Parchment Digital Badges: Review, Pricing, Alternatives

Parchment Digital Badges (formerly Canvas Credentials/Canvas Badges) promises a unified platform for issuing diplomas, transcripts, certificates and digital badges at scale. 

With free-badge issuing models fading, now is a crucial moment to re-evaluate whether Parchment fits your needs or if a lighter, more flexible badge platform, like Certifier, is a better match.

Parchment Digital Badges unifies badges, certificates, transcripts and diplomas in one system.

It supports badge awarding, stackable pathways, metadata-rich credentials and LMS integrations.

Pricing isn’t public–institutions must request a quote based on size and volume.

Best for large, enterprise-scale programs; often too heavy for small or low-volume issuing.

For flexible, budget-friendly or small-scale needs, lighter platforms like Certifier may offer better value.

What is Parchment Digital Badges: core functionality & positioning

What used to be sold under the name Canvas Credentials/Canvas Badges is being rebranded to Parchment Digital Badges. As of October 31, 2025, the service will adopt the Parchment Award family branding, but–notably–the rebrand is purely cosmetic. Functionality, workflows and integrations remain as before.

Through this shift, Parchment aims to position itself as a unified, enterprise-ready credentialing platform: combining diplomas, transcripts, badges, certificates and learner-records management under one umbrella.

What Parchment offers: features & credentialing scope

Parchment Digital Badges is not just about “badges”. It delivers a wide credential ecosystem.

Digital badges & certificates issuance: Institutions can issue digital badges or certificates based on course completion, skills or other criteria.

Stackable badges & learning pathways: Parchment supports “pathways,” where multiple badges or credentials build up toward larger achievements–useful for skills-based education and lifelong learning journeys.

Transcripts, diplomas and full credential records: Not just Parchment award digital badges; Parchment handles full academic records, offering a “one platform for all credentials” approach.

Secure, verifiable digital credentials: Credentials are metadata-rich and verifiable, suitable for academic, employment or institutional use.

LMS & system integrations: Works with common LMS platforms (and via LTI) and administrative systems, letting institutions automate badge/credential issuing.

Support for workforce & non-traditional learners: Parchment targets not just traditional higher-ed, but also workforce training, non-degree credentials, adult learning and continuing education.

In short: it’s a full-scale digital credentialing & record-management platform, designed for institutions wanting a long-term, integrated credential ecosystem.

Recommended to read

7 Best Certification Management Software in 2026

5 Dec, 20257 min read

What you should know about pricing & licensing reality

Parchment’s licensing model shapes how predictable your costs will be, how easily you can scale and whether the platform fits the size of your program. Getting clear on this upfront helps you avoid unexpected commitments and ensures the system truly matches your credentialing needs.

No public price list; quote-based enterprise model

Parchment does not publish a transparent per-badge or per-user price list for Digital Badges. To learn the cost and start using this digital certificate issuing platform, institutions must fill out a “Get a Quote” form.

Costs depend heavily on institution profile

Because price depends on various factors: e.g. number of students, volume of credentials (badges, certificates, transcripts), features required (pathways, analytics), integrations. Small or low-volume users may end up paying disproportionately high per-credential cost compared to large institutions.

Mixed funding model for some institutions

Some institutions use transcript-and-diploma issuance and associated fees to offset overall credentialing costs, potentially keeping credential issuance cheaper when bundled.

What this means for buyers

Treat Parchment as a serious, enterprise-grade solution: best when you need full credential infrastructure, high volume or long-term record management.

For small courses, occasional badging, volunteer programs or pilot initiatives, calculate carefully: you may find Parchment’s fixed/licensed model less flexible or cost-effective than simpler alternatives.

Request a detailed usage forecast when contacting Parchment (estimate number of learners, badges per year, certificate/diploma needs, issuing frequency) to get realistic budgeting.

Parchment's limitations: when to think twice

Opaque pricing: need to request quote; may be expensive for small or low-volume programs.

Enterprise-oriented complexity: overkill for small courses, ad-hoc badge issuing or volunteer programs.

Potential vendor lock-in: if you embed credentials deeply, moving away may be harder.

Less flexible for lean teams or organizations needing simple badge workflows without heavy admin overhead.

Recommended to read

Badgr: Alternatives, Reviews, Pricing

10 Dec, 20258 min read

Top alternatives to Parchment Digital Badges (for flexible or cost-conscious credentialing)

If Parchment seems too heavy or expensive for your needs, here are alternative paths some organizations take instead:

Freemium/lighter digital credential platforms. Suitable for small-to-medium courses, pilot programs, volunteer initiatives or low-volume badge issuance (flexible, low admin).

