G2's Acquisition of Capterra Has Closed — Here's What We Know

TL;DR

• G2 appears to have closed its acquisition of Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp
• No formal press release yet — but LinkedIn posts and a Nasdaq billboard make it pretty clear
• The deal was announced January 29 and closed roughly one week later
• G2 now controls four of the biggest B2B software review platforms
• The big question for vendors: what happens to Capterra's free badge program?

The Deal Is Done (Probably)

G2 hasn't issued a press release. There's nothing on their newsroom. But sometimes actions speak louder than PR.

Yesterday, G2's official LinkedIn account posted: "We've officially closed on our acquisition" — accompanied by a photo of a Nasdaq billboard in Times Square.

CEO Godard Abel followed up by welcoming "new colleagues from Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp to G2." He mentioned visiting "offices across the globe" with the leadership team "over the past few days."

The deal was announced on January 29. If these posts are accurate, it closed by early February. That's roughly one week from announcement to close — fast for a deal of this size.

What G2 Now Controls

Let's put this in perspective.

G2 now owns the four biggest B2B software review platforms:

• G2 — the largest independent software review site
• Capterra — Gartner's flagship software directory
• Software Advice — advisor-led software recommendations
• GetApp — SMB-focused software discovery

Combined, that's roughly 6 million verified reviews and 200+ million annual software buyers under one roof.

For B2B software discovery, this is consolidation on a massive scale. The two major ecosystems — G2 and Gartner Digital Markets — are now one company.

The Badge Question

For vendors, the immediate question is what happens to Capterra's badge programs.

Here's the situation:

• Capterra badges are currently free to display. Earn them, use them. No paywall.
• G2 badges require a paid subscription ($3,000-6,000+/year) to display publicly since Summer 2025.

Whether Capterra's free badges survive under G2 ownership is the question every vendor should be asking.

The 2026 Capterra badges campaign is still running — some categories have until March 31. But 2027? That's the year to watch.

We wrote about this when the deal was announced: now might be the time to earn Capterra badges while they're still free.

What Happens Next

Short term (next few months): Don't expect immediate changes. Integration takes time. Gartner Digital Markets already had unified reviews across Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp — but merging that with G2's separate ecosystem is a different project entirely.

Medium term (2026-2027): Watch for announcements about "unified taxonomy," consolidated vendor dashboards, and — crucially — badge program changes. G2 has been clear about wanting to standardize everything.

Long term: If the predictions in our earlier analysis hold, expect G2 to push vendors toward their paid ecosystem. The question isn't whether it happens, but how fast.

What Vendors Should Do Now

1. Get your Capterra badges while you can. If your category is still eligible for 2026 badges, collect those reviews now. Free badges may not be free forever.

2. Audit your current listings. Your presence on G2 and Capterra just became higher stakes. Make sure your listings are complete, current, and optimized.

3. Diversify your directory strategy. G2 controlling more of the market doesn't mean you should abandon other directories. SourceForge, PeerSpot, TrustRadius, and industry-specific directories still matter — arguably more now than before.

4. Watch for pricing changes. When competition decreases, prices tend to increase. Budget accordingly for 2027.

The Bigger Picture

This acquisition represents the most significant consolidation in B2B software discovery in over a decade.

For buyers, G2 is promising a unified experience — one taxonomy, one review corpus, AI-powered recommendations. Whether that's actually better for buyers remains to be seen.

For vendors, the calculus is simpler: there's now one dominant player. Your directory strategy needs to account for that reality.

We'll continue tracking the integration as it unfolds. For now, the deal is done. The question is what G2 builds with it.

Related Reading

• G2 Is Buying Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice. That's... Interesting. — Our original analysis when the deal was announced
• G2 Is Acquiring Capterra — Try Getting Your Capterra Badges Now — Why free badges might not last
• G2's Hiring After the Capterra Announcement: What They're Building — What G2's job postings reveal about their plans
• How to Earn Capterra Badges in 2026 — The complete guide while badges are still free
• How to Earn G2 Badges in 2026 — Understanding G2's paid badge ecosystem