How to Earn G2 Badges: Leader, High Performer & Costs

TL;DR

G2 badges look great, but here's what you need to know before you invest: you need a paid G2 subscription ($2,999+/year) to use most badges in your marketing. Free profiles can still earn placements and use the "Users Love Us" badge (20 reviews, 4.0+ average), but report-based badges like "Leader" and "High Performer" require a subscription to display. G2's next review deadline is April 28, 2026 for the Summer reports.

Before You Start: The Cost Question

Let's address this upfront because it affects everything else.

Starting Summer 2025, G2 changed their badge policy. You can still earn badges with a free profile — your product gets placed on the G2 Grid if you qualify — but you cannot publicly display or use those badges in your marketing unless you have a paid G2 plan.

What this means practically:

This is a meaningful difference for budget-constrained teams deciding where to invest review collection efforts. It's a good place to mention: Capterra badges are free to display and use forever. No subscription required once you've earned them. However, G2 acquired Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice from Gartner in February 2026. So you have an idea of what might be coming. Anyway, let's go on.

How to Earn G2 Badges in 2026

If you want G2 badges this year:

1. Decide if you'll pay — Report badges (Leader, High Performer, Momentum) require a paid plan to use publicly. Budget accordingly.
2. Get 10+ reviews — Minimum to appear on the G2 Grid in your category
3. Hit the deadline — April 28, 2026 for Summer reports; July 28, 2026 for Fall reports
4. Rank in Leader or High Performer quadrant — Based on Satisfaction and Market Presence scores

If you want the free "Users Love Us" badge only:

1. Collect 20 reviews — No deadline, badge available anytime you qualify
2. Maintain 4.0+ average — Based on "Likelihood to Recommend" scores
3. No subscription required — Display it wherever you want

The G2 Badge Types

G2 offers several types of recognition. Some are badges you can download and display; others are placements in reports.

Badge Type 1: Users Love Us

What It Is

A milestone badge awarded when you collect 20 reviews with an average rating of 4.0+ stars. This is G2's only badge that remains free to display for all vendors.

Requirements

Why It Matters

This is your entry point to G2 recognition without budget commitment. Unlike Grid badges, you control when you earn it (by running a review campaign). It signals customer satisfaction without requiring you to outperform competitors.

Source: G2 Badges Documentation (Updated July 16, 2025)

Badge Type 2: Grid Report Badges

What They Are

Quarterly badges based on your position in G2's Grid reports. Products that rank in the "Leader" or "High Performer" quadrants earn corresponding badges.

The Grid plots products on two axes:

• Satisfaction (y-axis) — Based on review ratings and user feedback
• Market Presence (x-axis) — Based on company size, web presence, review volume, and third-party data

The Four Quadrants

We built a little game inspired by how software review grids work — dodge bad reviews and push toward Made It:

Requirements

Segment and Regional Grids

G2 also publishes segment-specific and regional Grids that only include reviews from corresponding audiences:

Segments:

• Small Business (1-50 employees)
• Mid-Market (51-1,000 employees)
• Enterprise (1,001+ employees)

Regions:

• Americas, EMEA, Asia Pacific, and specific countries

You can earn badges for each Grid where you qualify.

Source: Research Scoring Methodologies (Updated December 17, 2025)

Badge Type 3: Momentum Grid Badges

What It Is

A specialized badge recognizing products with strong year-over-year growth in user satisfaction, review volume, employee count, social following, and web presence.

Requirements

Why It Takes a Year

G2 tracks year-over-year changes. A product can't appear on the Momentum Grid until it has 12 months of historical data from its first Grid report.

Source: Research Scoring Methodologies (Updated December 17, 2025)

Badge Type 4: Index Report Badges

What They Are

Specialized badges recognizing performance in specific areas: Usability, Results, Implementation, or Relationship. Each Index uses a different subset of review questions.

Requirements

Source: Research Scoring Methodologies (Updated December 17, 2025)

Badge Type 5: Best Software Awards

What They Are

Annual recognition awarded each February. G2 publishes lists for Best Software Companies, Best Software Products, and Best Software by Function.

Requirements

Best Software Lists

G2 publishes 46 Best Software lists annually:

1. Best Software Companies — Top 100 vendors ranked by weighted Satisfaction and Market Presence
2. Best Software Products — Top 100 products across all categories
3. Best Software by Function — Top 50 in categories like Sales, Marketing, HR, etc.
4. Best Agentic AI Products — New for 2026, recognizing top AI agent solutions
5. Best ERP Software Products — New for 2026, recognizing enterprise resource planning leaders
6. Supplemental lists — Highest Satisfaction, Fastest Growing, Rookies of the Year

Source: G2 2026 Best Software Awards

The 2026 Report Schedule

G2 releases Grid and Index reports quarterly. Here are the key dates:

Spring 2026

Summer 2026

Fall 2026

Winter 2027

Source: G2 Research Agenda

Quick Reference: The Numbers

Users Love Us (Free to Display)

• 20 reviews total
• 4.0+ average rating
• No deadline — earn anytime

Grid Badges (Paid Plans Only)

• 10 reviews in the category
• Rank in Leader or High Performer quadrant
• Quarterly deadlines

Momentum Badge (Paid Plans Only)

• 12+ months of G2 Grid history
• Strong year-over-year growth

Index Badges (Paid Plans Only)

• 10 reviews in the category
• 5+ responses to index-specific questions

Best Software Awards (Paid Plans Only)

• 10 reviews during calendar year
• December 31 deadline for following year

Understanding G2's Scoring

G2's Grid placement depends on two scores, each with multiple inputs. For a deeper dive into the ranking algorithm and strategies to improve your position, see our G2 ranking guide.

