Credly vs POK: Pricing, Features and Differences in Digital Credentials 2026
POK offers a 100% free and unlimited plan to issue verifiable Web2 digital credentials, and pay-per-credential plans for NFT issuance on blockchain — no setup fee, no minimum annual commitment, and no expiration. Credly does not offer a free plan, may include a setup fee of approximately USD 2,000, and requires minimum annual commitments of USD 1,000 or more. For universities, governments, and enterprises that need to issue credentials at scale with no barriers to entry, POK is a significantly more accessible alternative.
Last updated: March 2026Features | POK | credly |
|---|---|---|
| 100% Free and Unlimited Plan | Yes | No |
| No Setup Fee | Yes | No |
| No Minimum Annual Commitment | Yes | No |
| NFT Certificates on Blockchain | Yes | No |
| ELM (European Learning Model / Europass) | Yes | No |
| 1EdTech Data Privacy Certification | Yes | No |
| ISO 27001 Certification | Yes | Yes |
| SOC 2 Certification | Yes | No |
| Employability Tracking | Yes | No |
| White Label Export to Google Wallet and Apple Wallet | Yes | No |
| Customizable Banners for AdTech | Yes | No |
| Learning Paths with Advanced Analytics | Yes | No |
| User Roles | Yes | No |
Global Recognition and Exponential Growth
Credly operates primarily in English-language corporate certification ecosystems and has a consolidated employer network. POK has been recognized as Top 100 EdTech in Latin America by HolonIQ 2024 and 2025, is certified by 1EdTech, and has surpassed 1,100 institutions in 19 countries, issuing over 1.5 million credentials. POK ranks among the highest-rated platforms on G2, Capterra, and SourceForge globally.
Security and Cutting-Edge Technology
POK holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications — independently audited standards covering data protection, access management, and incident response. POK is also certified by 1EdTech and complies with GDPR.
Credly holds ISO 27001 certification but does not publish SOC 2 or 1EdTech certifications. For institutions managing sensitive academic data that require maximum security coverage, this distinction is relevant.
Credly holds ISO 27001 certification but does not publish SOC 2 or 1EdTech certifications. For institutions managing sensitive academic data that require maximum security coverage, this distinction is relevant.
Customization and User Experience
POK offers comprehensive white label customization for the entire credential issuance and reception experience: custom domain, branded email, sending from your own SMTP domain, fully customizable display pages with banners, brand colors, logo, and multimedia content, export to Google Wallet and Apple Wallet with white label, and a recipient wallet compatible with Open Badges 3.0 and ELM/Europass.
Credly does not offer white label export to Google Wallet or Apple Wallet, nor a customizable recipient wallet. Display page customization options are partial and do not include banners or proprietary multimedia content.
Credly does not offer white label export to Google Wallet or Apple Wallet, nor a customizable recipient wallet. Display page customization options are partial and do not include banners or proprietary multimedia content.
Pricing Model and Accessibility
Credly does not publish its pricing publicly. Institutions must contact the sales team for a quote. According to market research, Credly may include a setup fee of approximately USD 2,000 and requires minimum annual commitments from USD 1,000. At higher volumes, the cost per credential can be up to 2.5 times higher than POK.
POK publishes its pricing transparently. The free plan includes unlimited Web2 credential issuance with no user limit or expiration. Blockchain NFT credentials are available as pay-per-credential packages with no subscription commitment, no lock-in, and no additional gas fees.
POK publishes its pricing transparently. The free plan includes unlimited Web2 credential issuance with no user limit or expiration. Blockchain NFT credentials are available as pay-per-credential packages with no subscription commitment, no lock-in, and no additional gas fees.
Credential Permanence and Ownership
POK issues credentials as NFTs on public blockchains (Polygon and LacNet), with decentralized cryptographic validation of the issuer's identity. Credentials remain permanently verifiable even without POK acting as an intermediary.
Credly does not issue its credentials on a public blockchain. Its credentials are verifiable through Credly's centralized platform, which implies dependency on the platform's operational continuity.
Credly does not issue its credentials on a public blockchain. Its credentials are verifiable through Credly's centralized platform, which implies dependency on the platform's operational continuity.
Conclusion: Why Choose POK?
POK combines a 100% free and unlimited plan, NFT credentials on blockchain, no setup fee, no minimum commitments, and globally recognized security certifications. Credly is a consolidated option for organizations that prioritize English-language corporate badge ecosystems. For institutions seeking economic efficiency, scalability with no barriers to entry, and blockchain technology, POK represents a globally competitive alternative.
Join over 1,100 institutions in 19 countries already issuing verifiable digital credentials and microcredentials with POK.
Join over 1,100 institutions in 19 countries already issuing verifiable digital credentials and microcredentials with POK.
For more information on how POK can transform your institution's digital credential issuance and management, contact us for a personalized demo.
Frequently asked questions
The main differences are:
(1) Pricing — POK offers a 100% free and unlimited plan with no setup fee or annual minimum commitment, and pay-per-credential plans with no lock-in; Credly has no free plan.
(2) Blockchain — POK issues credentials as NFTs on public blockchain with decentralized cryptographic validation; Credly does not.
(3) Security — POK holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications; Credly does not publish SOC 2.
(4) Standards — POK is 1EdTech certified and compatible with ELM/Europass; Credly is not.
(5) Customization — POK includes full white label with Google Wallet, Apple Wallet and recipient wallet; Credly does not.
(1) Pricing — POK offers a 100% free and unlimited plan with no setup fee or annual minimum commitment, and pay-per-credential plans with no lock-in; Credly has no free plan.
(2) Blockchain — POK issues credentials as NFTs on public blockchain with decentralized cryptographic validation; Credly does not.
(3) Security — POK holds ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certifications; Credly does not publish SOC 2.
(4) Standards — POK is 1EdTech certified and compatible with ELM/Europass; Credly is not.
(5) Customization — POK includes full white label with Google Wallet, Apple Wallet and recipient wallet; Credly does not.
POK combines a 100% free and unlimited plan with pay-per-credential plans with no lock-in, NFT credentials on public blockchain, ISO 27001, SOC 2 and 1EdTech certifications, ELM/Europass compatibility, and full white label customization. More than 1,100 institutions across 19 countries — universities, companies and governments — already issue verifiable digital credentials at scale with POK.
POK publishes its pricing transparently: a 100% free and unlimited plan for Web2 credentials, and pay-per-credential with no lock-in or setup fee for NFT blockchain credentials. Credly does not publish pricing publicly and according to market research may require a setup fee and annual minimum commitments.
With POK, yes. NFT credentials are registered on public blockchain (Polygon and LacNet) and are permanently verifiable through any blockchain explorer, without intermediaries and without depending on any platform continuing to operate. With POK, the credential belongs to the holder forever.
POK is architected specifically to ensure credential permanence independent of platform survival:
With POK, the credential belongs to the holder permanently — not to the platform.
- NFT credentials are registered on public blockchains (Polygon and LacNet) — they remain verifiable through any blockchain explorer even if POK ceases to operate
- Credentials are built on open standards (Open Badges 3.0, W3C Verifiable Credentials) — ensuring portability and verifiability across any compatible system
- In the unlikely event of blockchain deprecation, POK can migrate credentials to another network while maintaining full traceability and metadata
With POK, the credential belongs to the holder permanently — not to the platform.