We tested 3 Accredible alternatives (2023 edition) — here’s what we thought

Accredible does the trick with digital credential management. But it’s an expensive tool considering there are more affordable, feature-rich alternatives in the market.

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Maybe you’ve already tried Accredible and are looking for better options, or you’re just researching before finding the best tool. Either way, you’ve come to the right place.

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This article introduces you to three outstanding Accredible alternatives, so you know what fits your needs perfectly.

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Contents

Accredible overview

• What’s good about Accredible
• What’s not so good about Accredible
• Accredible pricing

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Accredible alternative #1: Virtualbadge.io

• Pros and cons of using Virtualbadge.io for digital credential management
• The pros — How does Virtualbadge.io outperform Accredible?
• Cons of using Virtualbadge.io
• How do Virtualbadge.io and Accredible compare in price?

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Accredible alternative #2: CertifyMe

• Pros and cons of using CertifyMe for digital credential management
• The pros — How does CertifyMe outperform Accredible?
• Cons of using CertifyMe
• How do CertifyMe and Accredible compare in price?

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Accredible alternative #3: Credly

• Pros and cons of using Credly for digital credential management
• The pros — How does Credly outperform Accredible?‍
• Cons of using Credly
• How do Credly and Accredible compare in price?‍

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Wrapping up — what’s the best Accredible alternative?

Accredible overview 

Accredible is a digital credentialing tool that helps organizations create and send smart certificates, design digital badges, and automate the certificate issuing process.  

What’s good about Accredible

Accredible is a decent tool offering a range of features. Here’s a look at its advantages:

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• A comprehensive solution for digital credentialing that includes the best of digital badges and digital certificate management. 
• Lets users publish credentials to social media sites, such as LinkedIn, with a click.
• Easy import of certification and recipient details for bulk sending of certificates (starting from 1000 unique recipients for the basic plan).
• A straightforward certificate and badge designer that lets you create from scratch or use pre-made templates.
• White-labeling and custom branding options for credentials display. However, they are not included in the basic plan.

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What’s not so good about Accredible 

The best digital credential management tool must have four key features you should look for, namely, security and compliance, cost-effectiveness, ease of setup, and customization.

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Here’s how Accredible fares with these prerequisites:

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• Not cost-effective and lacks price transparency: 

The most basic plan is priced at $960 and offers only up to 1000 unique recipients a year which is quite expensive.

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Suppose you’re a small business with only 300 recipients. You have no option but to choose this basic plan which is a major waste of money. Meanwhile, if you exceed the number of allotted recipients, say by 100, you end up paying almost 3x the standard price.

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• Difficulty setting up the tool:

Most customers have complained of the complex initial tool setup that’s time-consuming and needs help from the Accredible staff. So this slight learning curve is one disadvantage to consider.

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• Data compliance for the EU:

Accredible uses Blockchain technology to protect your data which is different from the GDPR-compliant standard set up by the EU Commission.

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• Lack of customization: 

Accredible has a “Free-forever” plan, but the available features are limited and hence not suitable for users who’d like to get a look and feel of the tool before purchasing.

Accredible pricing 

Accredible has no hidden fees, but as previously mentioned, the tool’s most basic plan is not SMB-friendly. It is priced highly at $960/year for 1000 unique recipients with no white-labeling/custom branding features.

Also, the Launch plan is billed monthly and has no option for annual billing.  

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Accredible alternative #1: Virtualbadge.io

Virtualbadge.io is the best Accredible alternative if you’re looking for a digital credential management tool with extensive features and flexible pricing. 

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You can use Virtualbadge.io to:

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• Build and share authentic, eye-catching digital certificates automatically and save time.
• Design and send unique digital badges that are your brand’s reflection.
• Create LinkedIn-friendly digital credentials for recipients to add to their profiles with just a click.
• Send easy-to-validate, copy-proof digital credentials at scale.

Here’s a look into the all-in-one Virtualbadge.io dashboard for digital certificate management:

Pros and cons of using Virtualbadge.io for digital credential management

The pros — How does Virtualbadge.io outperform Accredible?

Let's look at what factors put Virtualbadge.io a step above Accredible:

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• Ease of installation and access — Unlike Accredible, Virtualbadge.io is easy to install and requires no additional support. The extremely user-friendly UI allows even non-tech-savvy users to access the tool seamlessly.

• Feature-rich — Virtualbadge.io offers a variety of features, right from designing certificates/badges to sending them to recipients and uploading them on LinkedIn. These save you time and also eliminate the cost of hiring a designer.

• GDPR compliant — Your private data is secure and compliant as Virtualbadge.io adheres to the exact regulations set by the EU, unlike Accredible.

• Social media optimization of credentials — Social media-optimized badges and digital certificates are made easy to share in Virtualbadge.io. So you can build your brand’s online reputation while helping your recipients bag new opportunities.

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• Risk-free and transparent pricing — You can choose a plan that matches your requirements. Virtuabadge.io lets you select the number of certificates or badges you’d need and prices the plan accordingly. 

• White-labeling — Virtualbadge.io’s white-labeling feature lets you integrate and add custom branding to a credential’s validation page on your website or landing page. This way, you add more value to your marketing efforts and create a native recipient experience. 