Satisfaction Score

Based on review responses, weighted by:

Market Presence Score

Based on company metrics:

Review Decay

G2 applies a decay curve to reviews over time:

• Reviews maintain strong weight for the first 18 months
• Decay accelerates after 18 months
• After ~3 years, reviews reach ~3% of original weight
• Decay resets if a reviewer updates their review

Source: Research Scoring Methodologies (Updated December 17, 2025)

What Changed in 2025-2026

1. Badge display now requires paid plans — Starting Summer 2025, only vendors with paid subscriptions can publicly use Grid, Momentum, Index, and Award badges. Free profiles retain access to "Users Love Us" and textual references only.
2. Pricing formalized — G2 Brand Starter starts at $2,999/year (first year), increasing to $5,999/year in year two. Professional and Enterprise tiers require contacting sales.
3. G2 acquired Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice — The acquisition closed February 5, 2026. How this affects badge programs remains to be seen as integration progresses.
4. Two new Best Software Award categories for 2026 — G2 introduced Best Agentic AI Products and Best ERP Software Products as new award categories, reflecting the growing importance of AI agents and enterprise systems. For a deeper analysis of what the 2026 awards reveal about the B2B software landscape, see What G2 Software Awards and Chiefmartec Teach Us About B2B Marketing.

G2 Subscription Pricing

Here's what G2's paid plans cost (as of August 2025):

What you get with paid plans:

• Use all awarded report-based, milestone, and annual badges
• Display badges on G2 profile
• Custom branded profile with competitors removed
• Gift card credits for review campaigns ($100-$1,000 depending on tier)
• Review collection via G2-managed campaigns

Source: G2 Pricing Guide (August 2025)

G2 vs. Capterra Badges: Which to Prioritize?

If you're deciding where to invest your review collection efforts:

Our take: If budget is tight, Capterra badges offer more recognition opportunities without subscription cost. If you're already planning to pay for G2's buyer intent data or other features, adding badge access makes sense. And with G2 now owning Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice (acquisition closed February 2026), this landscape may shift — we'll update as it does.

For a detailed feature-by-feature comparison of what each platform charges for, see: G2 vs Capterra Vendor Pricing: Access vs Results

See also: How Capterra Awards and Recognition Work

Step-by-Step: Earning Your First G2 Badge

Step 1: Create Your Profile

Create your product profile on G2 (you can do this with Blastra).

Step 2: Check Your Categories

Category placement is automated on G2. But you can request updates (again, if you manage your profile with Blastra, we can handle it for you). Once your profile is live (or if it already is), check which categories your product is listed in. You'll need 10+ reviews per category to appear on that category's Grid. If your product includes AI capabilities, check whether there's an AI-specific category that fits — G2 created nearly 30 between 2025 and early 2026, and many still have low competition.

Step 3: Set Your Target

For "Users Love Us" (free):

• Need: 20 reviews with 4.0+ average
• Timeline: Depends on your customer base and review velocity

For Grid badges (requires paid plan):

• Need: 10+ reviews before quarterly deadline
• Timeline: Next deadline is April 28, 2026 (Summer reports)

Step 4: Collect Reviews

G2 offers several review collection methods:

• Review page links (free)
• Widgets and buttons (Starter+)
• G2-managed campaigns with incentives (Starter+)
• API integrations (Professional+)

If you manage your G2 profile on Blastra, grab your reviews link under your G2 listing record.

For review campaign best practices, see our guide on how to get G2 and Capterra reviews.

Step 5: Decide on Subscription

If you qualify for Grid badges and want to display them:

• Evaluate whether the $2,999+/year cost fits your budget
• Consider whether you'll use other paid features (buyer intent data, profile visitor tracking, etc.)
• If budget is constrained, focus on "Users Love Us" first

Adding Badges to Your Website

Once you have badge access:

1. Go to my.G2 → Marketing Content → G2 Badges
2. Filter by category and reporting season
3. Choose Copy embed for website placement, or download PNG/SVG files
4. Badges link back to your G2 profile when clicked

Enabling Star Ratings in Search Results

G2 badges can display your star rating in Google search results via schema markup:

1. In my.G2, go to Marketing Content → G2 Badges
2. Toggle Include star rating on Google search results to ON
3. Embed the badge on your website

Note: Don't enable this if you already have Product Review schema markup on your site.

