Virtualbadge.io: Alternatives, Reviews, Pricing

Have you ever found yourself drowning in the process of creating and managing digital badges?

It sounds simple at first, but when you’re dealing with hundreds (or even thousands) of recipients, the tasks can quickly become overwhelming. 

If you're using Virtualbadge.io and starting to wonder if there’s something better out there, you're not alone.

There are Virtualbadge.io alternatives that could offer:

more flexibility

lower costs

smoother user experience

Let's see if any of the 4 propositions could be a better fit for you. But first, let’s take a look at Virtualbadge.

What is Virtualbadge?

Virtualbadge.io is a platform that lets organizations create and issue digital badges and certificates. It's commonly used by businesses, educational institutions, and event organizers to recognize achievements digitally.

Key features of Virtualbadge

Here’s what Virtualbadge.io offers:

The platform includes a built-in editor where you can design digital certificates and badges. It’s simple to use and allows for basic customization.

If you need to issue a lot of certificates at once, you can import a CSV file with all the recipients, and the platform will take care of the distribution.

Each certificate or badge can include a QR code, which makes it easy for others to verify its authenticity by scanning the code.

For users who want to automate the certification process, Virtualbadge.io integrates with Zapier and provides an API.

There is a social media integration that allows recipients to share their certificates or badges on social media platforms.

The platform offers a variety of pre-designed templates for both certificates and badges, which can be helpful if you’re looking for a quick and easy start.

You can track how your certificates are being used, which can help boost engagement and effectiveness.

Print-ready certificates are also available on the platform. You can export all of your generated certificates as PDFs and print them out.

As you can see, Virtualbadge.io provides many options to generate, send, and track credentials.

At this point, it might look like an excellent tool for virtual badges and certificates. However, as you will see, the pricing options leave much to be desired.

Virtualbadge pricing

Virtualbadge.io offers two pricing tiers: Growth and Enterprise. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the costs for the Growth plan:

300 credentials: $420 per year (about $1.40 per credential)

500 credentials: $588 per year (about $1.18 per credential)

1,000 credentials: $948 per year (about $0.95 per credential)

2,000 credentials: $1,548 per year (about $0.77 per credential)

3,000 credentials: $2,148 per year (about $0.72 per credential)

5,000 credentials: $2,700 per year (about $0.54 per credential)

10,000 credentials: $3,468 per year (about $0.35 per credential)

15,000 credentials: $3,948 per year (about $0.26 per credential)

Virtualbadge pricing is straightforward, with the cost per credential decreasing as you purchase more. 

But, there’s a bit of a catch – if you need some advanced features like a custom domain for sending or a custom validation page, you’ll need to upgrade to their Enterprise plan. The price for this plan isn’t listed, so you’d have to contact them to find out more.

You can upload pictures and add your own fields and elements, such as signatures, dates, and tutors. You can also check on the status of your certificates within the platform, see how they're doing in terms of engagement, and revoke or reissue them after they've been sent.

Overall, Virtualbadge performs well when it comes to generating certificates easily and sending them to the right recipients. However, keep in mind that there are only two pricing tiers, so scalability could be a problem at some point. 

While there's a lot you can do in Virtualbadge.io, there are some areas where it falls short.

Where are the limitations of Virtualbadge?

Virtualbadge.io has some good features, but there are areas where it might not fully meet everyone’s needs:

The starting cost of $420 for 300 credentials is definitely on the higher side. Virtualbadge's pricing looks unappealing compared to something like Certifier, where you can get up to 250 free credentials annually.

The editor is functional, but it doesn’t have a lot of built-in elements. So, if you want something really polished and custom, you might end up spending a lot of time designing your own elements prior to uploading.

If you want things like a custom sending domain or a custom validation page, you’ll need to be on their Enterprise plan, and the cost of that isn’t clear upfront.

There have been reports of slow response times from their customer support, even through chat, with some users saying it can take up to a day to get a reply.

While you can track some stats, it’s not as advanced as other platforms like Certifier, which offers real-time tracking and better management tools like expiration date controls or personalized emails.

With Virtualbadge’s cheapest plan, you can only create one template. When you contrast this with Certifier’s unlimited templates even on the free plan, the options look disappointing (to say the least).

