Comparison
CertLedge vs. a Spreadsheet for Certification Tracking
A spreadsheet is free and familiar — but it never warns you when a certification is about to expire. Here's an honest look at where each one wins.
No credit card required.
Almost everyone starts with a spreadsheet, and for a tiny team it can be enough. The problem isn't the columns — it's that a spreadsheet has no voice. It can't email you 30 days before an OSHA card lapses, it doesn't hold the actual document, and it only reveals its gaps during an inspection. Here's how the two stack up.
| CertLedge | Spreadsheet | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | From $39.99/mo | Free (until a missed renewal) |
| Automatic expiry alerts | ✓ Email at 90/30/7 days | ✗ None |
| Stores the actual certificate | ✓ PDF/JPG/PNG per employee | ✗ Lives elsewhere |
| Status at a glance | ✓ Valid / expiring / expired | Manual color-coding |
| Audit-ready PDF export | ✓ One click, dated | Manual formatting |
| Reminders to a real person | ✓ Emailed automatically | ✗ Someone must check |
| Multi-user without version chaos | ✓ One source of truth | Copies drift apart |
| Setup time | ~10 minutes | Build your own formulas |
Where the spreadsheet quietly fails
It never warns anyone
The whole point of tracking expirations is to act before they happen. A spreadsheet can't email you — so the renewal you meant to schedule slips, every time.
The document isn't in it
When an inspector asks to see the card, a spreadsheet row isn't proof. CertLedge keeps the actual certificate attached to each person.
It fails at the worst moment
The gap in a spreadsheet only surfaces during an inspection or a contractor pre-qual — exactly when it's most expensive.
Simple pricing
Every plan starts with a free 14-day trial. No credit card required.
Spreadsheet vs. CertLedge — FAQ
- Can I import my existing spreadsheet?
- Yes — start by entering your team (even just names), then add certifications and expiry dates. On the Scale plan we'll help import your spreadsheet for you.
- Is a spreadsheet ever good enough?
- For one or two people with a single cert each, maybe. Once you have several employees or multiple certification types, the lack of alerts is what gets you.
- Can I still export my data?
- Always. CertLedge exports a full CSV of your employees and certifications anytime, plus a dated audit PDF — so you're never locked in.
Keep the spreadsheet's simplicity, add the alerts
Free 14-day trial. Set up in about ten minutes.