DocCertify vs Badgr / Canvas Badges
Badgr pioneered Open Badges. Then Instructure acquired it, folded it into Canvas Credentials, rebranded it into Parchment Digital Badges, and ended free issuing on December 31, 2025. If you're one of the thousands of issuers left without a home, DocCertify was built for exactly this moment: standards-based, free to start, and independent.
Why teams switch to DocCertify
Free to start, and staying that way
Issue real, verifiable credentials on our free plan. No card, no sunset announcement. Our pricing is public and our model doesn't depend on acquiring you.
Open Badges 2.0 and 3.0
Every DocCertify credential exposes hosted Open Badges JSON: 2.0 for legacy consumers, 3.0 (Verifiable Credential format) for what's next. Your badges stay portable.
More than badges
Designed PDF certificates from your own artwork, QR verification pages with tamper-evident fingerprints, and verifiable HR letters, all on one platform.
An API from day one
REST API, webhooks, and test keys on every plan. Rebuild your Badgr automation without an enterprise contract.
Side by side
| Capability | Badgr / Canvas Badges | DocCertify |
|---|---|---|
| Free issuing available | Ended Dec 31, 2025 | |
| Independent of your LMS vendor | Instructure/Parchment bundle | |
| Open Badges 2.0 + 3.0 | Open Badges 2.0 + 3.0 endpoints | |
| PDF certificates + designer | Drag-and-drop studio: shapes, rotation, smart guides, version history | |
| Verifiable HR letters | Offer / experience letters with approval workflow | |
| API + webhooks self-serve | Bundled/quote-based now | REST API + webhooks on every plan, test mode included |
| Tamper-evident fingerprint | SHA-256 fingerprint on every credential |
Competitor details based on public pricing pages and reviews on G2, Capterra and Trustpilot as of July 2026. Vendors change plans, so always confirm current terms with them. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it.
Where Badgr / Canvas Badges is a fair choice
- If your institution already licenses Canvas, Canvas Credentials bundles tightly with it. That convenience is real.
- Parchment's academic-records network matters for university transcript workflows.
We'd rather you pick the right tool than pick us for the wrong reasons.
Bring your badges somewhere that wants them. Start free.
Verifiable certificates, badges and HR documents with tamper-evident QR verification. Transparent pricing, API included.
Start free