Here, email white-labeling means simply removing the Virtualbadge branding from the footer of the email and it’s considered an add-on.

Virtualbadge.io provides a decent set of tools for digital badging, but depending on your specific needs – like budget, customization, or advanced features – there might be other platforms that offer a better fit.

When it comes to digital badging and credentialing, sticking to just one option might limit your potential. 

Virtualbadge alternatives to try out

Even though Virtualbadge.io is a widely used tool, it's not the only game in town – and it might not even be the best choice for your needs. Below are four top alternatives to consider for 2024.

01 Certifier – Your ultimate easy-to-use digital badge maker

Certifier is a standout alternative to Virtualbadge.io. 

It offers a mix of affordability and powerful features. It’s designed to make issuing digital certificates and badges a breeze, regardless of whether you’re managing a small group or a large organization. 

Certifier’s simplicity and countless features make it a go-to for anyone looking to upgrade their digital credentialing process.

Certifier key features

Easy design tools: Create certificates and badges from scratch or customize them from a wide selection of templates.

Dynamic attributes: You can personalize each credential automatically. For example, [recipient.name] dynamically inserts each recipient's name, which saves you from manual edits.

Bulk issuance: Easily send out large volumes of badges and certificates at once. Just upload a CSV file with your data, and you're good to go!

Detailed analytics: Track everything from who received and opened the credential to social media shares (and more!). You get to see detailed engagement data like link clicks, company impressions, and the whole journey your recipient has taken after getting the certificate.

Seamless integrations: Connect with over 5,000 apps using Zapier or API for custom setups with marketing integrations. Automatically creating credentials has never been easier!

Custom branding: Personalize emails and even the digital wallet experience to match your brand.

Why the badge process is so easy with Certifier?

Certifier takes the hassle out of issuing professional credentials. Start by creating an account for free. Then, design your badge with our user-friendly editor, or pick a ready-made template.

With dynamic attributes like [recipient.name] or [certificate.issued_on], the platform automatically personalizes each credential and inserts the correct details for each person.

Then, upload your recipient list via a CSV file and let Certifier do the heavy lifting.

Once that’s set, Certifier handles the distribution and sends out badges via email, with options to automate the process based on triggers like course completions.

After getting the certificate, your recipients can view, verify, and share it through their digital wallets.

And you, as the issuer, can track every aspect of the engagement for total control and peace of mind.

That's it! You only need one platform to issue outstanding certificates and badges.

Why you should make the switch to Certifier?

Switching to Certifier gives you more than just a tool for issuing certificates.

It offers better management features, like real-time tracking and expiration date controls, allowing organizations to be in control at all times.

On top of that, Certifier is all about the recipient’s experience with personalized emails, tracking, and a beautiful digital wallet for easy access to their certificates.

It's a cost-effective, feature-rich alternative to Virtualbadge.io geared towards a polished and professional credentialing experience.

Certifier pricing

Certifier pricing is straightforward:

Free Plan: Certifier is the only online certificate solution that lets you issue up to 250 certificates per year for free, ideal for smaller needs or testing the platform.

Professional Plan: At $67 per month, this plan covers all the essentials plus advanced features like detailed analytics.

Premium Plan: Starting at $339 per month, it includes premium options like custom fonts and verified sender status.

With Certifier, you’re getting more value, and it scales easily as your needs grow. If you’re looking for a powerful yet easy-to-use alternative to Virtualbadge.io, you should go with Certifier!

Create and Send Digital Credentials

Take your digital certificate making to the next level.

Start for free

02 Credly – Certificate designer for educational providers

Credly is a well-known platform in the digital credentialing space, particularly popular among educational institutions. It’s designed to help you create, manage, and issue digital badges and certificates efficiently. If you’re looking to verify skills, recognize achievements, and manage your badge program at scale – Credly can handle all of these tasks.

The platform is especially useful for educational providers who need a reliable system to track and showcase the digital badges of their students and staff.

Credly key features

Issue and manage digital badges and certificates efficiently through the platform.

Integrate with social media, allowing credentials to be shared directly on LinkedIn and other platforms.

