Open Badge Credentials Without Pearson Lock In
Pearson is acquiring Workera and already owns Credly. Here is why independent W3C Open Badge credentials matter, and how ArcProof compares.
On September 29, 2026, Pearson announced it has agreed to acquire Workera, the AI native skills assessment platform used by ServiceNow, Accenture, and the U.S. Space Force. Pearson already owns Credly, the most widely used digital badge issuer, integrated into LinkedIn and HR platforms around the world.
Once the deal closes, a single company will control both a leading skills assessment tool and the leading credential issuer in the enterprise market. For HR and L&D leaders evaluating their credential infrastructure, this is the moment to ask: do we want our skill verification living inside one vendor's ecosystem?
What the Pearson, Credly and Workera stack means for your credentials
Credly badges are hosted on Credly's servers. Public badge links exist, but issuing, managing and analyzing credentials happens inside Credly's platform, and the most useful features require a Credly account. With Workera joining Pearson's enterprise business, assessment and credentialing are on their way to becoming one bundled stack.
Vendor concentration is the risk. If Pearson changes pricing, deprecates a feature, or discontinues a product line, your issued credentials feel it. Your employees' proof of skill should not depend on one company's product roadmap.
What W3C Open Badge 3.0 independence looks like
ArcProof issues credentials to the W3C Open Badges 3.0 standard, the current open credential standard from 1EdTech, aligned with W3C Verifiable Credentials. Any employer can verify a credential at a public URL with no account and no login.
The credential lives on the open web, not inside a vendor's platform. Each badge carries SHA-256 tamper evidence, so any alteration to the data is detectable. And because the standard is open, the badge data stays portable even if ArcProof were to disappear.
ArcProof vs Credly: the key differences
Issuer independence. ArcProof is independent, operated by SkillUpArc LLC. Credly is owned by Pearson.
Employer verification. ArcProof credentials verify at a public URL with no account. Credly offers public badge links, but full wallet and management features require a Credly account.
Evidence weighting. Every ArcProof credential is backed by weighted evidence, scored against fixed rubrics. Credly badges display metadata but do not score or weight the underlying evidence.
Skill decay tracking. ArcProof tracks skill decay over time and prompts re verification, so a credential reflects current ability. Credly badges are static once issued.
For workforce programs specifically, ArcProof also publishes credential documentation oriented toward Workforce Pell requirements, including public verification URLs that funders and state agencies can check without an account.
See ArcProof's verification in action
The fastest way to judge a verification platform is to verify something. Open a sample ArcProof credential and check it the way an employer would: no account, no login, just the evidence.
When you are ready to issue credentials your organization fully owns, view ArcProof pricing or run the free ArcProof Skill Scanner to see how skill verification works from the inside.
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