Certly vs Certifier

A file to hand over, or a credential to manage online? Certly makes PDFs. Certifier provides hosted credentials. That choice matters more than a longer feature list.

Start with what the recipient needs after receiving the certificate.

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Feature-by-feature comparison

Certly vs Certifier feature comparison
Feature	Certly	Certifier
Pricing	Free	Freemium with paid tiers
Data processing	Local PDFs; API for Sheets and Gmail	Cloud servers
Account required	No	Yes
Verification portal	Not available	Yes — public verification links
LMS integration	Not available	Yes — API integrations
Gmail delivery	Yes — from your own account via OAuth	Uses Certifier email servers

When to choose each tool

Choose Certly when:

You need free, personalized PDF batches
You want local generation from a CSV
You want to send from your own Gmail address
You value privacy and local data processing

Choose Certifier when:

You need public verification portals with QR codes
You require LMS/API integrations
You need credential analytics and tracking
Enterprise support and SLA are important

What is the real difference between Certly and Certifier?

The feature grid above is the surface. The underlying difference is where the certificate lives after you make it. Certly produces a file: a PDF that you own, hand over, and are then finished with. Certifier and platforms like it produce a hosted record: a credential that continues to exist on their infrastructure so it can be verified, revoked, tracked and reported on later.

A PDF can be downloaded and shared without an ongoing credential account. It does not become a verification record just because it looks official. Certly has no public registry behind the file.

So the question is not which tool is better. It is whether your certificates need to stay verifiable after you send them. If a recipient will put the credential on LinkedIn and an employer may click through to confirm it, you want the hosted model. If the certificate is recognition for attending your event, the file model does the job without an ongoing cost.

How do the costs compare?

Certly has no paid tier or per-certificate fee. For Certifier, compare the current plan allowance with the features you need.

Deliberately, no specific prices are quoted here. SaaS pricing and plan limits change often, and a stale figure on this page would be worse than no figure at all. Check Certifier's own pricing page for current numbers, then weigh them against what the hosted features are worth to you.

The more useful comparison is not money but time. Both tools remove the manual work of editing certificates individually. Where they differ is setup: Certly needs no account, so first use to finished batch is a single session, while a hosted platform front-loads onboarding in exchange for capabilities that persist afterwards.

How do I decide which one to use?

Work through these five questions in order. The first one you answer "yes" to settles it.

1
Must recipients verify the certificate at a public URL?
If yes, choose a hosted platform. This is the one requirement Certly cannot meet, and no workaround changes that.
2
Does it need to flow into an LMS, CRM or HR system automatically?
If yes, choose a hosted platform. Certly has no integration API; it produces files and emails.
3
Are you contractually barred from uploading participant personal data to a vendor?
Consider a local CSV-to-ZIP workflow. Sheets import and Gmail delivery share data through the API, so review your requirements before choosing either.
4
Is your budget zero?
If yes, choose Certly. It is free at any volume, which matters for student clubs and volunteer-run events.
5
Do you just need good-looking certificates in inboxes this week?
Then Certly is the shorter path. No account, no onboarding, no procurement conversation.

Plenty of organizers end up using both: a hosted platform for accredited programmes where verification matters, and Certly for the long tail of workshops, hackathons and community events where it does not.

About this comparison

Written and maintained by Certly, so treat it as informed but not neutral. Claims about Certly describe its current workflow. Claims about Certifier describe its product category at a general level and are not endorsed by Certifier; confirm current features and pricing on their own site before deciding. Corrections are welcome via the contact page.

Questions / Answers

Certly vs Certifier FAQ

Common questions about switching or choosing

What is the main difference between Certly and Certifier?

Certly makes PDF files from an image and a list. Certifier is a hosted credential platform. Decide first whether you need files or a managed online credential.

Does Certifier offer anything Certly does not?

Certifier offers hosted digital credentials and verification features. Certly does not have a verification portal or LMS integration; it creates and delivers PDFs.

What do I need to prepare for Certly?

Bring a PNG or JPG under 5 MB and a recipient list as CSV or a public Google Sheet. Generation is free; Gmail applies its own sending quotas if you choose email delivery.

Can I make PDFs without uploading a roster?

Yes, with a CSV-to-ZIP workflow in Certly. Sheets import and Gmail sending use the API. Hosted credential platforms have different data handling requirements.

Can I switch from Certifier to Certly?

You can bring an exported CSV and a PNG or JPG design to Certly. Existing hosted credentials and verification links will not transfer into PDF generation.

Free certificates, no strings attached.

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Related workflows and answers from the rest of the site.