Credly (formerly Acclaim) is the market leader in enterprise badge programs, but it is expensive, contract-heavy, and designed for the largest organizations. Here is an honest comparison of the strongest alternatives across different budget and scale requirements.
Acclaim was founded as an independent digital badge platform and built one of the first large-scale badge issuer networks. Credly acquired Acclaim in 2016 and merged the two platforms. Since then, Credly (now owned by Pearson) operates as the unified "Credly" platform, though many organizations still search for "Credly Acclaim" by name due to legacy familiarity.
If you are evaluating or currently using "Credly Acclaim," you are evaluating the current Credly platform, which has grown into one of the most recognized names in enterprise digital credentialing.
Credly is genuinely excellent for the organizations it is designed to serve: large enterprise certification bodies, Fortune 500 L&D programs, and major professional associations with high badge volume. However, that focus creates real barriers for organizations outside that demographic:
| Platform | Open Badges 2.0 | Open Badges 3.0 | Free Plan | Bulk Issuance | REST API | Designer | Earner Network | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IssueBadge.com | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | LinkedIn focus | Events, associations, training |
| Credly / Acclaim | Yes | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | Upload-based | Large network | Enterprise certification bodies |
| Accredible | Yes | Partial | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Smaller network | Professional education |
| CertifyMe | Yes | Check site | Limited | Yes | Yes | Template-based | No | Corporate training |
| Certifier.io | Yes | Check site | Yes (limited) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Online course creators |
| Badgr | Yes | Partial | Yes | Limited | Yes | Basic | No | Higher education |
IssueBadge is best positioned as a Credly alternative for mid-market organizations, associations, training providers, event companies, and corporate L&D teams that need serious credentialing functionality without enterprise pricing and contract requirements.
One of the criticisms of Credly's model is that badges live primarily in the Credly wallet. While earners can share to LinkedIn, the badge's "home" is on Credly's infrastructure. Open Badges 3.0 under the W3C Verifiable Credentials model changes this, credentials become truly earner-owned and can be stored in independent digital wallets. IssueBadge's 3.0 support means credentials you issue today are not dependent on any single platform's continued existence.
Credly badges are typically designed externally (in Illustrator, Canva, etc.) and uploaded as image files. IssueBadge's drag-and-drop designer allows you to build badge visuals directly within the platform. This reduces the design-to-issuance cycle and eliminates the need for external design tools or a dedicated graphic designer for every badge update.
This is a practical differentiator that matters enormously for smaller organizations. With IssueBadge's free plan and transparent paid tiers, you can start, scale, or pause your credential program without being locked into an annual contract. This flexibility is particularly useful for event-based credentialing programs where badge volume is seasonal.
IssueBadge's REST API supports programmatic credential issuance for organizations that want to automate badge delivery. This covers the same automation use cases that drive Credly's enterprise API usage, triggering badge issuance when a learner completes a course, an employee passes a compliance assessment, or an event attendee checks in.
IssueBadge's free plan gives you Open Badge 2.0 and 3.0 compliant credentials, bulk issuance, and LinkedIn sharing without the enterprise price tag.
Try IssueBadge FreeBeing honest requires acknowledging where Credly remains the strongest option:
If your organization is a major certification body issuing thousands of badges per month to professionals who specifically expect a Credly wallet experience, switching to an alternative involves genuine trade-offs that need to be weighed honestly.
Accredible is the closest competitor to Credly in terms of feature completeness and is worth serious evaluation for organizations in the mid-to-large range. Its certificate designer is polished, its Pathway feature for credential sequences is unique, and its integrations cover major learning platforms. Accredible does not have a free plan and its pricing scales with volume. For the right organization, Accredible represents the best balance of features and flexibility in the mid-market. Check Accredible's website for current pricing details.
| Feature | IssueBadge.com | Credly / Acclaim |
|---|---|---|
| Open Badges 2.0 | Yes | Yes |
| Open Badges 3.0 | Yes | Partial |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Annual contract required | No | Typically yes |
| Drag-and-drop designer | Yes | Upload-based |
| Bulk CSV issuance | Yes | Yes |
| REST API | Yes | Yes |
| LinkedIn sharing | Yes | Yes |
| QR verification | Yes | Yes |
| Earner badge network | LinkedIn focus | Large (millions) |
| Enterprise LMS integrations | Via API | Native integrations |
Acclaim was originally a separate digital badge platform that merged with Credly. Today Credly (now part of Pearson) operates the combined platform. The Acclaim brand is still referenced by organizations that were early Acclaim customers. If you are using or evaluating "Credly Acclaim," you are effectively evaluating the current Credly platform.
IssueBadge handles core enterprise credentialing needs including Open Badges 2.0 and 3.0, REST API, bulk CSV issuance, and custom branding. For organizations that specifically need Credly's earner network or deep enterprise LMS integrations, Credly may still be preferred. For mid-market organizations that find Credly's pricing prohibitive, IssueBadge is a strong alternative.
Credly's earner network is a unique asset that no alternative has fully replicated. However, for most organizations, Open Badge-compliant credentials shared on LinkedIn and via QR codes provide sufficient visibility without requiring platform-specific network effects.
IssueBadge offers a free starter plan and transparent paid tiers. Credly is priced for enterprise volume and typically requires annual contracts. Check both platforms' current pricing pages for accurate comparisons.
Yes. IssueBadge credentials include LinkedIn sharing functionality. Earners can add badges to their LinkedIn Licenses and Certifications section with a single click, just as Credly-issued badges appear on LinkedIn.