A List of the Top 101 Certificate Templates' Alternatives

When it launched, 101 Certificate Templates filled a real gap: free, ready-to-use certificate templates you could personalize and then download instantly. For teachers, coaches or small events, it was a handy shortcut to recognize achievement without hiring a designer.

But in 2025, certificates play a bigger role. They’re not just documents to print—they’re digital assets that help establish credibility, motivate learners and track engagement. That’s where modern certificate platforms stand out. 

Today, we'll talk about certificate maker platforms that go far beyond static templates, offering automation, analytics, verification and professional design options.

TL;DR

101 Certificate Templates is fine for quick, printable awards but limited to static templates with no automation, branding or verification.

Certifier is the best overall alternative, offering professional templates, bulk issuing, branded delivery and secure verification.

Canva, Venngage, Visme and Sertifier are strong in specific cases like design flexibility or education workflows, but none are as complete as Certifier.

101 Certificate Templates in a nutshell

101 Certificate Templates is a free online certificate generator that gives you a selection of designs to create and customize in just a few minutes. 

It was built to help teachers, coaches, and businesses recognize achievements without needing to download software or register an account. You simply choose from ready-made layouts, add a company logo or photo, type names and dates into a text box, and then export your work as a PDF file or image file.

The platform is designed for personal or commercial use. Every PDF document comes without watermarks, and you can save your finished certificate directly to your computer for printing or sharing.

Strengths:

No need to register or download software; works instantly in any browser window

Huge selection of free certificate templates for completion, appreciation, or graduation events

Easy to customize with names, wording, signatures, logos or images for a more professional look

Templates can be exported as PDF documents or image files for quick sharing or printing

Limitations:

Certificates remain static, with no verification, analytics or tracking for the person receiving them

No bulk generation or integration with apps or credentialing programs

Templates lack automation features, so every file must be created manually

Limited editing tools compared to modern software with advanced design capabilities

For a one-off token of appreciation or recognizing the successful completion of a class or training, 101 Certificate Templates is a simple online tool that gets the job done. 

For organizations that need to issue certificates regularly or at scale, 101 Certificate Templates quickly shows its difference from modern platforms. The tools below not only cover the basics of certificate design–but also add automation features that make them fit for professional use. Scroll down to see the best alternatives.

01 Certifier: the best 101 Certificate Templates alternative

Certifier is a professional certificate maker built for organizations that need more than a static PDF file. While 101 Certificate Templates focuses on single downloads, Certifier simplifies the entire process from certificate design through delivery to validation.

It gives companies the tools to turn recognition into measurable value.

With Certifier, you can choose from a library of high-quality templates, customize every detail with your company logo, fonts, signatures, and wording, then issue certificates in bulk using CSV files or integrations with CRMs, LMSs, and custom workflow tools. Each person receiving a certificate gets a secure digital wallet to access, save and share their credential.

Key features

Drag-and-drop editor to customize layouts with logos, text, images, and branding

Branded emails to instantly send certificates after program completion

Recipient certificate wallets with one-click verification links or QR codes

Analytics dashboard to track opens, downloads, shares and verification activity

Bulk certificate issuance via spreadsheet upload, Zapier automations, or API

Strengths

Covers the full lifecycle: design, issuance, delivery, verification and analytics

Makes it easy to manage large groups of students, employees or clients

Produces visually appealing certificates that strengthen trust in your brand

Limitations

Focused on certificates, digital badges and credentials, not general graphic or presentation apps

Pricing

Free plan includes up to 250 certificates per year

Professional plans start at $67/month, unlocking bulk issuing, analytics and branding features

Best for

Organizations, schools, universities and professional bodies that want to take care of recognition at scale while maintaining security, consistency and a polished professional look.

Certifier is the clear upgrade from 101 Certificate Templates—instead of just downloading static files, you can automate, track and verify every certificate you issue.

02 Venngage

If 101 Certificate Templates feels outdated, Venngage is the opposite: bright, colorful and modern.

Originally known for infographics, Venngage brings that same design flair to its certificate templates, making it easy to build certificates that catch the eye.

Strengths:

Colorful layouts with a modern professional look

Simple drag-and-drop customization in the browser

Works well for fun events, community programs and school projects

Limitations:

No automation or bulk generation

Outputs are static PDFs with no verification

Limited integrations with external tools

Best for:

Schools, small teams and events that want certificates to stand out visually without complexity.

Venngage is a solid choice for attractive visuals, but Certifier adds the automation and verification that make certificates valuable beyond the design.

03 Canva

Canva has become a household name in design, and its library of certificate templates is impressive.

With intuitive drag-and-drop features, you can create everything from a graduation diploma to an employee appreciation award in minutes.

Strengths:

Thousands of templates covering nearly every type of award or completion certificate

Highly intuitive and user-friendly editor

Strong certificate branding options with logos, fonts and images

Limitations:

Outputs remain static documents

No verification, analytics or recipient tracking

It lacks integrations helpful for certificate verification

Best for:

Individuals or small organizations that want polished certificates quickly without investing in advanced credentialing software.

Canva is great for fast, flexible design, but Certifier ensures those certificates are not only beautiful but also secure and trackable.

04 Visme

Visme isn’t just for certificates—it’s a broader design platform that handles presentations, infographics, charts and more ideas.

Certificates are one category within its toolkit, and the editor allows users to blend graphic elements like icons, animations and data visuals into unique designs.

Strengths:

Large collection of templates with room for creative customization

Ability to add charts, icons, animations and infographics

Produces visually distinctive certificates beyond the standard style

Limitations:

Not built for certificate workflows (no issuing or verification)

Lacks automation features for bulk delivery

Businesses or creative teams that see certificates as part of a broader design process rather than a credentialing system.

Visme is versatile for creative projects, but Certifier is purpose-built for professional certificate workflows where security and scale play a huge role.

05 Sertifier

While some tools emphasize design, Sertifier prioritizes workflows for education and training.

It integrates with LMS platforms so institutions can generate certificates automatically when students complete courses, making it useful for schools and universities.

Strengths:

Direct integrations with learning management systems

Automation for student credentialing and bulk issuing

Simple process for recognizing course completion

Limitations:

Less design freedom than Canva or Venngage

More functional than visual in style

Best for:

Training providers, universities and e-learning programs that need to issue certificates efficiently at scale.

Sertifier is a reliable option for education, but Certifier offers the same automation with stronger design and analytics for broader use cases.

Should you use 101 Certificate Templates? 

101 Certificate Templates still has a place if all you need is a quick appreciation template or a printable award for a school event, sports game or casual recognition project. It’s free, easy to access and doesn’t require registration, which makes it convenient for one-off certificates.

But for any organization that issues credentials regularly, or wants certificates to carry lasting value for the person receiving them, its limitations quickly become clear.

The best 101 Certificate Templates alternatives at your fingertips

Modern certificates are more than downloadable files—they’re digital assets that build trust, motivate learners and showcase achievements. 

Certifier is the complete professional system, combining design, automation, verification and analytics in one platform. If your goal is to modernize and move beyond static PDFs, Certifier gives you all the tools to turn simple certificates into credentials that truly matter.

Sign up for Certifier today.