OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Certificate Maker
Free Printable Certificate of Achievement, Completion or Award
OneTask is free, with no sign-up, and built by one person.
If this tool saved you time, a coffee helps keep new ones coming.
How the Certificate Maker works
This certificate maker produces printable certificates. Change the title to Achievement, Completion, Appreciation, Participation or anything else, type the recipient's name and the reason, set the date and who signs it — a second signature line appears when you fill it in. The double border, the seal and the script name are the classic look; switch the fonts and colours for a plainer one. Add image puts a logo or school crest at the top centre. Download PNG produces the certificate at A4 or Letter size, 300 dpi, ready to print or attach to an email.
Certificate maker: getting a good result
A certificate is a formal page with a fixed vocabulary: a spaced-out capital title, a line saying who it is presented to, the name large and usually in script, a sentence saying why, a date, and one or two signatures above ruled lines, all inside a border with a seal in a corner. This page produces that page from a form, in the browser, at print resolution.
Paper sizes. A4 landscape at 300 dpi is 3508 by 2480 pixels and Letter is 3300 by 2550; most certificate frames and printers expect one of these. A4 portrait is there for the taller style. The Screen option is a lighter 1600-pixel version for emailing or posting online, where a 3500-pixel file is unnecessary. If your printer wants the DPI recorded in the file, run the PNG through the image DPI changer at 300.
The wording. "Certificate of Achievement" is the general-purpose title. Completion suits a course, Appreciation a volunteer or sponsor, Participation an event, Excellence a top result, Recognition a long-service award. The presentation line is conventionally "This certificate is proudly presented to" or "is hereby awarded to"; the Wording field holds the reason, which reads best as a phrase beginning with "for" or "in recognition of" and running to one or two lines.
Signatures. One signature centres the line and puts the date above it; a second signature spreads them left and right with the date between. Print, then sign in ink, or add a scanned signature with Add image and drag it onto the line — a PNG with a transparent background looks best.
The seal and border. The seal is a gold rosette with a star; untick Show seal to remove it, or click it and drag it elsewhere. Border and seal colour is gold by default; navy, burgundy or forest green are the other traditional choices, and they should be printed on white or cream stock. Paper colour is the background — set it to white if you are printing on coloured card.
Privacy. The names and the logo stay in the browser tab; nothing is uploaded and the PNG has no watermark.
FAQ
How do I make several certificates with different names?
Type the first name, Download PNG, type the next, download again. Everything else stays as set between downloads, so the batch matches. The filename is the same each time; rename them as they arrive.
Can I get a PDF?
Download the PNG and place it in a document at A4 or Letter with no margins, then save as PDF; or print to PDF from the browser's print dialog with the image open. The PNG is at full print resolution, so no quality is lost.
The recipient's name is too long for the script font.
Click the name and lower the font size in the Selected item panel, or pick Georgia as the Recipient font, which is narrower than the script. Names of up to about 25 characters fit at the default size.
Can I use my own border or template image?
Yes — Add image with a full-page design, then click Backward twice so it sits behind the text, and set Border colour to match the paper to hide the built-in border.
Is this free to use commercially?
Yes. The certificate is yours; there is no watermark, no licence and no account. Print as many as you need for a school, club, course or company; the site never sees the names or the logo.
See also: all Images tools, Audio, Video & Screen, PDF, SVG, Simulations & Screensavers, Generative Art, Chart Makers, 3D Model Viewers, Drawing Pads, Mockups & 3D Making, Diagram Makers, 3D Science, Tracker Music.
Related tools
Business Card Maker
Design a print-ready business card at 300 dpi. Free, no account, no watermark.
Poster & Flyer Maker
Design A4, A3 or Letter posters at 300 dpi. PNG or SVG, nothing uploaded.
Image DPI Changer
Set a JPEG or PNG DPI without touching the pixels.
Add Watermark To Image
Text or logo watermark in a corner or tiled across a photo. Nothing uploaded.
Quote Image Generator
Turn a quote into a styled square, story or landscape image. No watermark.