Frequently asked questions
Short answers about plans, certificates, email, verification and billing.
Getting started
What is Certinator?
Certinator lets course creators, event hosts and associations design, send and verify certificates in one place.
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. Spark is free, and no credit card is required. Sign up at /auth/sign-up with Google or email.
Can I try it without an account?
Yes. The certificate maker gives guests 20 certificates per UTC calendar month to download. Guest certificates have no verify link.
Do I need design software?
No. You edit templates in the browser and add your logo and signature. Designs use Lato or Times, and font uploads aren't supported.
Certificates and CSV
Can I make certificates from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Save your sheet as a CSV and import it. Batches hold up to 20 people on Spark and up to 100 on Studio, Academy and Institute.
Do premium templates cost extra?
No. Premium templates are included on Studio and up.
Can I add CPD hours or credits?
Yes. Use CPD and training-record templates with hours or credits.
What types of designs are there?
Certificates, badges, transcripts, training records and letters. These are visual formats only, not accreditation or a badge standard.
Does Spark send emails?
No. On Spark you download the PDFs and share them yourself.
How many emails can I send?
Studio sends 500 a month (up to 100 per UTC day), Academy 3,000 (up to 300 per day) and Institute 10,000 (up to 1,000 per day).
Whose name do emails come from?
Your sender name on Studio and up. Academy and Institute also use your reply-to address and drop the Certinator email footer.
Verification
How do people check a certificate is real?
On Studio and up, each certificate has a verify page and a QR code. Anyone with the link can see who earned it, what it was for and when it was issued.
Does Spark include verification?
No. Spark files are plain PDF or PNG, with no verify link, QR code or public record.
Can I choose what shows on the verify page?
On Academy and Institute, yes. Studio shows the standard fields. The recipient's email is never public.
Can I expire or revoke a certificate?
Yes, on Studio and up. Revoking is permanent, and the verify page then shows the certificate as revoked.
What happens to my verification records if I downgrade or cancel?
Certificates you've already issued stay checkable on a read-only verify page. On Spark, you can't create verify links for any more certificates.
Limits
When do my allowances reset?
On the 1st of each month (UTC). Unused allowance doesn't roll over. Yearly plans keep the same monthly allowances.
What happens if I reach my limit?
Certinator stops making or sending certificates until your allowance resets, or until you upgrade. We never charge overages.
Developers
Which plans include the Certinator API and MCP?
Academy (1,000 credits a month) and Institute (5,000). One credit makes one certificate. See /developers.
How many certificates per API request?
Up to 10 per direct request, or up to 100 per background job.
Billing
What does it cost?
Spark is $0. Studio is $12 a month, Academy $29 and Institute $79. Prices are in USD, plus applicable taxes.
Is there a yearly option?
Yes. Pay yearly and get 2 months free: Studio $120, Academy $290 and Institute $790 a year.
What is FOUNDING50?
A launch code for 50% off your first 3 months on monthly plans, until Dec 31, 2026 (11:59 PM Manila time). It doesn't apply to yearly plans.
How am I billed, and do you charge tax?
Checkout shows your total, including any tax, before you pay. Dodo Payments is our merchant of record and handles payment, receipts, invoices and taxes.
Can I change or cancel my plan?
Yes. Change or cancel anytime from Manage billing; checkout shows any charge before you confirm.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Your first paid purchase gets a full refund within 14 days. See /refund-policy.