POK

POK (Proof of Knowledge) helps organizations issue, manage, and verify Open Badges 3.0 digital credentials and microcredentials on blockchain. Each credential has a unique link and QR code that opens a public page displaying its issuer, holder, date, skills, and real-time status. A visual editor supports credential templates with backgrounds, logos, typefaces, signatures, custom attributes, dynamic API images, paper formats, and previews. Organizations can issue credentials in bulk from Excel or CSV files; the free plan has no user limit or extra bulk-issuance cost. Learning-system integrations can issue credentials automatically when learners complete courses, with optional minimum-grade rules.

POK connects to named learning platforms through LTI 1.3 and to Sana through xAPI, with custom LTI, API keys, REST API, and webhooks available for other systems. It supports Open Badges 3.0, W3C Verifiable Credentials, ELM/Europass, and the TrustEd Credentials Framework. Free Web2 costs nothing; blockchain verification pay-as-you-go costs $0.30 per credential.

POK combines credential design, bulk issuance, and public verification with learning-system integrations. Free Web2 has no user caps, while blockchain verification is priced at $0.30 per credential or $3,000 a year for the annual license.

POK suits universities, training centers, companies, governments, and other organizations that certify academic or professional achievements. It may fit organizations seeking bulk issuance or automated credentials through learning-system integrations.

POK is a credentialing platform for issuing, managing, and verifying digital certificates, badges, and microcredentials. It suits universities, training providers, employers, and public bodies that certify achievements at scale. The strongest case is high-volume Web2 issuance with optional standards-based automation; blockchain features add a separate budget decision.

Overview

POK builds credentials around Open Badges 3.0 and related verifiable-credential standards. Every credential can have a unique link and QR code that opens a public verification page with the issuer, holder, date, skills, and current status. That makes a shared certificate easier to check than a static document, while expiry management supports credentials whose validity changes over time.

POK reports more than 1,100 institutions in 19 countries and over 1.5 million credentials issued. Founded in 2023, it describes itself as a distributed team focused on infrastructure for verifiable credentials.

Key features

Design and bulk issuance

The visual editor handles backgrounds, logos, typefaces, signatures, custom attributes, dynamic API images, paper formats, and previews. Organizations can therefore produce credentials that reflect their identity and carry fields suited to different programs. Excel and CSV imports support hundreds or thousands of awards in a batch. Because the free plan has no user cap or extra bulk-issuance charge, it is unusually well suited to large cohorts that do not need blockchain anchoring.

Learning-system automation

POK connects Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, D2L Brightspace, and Open edX through LTI 1.3, and Sana through xAPI. Custom LTI connections, API keys, a REST API, and webhooks extend it to other systems. A course completion can trigger issuance automatically, with optional minimum-grade rules. This is valuable for institutions that want credentials to follow learning records rather than manual spreadsheets, although implementation effort will depend on the surrounding systems.

Standards, verification, and branding

Support for 1EdTech Open Badges 3.0, W3C Verifiable Credentials, the European Learning Model (ELM/Europass), and the 1EdTech TrustEd Credentials Framework helps organizations align credentials with established ecosystems. White-label options cover a custom domain, logo, colors, email branding, credential pages, and wallet exports. POK states that it is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified and GDPR-compliant.

Blockchain NFT credentials use the Polygon and LacNet public blockchains. They remain independently verifiable if POK stops operating, which is a meaningful durability advantage for long-lived qualifications. It is also the feature that changes the cost model.

Pricing

Free Web2 — free. This includes unlimited digital credentials, no user caps, no setup fees, and no expiration. It is the clear starting point for organizations needing branded certificates, badges, public pages, and bulk issuance without blockchain verification.

Blockchain Verify pay-as-you-go — $0.30, paid once. The charge is per credential, with no minimum, and includes cryptographic blockchain verification plus the free-plan features. Choose it when only some awards need a durable blockchain record or volumes vary from year to year.

Blockchain Verify annual license — $3,000 a year. Billed annually and covering up to 50,000 credentials per year, it includes the free-plan features. At sustained high volume it offers predictable budgeting, but organizations below that ceiling should compare the annual commitment with pay-as-you-go spending.

NFT Ownership. Pricing is billed per credential through prepaid packs, with no credit expiration: $1.50 at 1,000 credentials, $1.10 at 10,000, and $0.80 at 100,000. This is aimed at organizations that specifically require NFT ownership and can plan purchases in advance.

Platforms

POK provides Android, iOS, web, and API access. The mix supports recipient access across devices and integration with institutional software, while API and webhook options suit organizations building credential workflows into their own applications.

Who it's for

Universities, training centers, companies, governments, and other certifying organizations are the natural audience. POK is particularly compelling for large graduating classes, automated course completion awards, and programs that need public verification or standards interoperability. A small issuer wanting only occasional certificates may find the blockchain tiers unnecessary.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Unlimited Free Web2 issuance: no user caps, setup fees, expiration, or added bulk-issuance cost.
• Strong automation coverage: major LMS integrations and grade-aware issuance reduce manual awarding work.
• Durable verification: Polygon and LacNet credentials can remain independently verifiable beyond the service.
• Flexible presentation: extensive template controls and white-label branding support institutional identity.

Cons

• Blockchain is an extra charge: verification costs $0.30 per credential or $3,000 annually, so the free plan does not cover that use case.
• Annual-volume ceiling: the annual blockchain license covers up to 50,000 credentials per year.
• NFT access uses prepaid packs: organizations must commit to pack purchases even though credits do not expire.

Alternatives

Awero is a better fit for personal or organization accounts seeking a free Open Access plan, or for a custom-look setup priced at €1,500 once.

CanCred Factory suits buyers who want Android, iOS, web, and API coverage with a free plan and free trial.

Open Badge Passport is the alternative for personal use when an open-source, free service is the priority.

Blockcerts is worth considering for a free, self-hosted-capable blockchain certificate app, with possible blockchain transaction fees for issuing.

National Academic Depository is another free option for organizations that need a broad mobile, web, and API platform.

Open Badge Factory fits issuers prepared to pay for a yearly Basic license with defined badge-class and annual-badge allowances.

Credly is the alternative when a paid custom plan negotiated with sales is acceptable.

CertSeal suits smaller teams wanting a free tier with 100 certificates per year and one organization member, with paid upgrades available.

Verdict

Choose POK if you need large-scale credential issuance, LMS-driven automation, and publicly checkable credentials, especially when the unlimited Free Web2 plan covers your requirements. Look elsewhere if blockchain verification is central but your volume or budget does not justify per-credential charges, the annual license, or prepaid NFT packs.