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 February 17, 2026 for the Spring 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:
| Profile Type | What You Can Do | What You Can't Do |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Earn Grid placements, reference them textually ("We ranked as a Leader"), use "Users Love Us" badge (20 reviews, 4.0+ average) | Display Leader/High Performer badge graphics in marketing |
| Paid ($2,999+/year) | All of the above + download and use badge graphics, embed on website, use in email signatures | — |
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, as of January 2026, G2 entered into an agreement with Gartner to acquire Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice. 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:
- Decide if you'll pay — Report badges (Leader, High Performer, Momentum) require a paid plan to use publicly. Budget accordingly.
- Get 10+ reviews — Minimum to appear on the G2 Grid in your category
- Hit the deadline — February 17, 2026 for Spring reports; April 28, 2026 for Summer reports
- Rank in Leader or High Performer quadrant — Based on Satisfaction and Market Presence scores
If you want the free "Users Love Us" badge only:
- Collect 20 reviews — No deadline, badge available anytime you qualify
- Maintain 4.0+ average — Based on "Likelihood to Recommend" scores
- 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 | What It Shows | Key Requirement | Can Free Profiles Use It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Users Love Us | High customer satisfaction | 20 reviews, 4.0+ average | Yes |
| Grid Badges (Leader, High Performer) | Quarterly report performance | 10+ reviews, rank in top quadrants | Paid plans only |
| Momentum Badge | Year-over-year growth | One year of data, growth metrics | Paid plans only |
| Index Badges (Usability, Results, etc.) | Performance in specific areas | 10+ reviews, 5+ responses to relevant questions | Paid plans only |
| Best Software Awards | Annual recognition | Category-specific, 10+ reviews in past year | Paid plans only |
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
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum reviews | 20 published reviews (all time) |
| Minimum rating | 4.0+ stars average |
| Subscription required? | No — free to display |
| Updates | Available as soon as you qualify |
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
| Quadrant | What It Means | Badge? |
|---|---|---|
| Leader | High satisfaction + high market presence | Yes |
| High Performer | High satisfaction + lower market presence | Yes |
| Contender | Lower satisfaction + high market presence | No badge |
| Niche | Lower satisfaction + lower market presence | No badge |
Requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum reviews | 10 reviews in the category |
| Category eligibility | Category must have 6+ products with 10+ reviews and 150+ reviews total |
| Quadrant placement | Must rank in Leader or High Performer |
| Subscription required? | Yes — paid plan required to display |
| Update frequency | Quarterly (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) |
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
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum time on G2 | One year since first Grid appearance |
| Metrics tracked | Employee growth, review volume, social following, web presence |
| Subscription required? | Yes — paid plan required to display |
| Selection method | Products with highest positive momentum |
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
| Index | Review Form Questions (in order of importance) |
|---|---|
| Usability | Ease of Use, Ease of Admin, Meets Requirements, User adoption % |
| Results | Meets Requirements, User adoption %, Estimated ROI, Likelihood to Recommend |
| Implementation | Time to go live, Ease of Setup, Implementation method, User adoption % |
| Relationship | Ease of Doing Business With, Quality of Support, Likelihood to Recommend |
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum reviews | 10 reviews in the category |
| Additional requirement | At least 5 responses to the index-specific questions |
| Subscription required? | Yes — paid plan required to display |
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
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Eligibility period | Reviews from January 1 - December 31 of prior year |
| Minimum reviews | 10 reviews during eligibility period |
| Review deadline | December 31 (for following year's awards) |
| Award announcement | February 18, 2026 (for 2026 awards) |
| Subscription required? | Yes — paid plan required to display |
Best Software Lists
- Best Software Companies — Top 100 vendors ranked by weighted Satisfaction and Market Presence
- Best Software Products — Top 100 products across all categories
- Best Software by Function — Top 50 in categories like Sales, Marketing, HR, etc.
