearly option at €169 costs less per year than paying the monthly rate, which is the cheaper choice for steady learners.
- Courses run in English, French and Spanish, which suits learners who want to study in a second language.
Cons
- Support runs on email and help centre only, with no live channel listed for questions that cannot wait for email.
- There is no free tier, so the 14 day money back window is the only way to test the subscription before paying for a longer period.
- The certificate is not included in the subscription, so €23.99 sits on top of €29.99 for anyone who needs the document.
Who each suits
EFEM
Who it suits
- Spanish speaking learners who want coding, data, IT or business courses at a low entry price.
- Budget learners willing to pay €10 for the certificate once a course is finished.
- People who would rather phone a training provider than wait on a message thread, since support runs on email, phone and help centre.
Who should look elsewhere
- Learners who need English course material, because Spanish is the only language listed.
- Anyone wanting a free marketplace to browse first, since Hotmart lists $0 beside EFEM's €27.
- Learners wanting a longer refund safety net than 14 days.
International Open Academy
Who it suits
- Learners who want broad business and languages study on one subscription instead of a single course purchase
- Anyone budgeting monthly, since the monthly and yearly plans let you switch between a smaller and a larger commitment
- Groups and small teams that want a shared subscription and completion or professional certificates
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who only need a professional certificate in a regulated field, who will find DRCertifications cheaper at $19.99 for a single route
- Anyone who wants to browse before paying, since there is no free tier and no trial to sample the catalogue
- Learners after a wide technology catalogue, who get more subject choice from Hotmart
Questions about each
EFEM
How much does it cost to start a course at EFEM?+
EFEM's entry price is €27, which is the lowest figure most learners meet before adding a certificate. That price covers a course rather than a library subscription, so cost scales with how much you take. A free tier also exists, which lets you look through the catalogue at no cost before committing.
Is the certificate included in the course price?+
No, the certificate sits outside the course price. EFEM charges €10 for it, so a learner who plans to claim the certificate should budget €27 for the course plus that separate charge. Certificates come in completion and university credit, covering completion awards and university credit certificates.
International Open Academy
How much does International Open Academy cost to start?+
The entry price is €129, and the platform runs as a subscription rather than a one off purchase. Monthly billing is €29.99 and the yearly plan is €169. Buyers who already know they will study for a full year find the yearly rate the cheaper commitment.
Is there a certificate included in the subscription?+
No. The certificate is charged separately at €23.99, on top of the subscription. Two types are offered, completion and professional, so a learner taking a single course or a longer route can pick the document that matches the course. Budget the fee on top of €29.99 if you plan to pay monthly.
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