specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Credly
providerId: credly
created: '2026-07-05'
modified: '2026-07-05'
reconciled: false
tags:
- Digital Credentials
- Open Badges
- Pearson
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of Credly spend. Credly (a Pearson company) is a B2B digital
  credentialing platform sold to issuing organizations under contract, priced
  primarily on the volume of credentials (badges) issued plus platform features.
  The Web Service API and sandbox are entitlements of that subscription rather
  than a separately metered API product, so the dominant cost driver is annual
  credential issuance volume negotiated with Credly sales. Badge recipients incur
  no cost. Because pricing is contractual and not published, cost management
  centers on forecasting and governing credential issuance volume against the
  committed contract.
notes: >-
  Per-unit and tiered pricing are not public; obtain the credential-volume bands
  and contract terms from Credly (Pearson) to reconcile spend. Treat issued
  badge volume as the primary billable meter.
sources:
- https://credly.com
- https://docs.credly.com/browse/docs/getting-started
- https://plc.pearson.com/en-GB/news-and-insights/news/pearson-acquires-digital-credentialing-leader-credly
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Credly
serviceCategory: Identity and Credentialing
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Committed-Use
  billingFrequency: Annual
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Purchase
  - Usage
meters:
- name: credentials_issued
  description: Verifiable badges issued to recipients; the primary contractual billing driver.
  unit: badges
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - organization
  - badge_template
- name: badge_templates
  description: Badge templates maintained by the organization; may factor into platform tier.
  unit: templates
  aggregation: max
  dimensions:
  - organization
- name: platform_subscription
  description: Annual platform subscription fee for the issuing organization.
  unit: contract
  aggregation: max
  dimensions:
  - organization
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Track issued badge volume per organization and badge template against the contracted annual credential allowance.
- name: Allocation
  description: Use issuer_earner_id and badge template names to attribute credential issuance to internal programs, teams, or cost centers.
- name: Optimization
  description: Retire unused badge templates, suppress unnecessary notification emails, and avoid duplicate issuance to keep credential volume aligned with the contract.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign a program owner to reconcile monthly credential issuance against the committed contract and renewal negotiations with Credly.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com