Badge, certificate or both?

Every Certify credential can include a digital badge, a digital certificate, or both. Here is how to decide.

Choose a badge when

• you want recipients to share their achievement on LinkedIn and social media

• the achievement is one step in a bigger journey, such as a module, a skill or a level

• you want something that looks good at small sizes, in a profile, an email signature or a feed

Choose a certificate when

• recipients expect a formal document they can download, print and file

• the achievement is a completed course, qualification or CPD record

• employers or regulators are used to seeing a certificate

Choose both when

You want the best of each: a badge for sharing and a certificate for records. This is the most common choice for completed courses, and it costs nothing extra. Pricing is per recipient, not per credential.

Design tips

• Keep badges simple. A badge is often shown very small. Use a clear shape, your logo, and a short title that is readable at a glance.

• Name the achievement precisely. "Health and Safety Supervisor" tells people more than "Level 2 Completion".

• Describe what was earned. The description and criteria appear on the verification page. They are what turns an image into evidence, so say what the recipient did and how it was assessed.

• Keep a consistent look across related credentials, so recipients can see they belong together.

To get started, see How do I design a digital credential? or Can I upload my own design?

For more on deciding what deserves a badge, read our guide How to design a digital badge programme people trust.