CERTIFIER VS PARCHMENT DIGITAL BADGES
An affordable Parchment Digital Badges alternative that works with your tools
Certifier works with any workflow, supports badges and certificates, and helps you design, issue and manage fully white-labeled credentials—no gated pricing or platform lock-in.
Trusted by 2,000+ businesses
Case study
Synthesia
Issued 4.5k+ certificates and badges with Certifier.
Case study
Gremlin
Delivered 10k certificates and badges to learners using Certifier.
Case study
Duolingo
Issued over 1k credentials to learners worldwide with Certifier.
Case study
Glodon
Awarded over 35k certificates and badges across programs.
3 key reasons why teams prefer Certifier to Parchment Digital Badges
Costs $0 to start issuing credentials
While Parchment Digital Badges is contract-first and paywalled, Certifier’s free plan includes 250 annual credentials with full platform access from day one.
Takes 10 minutes to set up the process
Parchment Badges has a steep learning curve, isn’t self-serve, and often requires admin help to install in Canvas. Certifier lets you sign up and issue credentials in minutes.
100% control over recipient’s experience
Parchment is backpack-first, not issuer-first. Certifier keeps every credentialing touchpoint under your brand: custom emails, Issuer Profile, credential pages on your domain.
Here’s what businesses say after choosing Certifier
“Certifier is perfect for what we need - branded badges that help demonstrate our team has gone through specific training. Within 15 minutes I was able to create a badge and even send it to the appropriate team members.”
Andrew Peluso
Bananas Marketing Agency
“Certifier is easy to use and customizable to exactly what you need. The flexibility in pricing and plans helps you get exactly what you need and doesn't leave you stuck paying for features you don't require.”
Rachel Fung
The Humphrey Group Inc.
“We are a training company and wanted to issue digital badges for our certification program. The Design tool is easy to use and the step-by-step guide makes the whole process of issuing digital badges seamless. Having a free pricing package to start is a smart step especially for small businesses.”
Laurence Tan
BP Coach Training Pte Ltd
“It was pretty easy to set everything up for multiple certification levels with a digital badge and certificate within minutes. The integration with LinkedIn was sweet, and honestly the big requirement for us.”
Pradeep U.N.
Small Business
“I really appreciate how straightforward and easy the setup process for Certifier was; it was smooth and didn't pose any challenges. I find Certifier extremely user-friendly, both in terms of ease of use and feature richness.”
Mahdi Khazaei
Dx.training
“Certifier is perfect for what we need - branded badges that help demonstrate our team has gone through specific training. Within 15 minutes I was able to create a badge and even send it to the appropriate team members.”
Andrew Peluso
Bananas Marketing Agency
“Certifier is easy to use and customizable to exactly what you need. The flexibility in pricing and plans helps you get exactly what you need and doesn't leave you stuck paying for features you don't require.”
Rachel Fung
The Humphrey Group Inc.
“We are a training company and wanted to issue digital badges for our certification program. The Design tool is easy to use and the step-by-step guide makes the whole process of issuing digital badges seamless. Having a free pricing package to start is a smart step especially for small businesses.”
Laurence Tan
BP Coach Training Pte Ltd
“It was pretty easy to set everything up for multiple certification levels with a digital badge and certificate within minutes. The integration with LinkedIn was sweet, and honestly the big requirement for us.”
Pradeep U.N.
Small Business
“I really appreciate how straightforward and easy the setup process for Certifier was; it was smooth and didn't pose any challenges. I find Certifier extremely user-friendly, both in terms of ease of use and feature richness.”
Mahdi Khazaei
Dx.training
Certifier vs Parchment Digital Badges: A side-by-side comparison
Features
Parchment Digital Badges
Starting price
$0, free forever
No information, gated pricing
Setup fees
$0 fees
1-time setup
Free trial
Contract length
monthly
(30-day money back, cancel any time)
only annual (1-3 years contract)
Time to launch
10 minutes
2-4 weeks
White-label
Fully branded credentials hosted on your custom domain
Credentials issued on Parchment’s platform with platform branding
Custom sending domain
Recipient experience
Login-free access; credentials shared in the issuer’s private directory
Recipients must create accounts to access credentials, which live in Parchment’s public directory
Credential types
Certificate and badges
Badges
Visual drag-and-drop credentials design builder
Powerful, SVG-based
Digital badge templates
QR code credentials
Retroactive credentials editing
Full (attributes, design)
Limited (meta data & design reupload)
Credential expiration reminders
Open Badge 3.0 Standard
Pathways
SSO
OKTA, SAML SSO, Microsoft Entra ID
Available at an additional fee
Workspaces
Manage multiple issuers under one account
Not available, separate accounts only
Native integrations with spreadsheets and CRMs
Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, HubSpot, Salesforce, Smartsheet
Integrations with connectors
Zapier, Make, Pipedream
Zapier
Features that make Certifier the best Parchment Digital Badges alternative
Credentials design builder
Design professional-looking, branded credentials
Parchment expects you to create badge artwork in third-party tools, then upload the final image. Certifier’s built-in SVG drag-and-drop builder gives full control over credentials design: layers, shapes, images, QR codes, custom fonts, and 2,000+ editable templates.
Create a credential
Login-free credentials access
Boost credential engagement with effortless recipient access
Parchment Digital Badges puts extra steps between recipients and their badge: account registration, claiming, and platform navigation. Certifier, on the other hand, skips the login wall altogether, so learners can open, download, and share their credentials right away.
Try for free
Native integrations
Connect credentialing to your tool stack
Parchment is built for Canvas workflows, so issuing from CRMs, webinars, or spreadsheets often requires custom APIs or paid Zapier setup. Certifier seamlessly connects to the tools teams already use with native integrations for Sheets, Excel, HubSpot, Salesforce, and more.
Explore integrations
Credentials expiration & renewal
Bring learners back with automated expiration reminders
Parchment’s renewal tools are fairly limited and often cost extra. Certifier makes recurring programs easy: set expiry dates, automate customizable renewal reminders, and resend credentials in bulk—so learners return to recertify and keep training.
Learn more
Branded credentials directory
Keep credentials in your branded space, not a shared backpack
Parchment badges live in its centralized Backpack alongside other issuers. Certifier lets you create a fully branded credential directory on your domain—helping you showcase programs, guide learning pathways, and strengthen credibility.
Check sample Issuer's Portal
Certifier vs Parchment Digital Badges pricing
Unlike Parchment’s sales-gated pricing and long-term contracts, Certifier plans are transparent and usage-based—scaling with you.
Start faster with 2,000+ ready-to-use badge and certificate templates
Modern and sleek blue achievement badge template
Modern and adaptable red achievement badge template
Professional blue achievement badge template
Professional brown achievement badge template
Professional blue achievement badge template
Professional yellow achievement badge gold template
Simple and traditional green achievement badge template
Simple and clear red achievement badge template
Formal and reliable yellow achievement badge template
Formal and trustworthy red achievement badge template
#1 pick for the best digital credential management software
Certifier is a recognized leader in certificate and badge generation for businesses of all sizes.
Best for Enterprise
Best for Mid-Market
Best for Small Businesses
Still have questions? We can help you make the right choice
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Book a 30-minute personalized demo
Book a 30-minute personalized demo
We can help streamline the certification process in your organization. During the call, our expert will:
Learn about your certification requirements
Set up your personal Certifier workspace
Discuss subscription plans and timelines
Answer your questions about features and more
