Looking for an Alternative to Canvas Badges or Parchment? Why Institutions Are Moving to Certify

Institutions that issued badges through Canvas or Parchment are reviewing their options as those products are repackaged and priced separately. A good replacement should issue to a whole cohort in one go, import data from your LMS or student system without manual clean-up, and keep your existing credentials verifiable during the move. This guide sets out what to check and how Certify handles each point.

Why Institutions Are Reconsidering Canvas Badges and Parchment

For years, many universities issued badges directly through tools integrated with their Learning Management System (LMS). This approach was convenient but often came with limitations.

Recently, several shifts have encouraged institutions to explore alternative platforms.

Changes in bundled credential services

Many institutions initially adopted badge issuing through tools that were included with their LMS environment. Over time, credential products have increasingly become standalone services with separate licensing and pricing structures.

Canvas Badges is now Canvas Credentials, and Instructure, the company behind Canvas, has acquired Parchment.

For institutions issuing thousands of badges each semester, these changes can significantly affect both cost and workflow.

As a result, credential teams are asking:

• Is our current badge platform still the best fit?
• Are there better tools designed specifically for credential programmes?
• Can we simplify how badges are issued and managed?

Credential programmes are scaling rapidly

Digital credentials are no longer experimental initiatives.

Today they support:

• micro-credentials
• professional certification programmes
• continuing education
• co-curricular achievements
• workforce training

Some institutions now issue tens of thousands of credentials per semester, or more.

When programmes reach this scale, many legacy workflows begin to break down.

Common challenges include:

• limits on batch uploads
• manual spreadsheet preparation
• inefficient issuance workflows
• administrative overhead for credential teams

Institutions that once issued a few hundred badges per year now need infrastructure capable of managing tens of thousands.

Common Pain Points With Legacy Badge Platforms

Organisations evaluating new credential platforms often report similar frustrations with older systems.

Batch upload limitations

Some badge platforms limit batch uploads to small groups of recipients. For institutions issuing thousands of credentials, this creates a time-consuming process involving dozens or even hundreds of uploads.

Large-scale credential programmes need systems that can handle entire cohorts in a single workflow.

Manual data clean-up

Many institutions export learner data from systems like Canvas, student information systems, or programme databases.

Unfortunately, these exports often require significant manual clean-up before they can be uploaded to a badge platform.

Credential administrators frequently report spending hours preparing spreadsheets before each issuance cycle.

Modern platforms should automatically validate data and simplify this process.

Fragmented workflows

When badge issuing requires multiple tools, spreadsheets, LMS exports, and manual platform uploads, the process becomes fragmented.

This fragmentation creates:

• operational inefficiency
• increased risk of errors
• slower credential delivery

Institutions increasingly want streamlined workflows that reduce complexity.

Lack of scalability

Perhaps the most significant issue is scalability.

Platforms designed for small credential programmes often struggle when institutions begin issuing credentials at scale.

Without the right infrastructure, administrative teams spend increasing amounts of time managing the platform rather than supporting learners.

What Institutions Should Look for in a Digital Badge Platform

When evaluating alternatives to Canvas badges or Parchment, institutions are increasingly focusing on several key capabilities.

High-volume credential issuance

The platform should support large credential cohorts without artificial limits on batch size.

Issuing badges to thousands of learners should be straightforward and efficient.

Automated data handling

Credential platforms should accept structured data uploads, automatically validate fields, and minimise the need for manual spreadsheet editing.

This significantly reduces administrative overhead.

Integration with existing systems

Institutions rely on a variety of systems, including:

• Learning Management Systems
• Student Information Systems
• Programme management tools

A modern credential platform should integrate easily with these systems or support flexible data import workflows. If you're weighing your LMS's own badges against a separate platform, our guide to LMS badges vs a dedicated credentialing platform sets out the differences.

Ease of use for administrators

Credential programmes are often managed by academic teams, programme coordinators, or continuing education departments.

Platforms should be intuitive and accessible without requiring technical expertise.

Transparent and scalable pricing

As credential programmes grow, institutions need pricing models that scale predictably rather than increasing administrative or licensing complexity.

Why Issuers Are Moving to Certify

Certify was built specifically to support modern digital credential programmes.

Rather than adapting legacy credential infrastructure, Certify focuses on efficient, scalable credential issuance for institutions managing high-volume programmes.

Here are several reasons why issuers are choosing Certify.

Built for large credential cohorts

Certify allows institutions to issue credentials to entire cohorts in a single workflow.

Instead of uploading dozens of small batches, administrators can issue badges to thousands of recipients by CSV, API or LMS integration, with no batch size limits.

This is particularly valuable for universities issuing badges every semester or professional organisations managing large certification programmes.

Simplified data workflows

Certify supports structured data uploads that help reduce manual preparation work.

Administrators can import recipient data directly from existing systems, allowing credential programmes to scale without adding operational complexity.

Flexible platform architecture

Certify is designed to work alongside existing institutional systems.

Whether organisations use Canvas, another LMS, or internal programme databases, Certify can support flexible credential workflows without requiring major infrastructure changes.

Administrative simplicity

One of the most important factors for credential teams is ease of use.

Certify provides a platform designed for administrators and programme managers rather than developers, allowing credential programmes to be managed efficiently without technical overhead.

Designed for modern credential ecosystems

As digital credentials evolve, institutions are expanding beyond simple course completion badges.

Certify supports credential programmes that represent:

• skills and competencies
• micro-credentials
• stackable learning pathways
• professional certifications

This flexibility allows institutions to grow their credential strategy over time.

What migration looks like

Moving platforms shouldn't mean starting again. Certify's onboarding team handles migration and setup, so your designs and recipients move across without the manual work, and most organisations are live within a week. Your existing credentials remain live and verifiable throughout.

It is the same migration support we offer organisations switching from Accredible to Certify.

Turning a Platform Transition Into a Strategic Opportunity

For many institutions, the search for a new badge platform begins as a reaction to changes in their existing ecosystem.

However, the transition often becomes an opportunity to significantly improve how credential programmes operate.

Institutions that adopt modern credential platforms can:

• reduce administrative workload
• scale credential issuance efficiently
• improve the learner experience
• expand credential offerings

Rather than simply replacing one tool with another, organisations can build a stronger foundation for digital credentialing.

The Future of Digital Credentials

Digital credentials are becoming a critical part of the global learning ecosystem.

Universities, employers, and training organisations increasingly rely on credentials to represent verified skills and achievements.

As credential programmes expand, institutions need platforms that are built for scale, automation, and flexibility.

The next generation of credential platforms must support large programmes without introducing operational complexity.

This is where platforms like Certify are helping institutions modernise their credential infrastructure.

Explore Certify

If your organisation is evaluating alternatives to Canvas badges or Parchment Digital Badges, now is the ideal time to explore a platform designed specifically for scalable credential programmes.

Certify helps institutions issue, manage, and scale digital credentials with confidence.