Track the real-time performance of your credentials with a detailed analytics dashboard. Connect learners with job opportunities by providing labor market insights based on credential data.

Manage and showcase all earned credentials in one centralized user profile for easy access and display.

Credly pros

Simple and intuitive user interface.

Strong focus on building credential networks and educational authority.

Detailed analytics for tracking badge performance.

Credly cons

The built-in badge editor is somewhat limited, with no visual elements to choose from.

Pricing is not transparent and can be high for smaller users.

The process of importing data can be cumbersome for some users. (G2)

Credly pricing

Credly pricing isn’t listed on their website, and you’ll need to contact them directly for a quote. However, general pricing information suggests that it can start at $2,500 annually for 500 badges, scaling up to $20,000 annually for 10,000 badges.

In summary, Credly is a solid choice for educational providers looking to manage digital credentials, though its cost and some of its limitations may prompt you to explore other options.

03 Badgr – Digital badge generator for training programs

Badgr is a digital badge platform widely used in online education and training programs.

It’s prevalent for its integration with Canvas, a leading learning management system. Badgr simplifies the process of issuing and managing digital badges for educators and organizations and allows them to track and recognize learner achievements.

The platform is known for its Badgr Backpack, which lets users store and organize their badges in one place, no matter where they were earned.

Badgr key features

Store and organize all badges in one place with Badgr Backpack.

Create structured learning journeys through Badgr Pathways.

Integrate seamlessly with Canvas, so that you can issue badges directly from the LMS.

Export badges and related data using CSV files for easy record-keeping.

Badgr pros

Easy integration with Canvas and other LMS platforms.

Free to use for basic badge issuance and storage.

Supports creating detailed learning pathways.

Badgr cons

Lacks a built-in badge editor for designing badges.

Limited post-distribution engagement features.

Badge earners must create an account to claim their badges.

Badgr pricing

Badgr is free for basic use, including unlimited badge issuance and integration with Canvas. Still, premium features like skills alignment, unlimited pathways, and white-label branding come with additional costs, though pricing details are not clearly disclosed.

Badgr is a good option for educators and organizations already using Canvas, but it may fall short for those seeking more customization and post-distribution engagement.

04 Accredible – Digital credential management platform for online courses

Accredible is a popular platform for creating and managing digital credentials such as certificates and badges.

It’s known for offering a wide range of customization options, which makes it a great choice for those who like to tweak every detail of their credentials.

From educational institutions to businesses, Accredible helps organizations issue, track, and share digital credentials with ease. While it might take some time to get familiar with all the features, users appreciate the degree of control and flexibility it offers.

Accredible key features

Customize certificates and badges extensively, giving you control over the design and content.

Automate the credential issuance process so that you can send out large batches of certificates.

Track how recipients interact with their credentials using ananalytics dashboard.

Integrate with popular tools like LMS platforms and Zoom.

Accredible pros

Highly customizable credential options.

Strong integration capabilities with other platforms.

Detailed tracking and analytics for monitoring credential use.

Accredible cons

The interface can be overwhelming for new users because it has many features.

Some advanced functionalities, like branding and API access, are only available in higher-tier plans.

You can't send a certificate to more than one email address. If you need a copy sent elsewhere, you need to go back and change the addresses manually.

Accredible pricing

Accredible’s basic plan starts at $996 per year, which covers up to 250 unique recipients. For more recipients and advanced features like integrations and branding, you’ll need to explore their higher-tier plans, with pricing available upon request.

Accredible is a powerful tool for those who want a high level of customization and control over their digital credentials. Still, it may take some time to unlock its potential fully.

Your credentials deserve more – make the switch now!

Why settle for tools that just get the job done when you could have one that makes the whole process easier?

Virtualbadge.io does what it promises, but as you’ve seen, it may not tick all the boxes for everyone. From steep pricing to limited customization, there are clear areas where it falls short.

The good news is that you don’t have to stick with it.

Certifier is a top alternative that takes digital credentialing further. With its user-friendly interface, powerful features, and transparent pricing, it’s a tool built for people who want more control without the hassle.

Ready to switch things up? Try Certifier today and see how it changes the game for you!