Standalone badge/certificate issuance tools. Ideal when you only need badges or certificates (not full transcripts or diplomas) and portability/low cost is a priority.

Hybrid credential workflows. Mixing institutional transcripts or certificates (for formal credentials) with lighter badge platforms for micro-credentials, skills or internal recognitions.

Custom or open-standard digital credential solutions. For organizations focused on portability, data ownership, transparency and long-term flexibility without vendor lock-in.

When evaluating alternatives, prioritize: exportability, credential metadata and verification, transparent or predictable pricing and ease of setup or migration.

Why Certifier stands out as a top alternative to Parchment Digital Badges

If Parchment Digital Badges feels too heavy, complex or enterprise-oriented for your program—Certifier fills a growing market need: a flexible, transparent and modern digital-credentials platform built for anyone issuing badges or certificates.

Here’s why Certifier might be a better fit for many use-cases today.

Meaningful free tier & transparent limits

Certifier’s free plan allows you to issue up to 250 free credentials per year–that could be digital badges or digital certificates. That makes it realistic for online certificate courses, pilot programs, non-profits, volunteer initiatives or institutions testing out credentialing, without upfront cost or hidden fees.

Full support for badges & certificates

On Certifier, you can create both digital badges and full certificates. You get a visual builder to design badge or certificate images (with logos, layout, text), then embed metadata like issuer info, date, unique verification codes, enabling reliable verification of credentials.

Because Certifier follows modern digital-badge standards (like open badges 3.0), you can verify credentials that don’t only live on paper. Recipients can also print certificates if needed, giving you flexibility for both “digital first credentials” and printed credentials.

Flexible, LMS-agnostic and light setup

Unlike enterprise-grade platforms built for large universities or institutions, Certifier doesn’t force you into complex setup or heavy infrastructure. There’s no need for full LMS integration. You can manage issuing independently. 

That simplicity makes it ideal for small-to-medium sized projects: microcredentials, high school equivalency credentials, volunteer trainings or standalone courses.

Portable, shareable and verifiable credentials with real-world usefulness

Credentials issued via Certifier can be exported, downloaded as images or PDFs and easily shared or embedded in resumes, social profiles or portfolios.

Because badges include metadata and QR code certificate verification, they serve as trustworthy proof of skills, improving visibility and helping learners demonstrate competencies to employers or other institutions. 

Certifier provides the broader value of digital badges: showing verifiable skills and achievements in a way that goes beyond “just a certificate.”

Scales with your needs while staying cost-effective

If your credentialing volume grows, you can shift to paid plans. But you’re never forced into an enterprise-class license for small or medium needs. That scalability makes Certifier a practical “future-proof” choice: start small, stay flexible, grow as needed.

Modern credentialing built for today’s learners and institutions

In a world where lifelong learning, micro-credentials and skills-based hiring are becoming mainstream, Certifier helps institutions and training providers stay agile. It supports issuing badges and certificates, managing learner credentials securely and delivering business certificates.

This helps learners and institutions alike navigate the “new era” of education and workforce credentialing: with transparency, control and flexibility.

How to choose the right credential platform: decision checklist

Before committing to a solution, run through this checklist to match platform to your needs:

What volume of credentials will you issue per year (badges, certificates, verifiable diplomas, transcripts)?

Do you need stackable learning pathways, skills-based badging and metadata-rich verification or just occasional certificates/badges?

Is LMS integration or existing administrative infrastructure important or would a standalone badge platform suffice?

What is your budget and resource capacity? Can you sustain enterprise-level licensing or do you need lean, low-cost solutions?

Do you expect long-term credentialing needs (lifelong learning tracking, alumni records, compliance)?

Is portability, data ownership and credentials exportability important for learners (for example, portability across employers or institutions)?

Use your answers to decide between:

Full-scale credential ecosystem (Parchment or similar)

Lightweight/freemium badge tool for small-scale or flexible issuing (like Certifier)

Making your next step after reviewing Parchment Digital Badges

Parchment Digital Badges works well for institutions that need a full credential ecosystem with deep integrations and long-term record management. But for smaller programs, pilot courses or teams that need more flexibility and predictable costs, its enterprise model may be more than you need.

Certifier offers a lighter, more affordable path–complete with a free tier, flexible badge and certificate creation and simple issuing workflows. 

If you want to test credentialing without large commitments, start with Certifier and see how quickly you can issue your first digital badges or certificates.

In the end, choose the platform that supports your credential volume, budget and long-term plans.