Source: G2 Badges Documentation (Updated July 16, 2025)

Related Guides

• How Capterra Badges Work — Capterra badges are free to display once earned
• How to Get G2 and Capterra Reviews — Best practices for review collection campaigns
• How to Improve Your G2 Grid Position — Understanding G2's ranking algorithm
• How SourceForge Badges Work — Percentile-based awards: top 5% for Leader, top 10% for Top Performer
• How SoftwareReviews Awards Work — Data Quadrant + Emotional Footprint, 130-data-point surveys, free badge display
• SaaS Review Strategy: How to Stand Out Where Others Stay Silent — Turn reviews into competitive advantage

Source Documentation

We reviewed G2's official sources. Here's what to trust:

Primary Sources (Dated, Reliable)

Secondary Sources (No Date, Use Carefully)

Key Takeaways

1. Most G2 badges require a paid subscription. Starting Summer 2025, you need a paid plan ($2,999+/year) to display Grid, Momentum, Index, and Award badges publicly.
2. "Users Love Us" is still free. Collect 20 reviews with 4.0+ average to earn this badge without subscription cost.
3. 10 reviews minimum for Grid placement. Your category also needs 6+ products with 10+ reviews and 150+ total reviews.
4. Quarterly deadlines matter. April 28, 2026 for Summer reports. Mark it.
5. Review recency counts. G2 weights newer reviews more heavily. Reviews decay significantly after 18 months.
6. Compare to Capterra. Capterra badges are free to display once earned — consider your budget when deciding where to invest.
7. G2 now owns Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice. The acquisition closed February 2026. The landscape may shift as integration progresses.

About This Guide

This guide was created by Blastra, a software listings management platform. We help software companies manage their third-party visibility posture across directories like G2, Capterra, and Software Advice.

G2's badge system has changed meaningfully with their new subscription requirements. We wrote this guide so you can understand exactly what you're getting into — and decide whether it's the right investment for your company.

FAQ

How do G2 trust badges work, and how do vendors earn them?

G2 badges come from two sources: Grid report placements (quarterly) and Index report placements (specialized areas like Usability, Results, Implementation, Relationship). You earn a Grid badge by collecting at least 10 reviews in a category and ranking in the Leader or High Performer quadrant based on Satisfaction and Market Presence scores. The Users Love Us badge is earned differently — 20 reviews with a 4.0+ average, no quarterly deadline. Starting Summer 2025, most badges require a paid G2 plan to display in marketing; only Users Love Us remains free to use.

How do I earn a G2 Leader badge?

Three requirements. First, 10+ reviews in your specific category. Second, your category must meet Grid-eligibility thresholds (6+ products with 10+ reviews each, 150+ total reviews). Third, you need to rank in the Leader quadrant — high on both Satisfaction (review-based) and Market Presence (company size, web presence, review volume, third-party data). Grid reports publish quarterly. Next review deadlines: April 28, 2026 (Summer) and July 28, 2026 (Fall). Displaying the Leader badge in your marketing requires a paid G2 plan ($2,999+/year).

How can I license G2 badges for my marketing?

Starting Summer 2025, using G2 badges in your marketing requires a paid G2 subscription — Brand Starter at $2,999/year in Year 1 (rising in Year 2), with higher tiers by sales contact. Once subscribed, you access badge graphics in my.G2 → Marketing Content → G2 Badges, filter by category and season, and either copy an embed snippet or download PNG/SVG files. The Users Love Us badge is the one exception — free to display with 20 reviews and 4.0+ average, no subscription required.

How many reviews do I need for a G2 badge?

Depends on the badge. Grid badges (Leader, High Performer): 10+ reviews in the category, plus the category itself needs 6+ products with 10+ reviews each. Users Love Us: 20 reviews with 4.0+ average. Index badges (Usability, Results, Implementation, Relationship): 10 reviews in the category plus 5+ responses to the index-specific questions. Best Software Awards: 10+ reviews during the prior calendar year (up from 1 in the 2025 cycle).

Is the G2 Users Love Us badge free to display?

Yes — it's the only G2 badge that remains free to display after G2's Summer 2025 policy change. Requirements: 20 reviews with a 4.0+ average rating based on Likelihood to Recommend scores. No quarterly deadline, no subscription fee, no limit on use. For free-profile vendors, this is the single badge you can download and put on your website.

When are G2 badges awarded?

Grid and Index badges publish four times a year in quarterly report cycles. 2026 review deadlines: February 17 (Spring), April 28 (Summer), July 28 (Fall), November 3 (Winter 2027). Best Software Awards publish annually in February — the eligibility window is the prior calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Users Love Us has no cycle; you earn it as soon as you qualify.

Can I earn G2 badges with a free profile?

You can earn Grid placements with a free profile — your product appears on the Grid if you qualify. But since Summer 2025, you can't publicly display Grid, Momentum, Index, or Award badges in marketing materials without a paid subscription. Free profiles retain two things: textual references ("we ranked as a Leader") and the Users Love Us badge. If budget is constrained and badge display matters, Capterra badges are currently free to display — though with G2's acquisition of Capterra closed in February 2026, this could eventually change.

Last updated: March 30, 2026. This guide reflects publicly available G2 documentation including the 2026 Best Software Awards announcement. G2 may update their programs, especially given their acquisition of Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice (closed February 2026). Verify against official sources for the most current requirements.