To create and issue an Open Badge, whether you are an individual, a community of practice or an organization, it is necessary to use an application dedicated to this or that allows it (this is the case of certain LMS) and that also meets the Open Badge standard developed by IMS Global.
What are the applications?
There are more than twenty dedicated platforms that allow you to create and deliver Open Badges. The association Reconnaître has built, with the help of the different providers, a comparative table that you can consult freely. The choice of a platform depends on several criteria: the context of use, the level of service or the desired functionalities, the choice of languages for the user interface, etc.
Is it paying or free?
The answer to this question will depend on the context of use (individual, community or organization), and the level/type of service expected.
To be followed: new avenues are being explored for the creation and issuance of badges. For example, at the ePIC 2019 conference in Lille, BitofTrust tested a proof of concept (BadgeBot) to issue badges on Twitter using a simple tweet!