- Supplemental lists — Highest Satisfaction, Fastest Growing, Rookies of the Year
Source: G2 Research Agenda
The 2026 Report Schedule
G2 releases Grid and Index reports quarterly. Here are the key dates:
Spring 2026
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Review Deadline Announcement | January 20, 2026 |
| Category Change Request Deadline | February 10, 2026 |
| Review Deadline | February 17, 2026 |
| Draft Release | February 24, 2026 |
| Draft Edit Request Deadline | March 3, 2026 |
| Final Release | March 17, 2026 |
Summer 2026
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Review Deadline Announcement | March 31, 2026 |
| Category Change Request Deadline | April 21, 2026 |
| Review Deadline | April 28, 2026 |
| Draft Release | May 5, 2026 |
| Draft Edit Request Deadline | May 12, 2026 |
| Final Release | May 26, 2026 |
Fall 2026
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Review Deadline Announcement | June 30, 2026 |
| Category Change Request Deadline | July 21, 2026 |
| Review Deadline | July 28, 2026 |
| Draft Release | August 4, 2026 |
| Draft Edit Request Deadline | August 11, 2026 |
| Final Release | August 25, 2026 |
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:
| Factor | Importance |
|---|---|
| User-focused scores (Ease of Use, Meets Requirements, Quality of Support) | High |
| Admin-focused scores (Ease of Admin, Ease of Setup, Ease of Doing Business With) | Medium |
| General satisfaction (Likelihood to Recommend, Direction of Product) | Low |
| Review recency — newer reviews count more | High |
| Review quality — thorough reviews count more | Medium |
| Review source — organic reviews count more than incentivized | Low |
Market Presence Score
Based on company metrics:
| Factor | Importance |
|---|---|
| Review count (weighted by recency and quality) | High |
| Employee count (from ZoomInfo, LinkedIn, Crunchbase) | High |
| Estimated revenue | Medium |
| Web presence (Moz authority, search volume, traffic) | Medium |
| Growth metrics (employee growth, Crunchbase rank) | Low |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- G2 acquiring Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice — G2 announced plans to acquire these three directories from Gartner. How this affects badge programs is TBD.
G2 Subscription Pricing
Here's what G2's paid plans cost (as of August 2025):
| Plan | Price | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Basic profile, "Users Love Us" badge only |
| Starter | $2,999/year (Year 1), $5,999/year (Year 2+) | Small businesses (1-50 employees) wanting full badge access |
| Professional | Contact sales | Enhanced branding, profile visitor data, review management |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Multi-product companies, market intelligence |
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:
| Factor | G2 | Capterra |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to display badges | $2,999+/year | Free |
| Review minimum for badges | 10 (Grid), 20 (Users Love Us) | 10-20 depending on badge |
| Quarterly deadlines | Yes | Yes (by category group) |
| Free badge option | Users Love Us only | Star Rating, Best of (if earned) |
| Market position | Larger buyer audience | Pending acquisition by G2 |
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 acquiring Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice, this landscape may shift — we'll update as it does.
See also: How Capterra Badges Actually 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.
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 February 17, 2026
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:
- Go to my.G2 → Marketing Content → G2 Badges
- Filter by category and reporting season
- Choose Copy embed for website placement, or download PNG/SVG files
- 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:
- In my.G2, go to Marketing Content → G2 Badges
- Toggle Include star rating on Google search results to ON
- 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 Actually Work — Capterra badges are free to display once earned
- How to Get G2 and Capterra Reviews — Best practices for review collection campaigns
- How to Get Ranked on G2 — Understanding G2's ranking algorithm
Source Documentation
We reviewed G2's official sources. Here's what to trust:
Primary Sources (Dated, Reliable)
| Source | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| G2 Badges Documentation | July 16, 2025 | Official feature documentation |
| Research Scoring Methodologies | December 17, 2025 | Most detailed methodology |
| G2 Research Agenda | Current | Report schedule and deadlines |
| Badge Accessibility Changes | April 29, 2025 | Explains paid requirement |
| G2 Pricing Guide PDF | August 2025 | Detailed pricing and features |
Secondary Sources (No Date, Use Carefully)
| Source | Notes |
|---|---|
| G2 Trust Badges landing page | Marketing page, less detail than documentation |
| G2 Reports page | Overview only |
Key Takeaways
- 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.
- "Users Love Us" is still free. Collect 20 reviews with 4.0+ average to earn this badge without subscription cost.
- 10 reviews minimum for Grid placement. Your category also needs 6+ products with 10+ reviews and 150+ total reviews.
- Quarterly deadlines matter. February 17, 2026 for Spring reports. Mark it.
- Review recency counts. G2 weights newer reviews more heavily. Reviews decay significantly after 18 months.
- Compare to Capterra. Capterra badges are free to display once earned — consider your budget when deciding where to invest.
- G2 is acquiring Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice. The landscape may shift. We'll update this guide as details emerge.
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.
Get your product listed on G2 and other high-quality software directories
Let Blastra handle directory submissions, review collection, and badge optimization for you
This guide reflects publicly available G2 documentation as of January 2026. G2 may update their programs, especially given their pending acquisition of Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice. Verify against official sources for the most current requirements.