• All-access free trial — You get a 7-day all-access free trial to explore all features and see if Virtualbadge.io is the best fit for your business. 

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Cons of using Virtualbadge.io

• A wider range of templates could make it easier for users to create publish-ready certificates. However, the myriad design tools at users’ disposal lets them create stunning certificates/badges in minutes.

• The customized credential validation page for customer websites is only available for Expert and Custom plans.

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How do Virtualbadge.io and Accredible compare in price?  

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• Virtualbadge.io’s Starter plan is priced at just $12/mo for annual payments if you need 300 certificates — that’s just $144 yearly, which is 9x cheaper than Accredible’s basic plan.

• The Pro and Expert plans start from $49/mo and $75/mo, respectively. They offer options to automate sending credentials and integrate tools, among others.

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Still on the fence? Try the 7-day all-access free trial before committing to Virtualbadge.io’s paid plans.

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Accredible alternative #2: CertifyMe

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CertifyMe is a popular digital credential software offering tailor-made solutions to various industries, such as eCommerce, EdTech, Finance, Government, etc.

The SaaS-based tool’s industry-specific solutions include digital credentials like degree certificates, HR letters, insurance credentials, learning badges, and so on.

Pros and cons of using CertifyMe for digital credential management

The pros — How does CertifyMe outperform Accredible?

Here are some top benefits of using CertifyMe:

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• You can white-label your credentials and rebrand your website/landing page’s navigation bar, footer, and domain to enhance your marketing efforts. URL white-labeling lets you get more exposure online.

• All digital certificates are metadata-mapped to help prevent fraud and protect sensitive data.

• No learning curve, unlike Accredible, as CertifyMe is easy to use and offers exclusive video tutorials for free.

• With transparent pricing, you can top up the number of default credentials at an additional price.  

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Cons of using CertifyMe

• No all-access free trial. However, you are given 50 free credentials on sign-up with access to limited features.
• The UI/UX is too basic compared to tools like Virtualbadge.io.
• Offers just one pre-made template for a digital certificate and badge creation in the free plan.
• Uses Blockchain-enabled technology for data protection which is not GDPR compliant.

How do CertifyMe and Accredible compare in price? 

By the look of it, CertifyMe is definitely more affordable than Accredible. 

The Standard plan is aptly priced at $20/mo with over 500 credentials a year but lacks premium features like white labeling or app integrations.

Its most popular plan - Professional, costs $65/mo for 2000 credentials, which is a steal compared to Accredible’s $960/year for 1000 credentials, but this CertifyMe plan still has no white-labeling feature.

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Accredible alternative #3: Credly

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Credly is another Accredible alternative with exceptional solutions for digital credentialing. It helps educational and corporate organizations with digital certificates, verifiable badges, workforce insights, and recognizes skill gaps that may need upskilling or reskilling. 

Pros and cons of using Credly for digital credential management

The pros — How does Credly outperform Accredible?

Here are some top benefits of using Credly to manage your digital credentials:

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• Credly suits organizations looking for an all-in-one digital credential plus skill management solution. 

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• Helps you be part of a vast network of certification providers across the globe that strengthens your brand’s reputation and credibility.

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• Credly has a well-optimized learning and development solution where recipients get auto-recommendations for newly added learning and certifications matching their skills.

Cons of using Credly

• No free trial or free plan to understand how the tool works before committing to it.
• Credly is expensive for small and medium-sized businesses due to its high one-time setup and annual hosting license fees.
• Credly handles digital certificates on the Acclaim platform. And users are required to sign in twice, which is more work.
• Intransparent pricing as the platform has not disclosed its pricing plans on its website.
• The platform’s wide-ranging features, from digital credentialing to skills and workforce planning, may confuse most users.

How do Credly and Accredible compare in price? 

In terms of pricing, Accredible is cheaper than Credly, especially due to the latter’s high annual hosting and set-up fee. Although the pricing for the number of credentials is aptly priced, other high costs make Credly unfit for SMBs.

Wrapping up — what’s the best Accredible alternative?

Accredible’s pricing model is not pocket friendly for most businesses. That’s probably the reason why most users look for alternatives. 

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So what’s the best Accredible alternative for stress-free digital credential management? Here are our unbiased final thoughts:

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• CertifyMe — The UI is super basic and more suitable for non-tech-savvy users looking for a simple digital credentialing tool. The biggest minus is the platform’s non-compliance with GDPR standards, so EU customers may have to think twice before committing.

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• Credly — Covers a multitude of features for digital credentialing, skills, and workforce management. Users need additional help to understand the installation and most functionalities. And the high set-up and license fees make the platform unfit for SMBs.

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• Virtualbadge.io — Ticks all the boxes, aka prerequisites of a digital credentialing tool, such as GDPR compliance, white-labeling, customization, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use. All these, plus a minimal learning curve, make Virtualbadge.io the best alternative for Accredible.

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Experience Virtualbadge.io’s extensive suite of solutions for digital credentialing for free. 

Sign up for the 7-day all-access free trial today!

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