Trust badges are small icons that communicate meaning at a glance. They can show which payment methods you accept, what your shipping options are, and which professional organizations have endorsed your products.
As the name suggests, trust badges can help build trust with consumers. That’s why skincare brand Tower 28 features the Seal of Acceptance from the National Eczema Association on their product packaging and website.
“How do you make sure you have a unique selling proposition or brand promise in a crowded industry?” says Tower 28 Founder Amy Liu on the Shopify Masters podcast. “For us, so much of that is the National Eczema Association.”
Read on to learn about the different types of trust badges and where to get them, with examples from real brands.
What is a trust badge?
A trust badge (or trust seal) is a digital icon that business owners display on ecommerce websites to increase consumer confidence and encourage purchasing decisions.
Trust badges reassure potential customers that an ecommerce store offers a secure online shopping experience. They also help store owners validate product safety and efficacy, or highlight key information about business policies and practices.
Trust badges can signal third-party accreditation, like Tower 28’s endorsement from the National Eczema Association, signify the safety of an app or payment processor (like a secure checkout), or highlight your own store policies (like a money-back guarantee).
Displaying a trust badge prominently on your website can boost user confidence in your brand’s security and credibility.
Money-back guarantees, for example, can prompt customers to purchase without hesitation. According to National Retail Federation research, 82% of customers say free returns are important to their decision-making process when considering a product.
5 common types of trust badges
Here’s an overview of some popular types of trust badges, and where businesses place them:
Security trust badges
Website security trust badges communicate that it’s safe to shop at an online store, assuring potential customers that their sensitive personal data is secure. Safe checkout badges, secure payment badges, and secure checkout badges are common examples that you can place on checkout and product pages.
Accessories brand Ridge, for example, features secure checkout badges on their product pages alongside other trust badges.
One option is to add a Shopify secure checkout badge and link out to Shopify’s documentation on Payment Card Industry (PCI) standard compliance, which is essential to guaranteeing safe checkout for customers.
Another essential for checkout security is making sure your site has a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate. SSL is a widely used cryptographic protocol that provides secure communication over a network. An SSL certificate confirms that a site abides by the complex web security measures required to securely handle customer data.
Businesses without SSL certificates can experience barriers to customer checkout. Most browsers warn users not to visit unencrypted sites, and they’ll display an alert icon and the words “Not secure” if a user bypasses the warning.
Some website hosting providers, including Shopify, offer free SSL certificates. If yours doesn’t, you can obtain a certificate from a reputable certificate authority (CA) like DigiCert or GlobalSign. Once you install and authenticate the certificate, the CA will provide you with a site seal that you can display on your checkout page to provide an extra layer of reassurance.
Payment badges
Accepted payment trust badges provide a visual snapshot of the payments you accept. These might include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Google Pay, Shop Pay, and PayPal.
These badges serve two functions: They provide your customers with important information about accepted payment methods and they align your company with trusted brand names, effectively functioning as endorsements from major companies like Visa and PayPal.
Lingerie brand Mentionables includes trust badges showing the different payment types they accept at the bottom of their homepage.
You can add payment badges to your homepage by downloading free icon assets directly from company websites or through a trust badge app.
Some ecommerce sites also display accepted payment trust badges on their checkout pages, which you can set up through a payment processor like Shopify Payments.
Endorsement badges
Third parties grant endorsement badges as a recognition and approval of your business. The Google Customer Reviews badge and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Accredited Business Seal are two popular third-party endorsement badge options.
To earn these types of trust badges, you typically need to submit an application to the endorsing entity and wait for review and approval. Once approved, you’ll receive an HTML code snippet to place the relevant trust seal on your website.
Eugene Ravitsky of appliance business FactoryPure finds that an endorsement badge from the BBB is especially valuable to customers making an expensive purchase.
“A lot of customers are pretty wary of online shopping,” Eugene says on Shopify Masters. “They’re scared of being defrauded. Having these badges and being able to prominently show your reviews up top is very important.”
Sarah Vachon, founder of olive oil brand Citizens of Soil, uses the B Corp certification badge to inspire consumer confidence and validate that her business is operating ethically. Sarah says other business owners are familiar with B Corp’s rigorous vetting process, which also helps with B2B sales.
“It gives some confidence that we’re doing things right,” she says on an episode of Shopify Masters.
Policy-specific badges
Policy-specific trust badges include free shipping badges, free return badges, and money-back guarantee badges.
Policy badges are free, and because they represent claims that you can reliably make about your own business, they don’t require third-party verification.
For example, sleep-device brand Hatch’s product pages include policy badges for a product warranty, free shipping, and a 30-day trial. These policy badges can be particularly useful for expensive products that customers may research, compare, and consider carefully before buying.
Media mention badges
Media mention badges include “As seen on” and “Featured in” badge types.
On Shopify Masters, founder of beauty brand Underlining Razvan Romanescu says that trust badges are key when building landing pages. Razvan suggests using elements like “Featured in” logos to validate a new brand.
“It can give the customer a bit more confidence in buying your product,” Razvan says. Underlining’s website prominently features media coverage for its two sub-brands—Nailboo and Freewill—with a running ticker, pull quotes, and links to featured articles, all on the homepage.
Where to get trust badges
The process of obtaining a trust badge varies by badge provider and badge type. Here are three common approaches:
Certificate authorities
Certificate authorities (CAs) are entities that issue digital certificates, which are encrypted files that validate the authenticity of a claim, such as “Secure checkout.” You’ll need a digital certificate to display some security trust badge types. GoDaddy and GlobalSign are both well-known certificate authorities.
To obtain a digital certificate, research CAs and sign up with a reputable provider. You’ll then complete the verification process for your digital certificate, request the relevant badge code, and add the generated code to your website’s HTML.
Third-party accreditors
Third-party accreditors like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the B Lab issue endorsement badges showing BBB Accreditation and B Corp certification. These badges signal fair and honest business practices and commitment to sustainability, respectively.
To obtain a trust badge from an accreditor, apply on their site and request a site seal or badge code. Many accreditor seals provide ongoing real-time confirmation of your accreditation when users click the badge.
Free trust badge providers
You can get free trust badges—like policy badges and payment badges—through a trust badge app or by developing your own using graphic design software.
For Shopify stores, apps like Essential Trust Badges & Icons and Badgezilla allow you to add badges like “Free shipping,” “Easy returns,” and “Secure checkout” to your site without coding.
Trust badges FAQ
What is the trust badge icon on a website?
A trust badge icon is a website graphic that validates a claim about your business. It may also advertise specific policies or services, such as payment types accepted or a money-back guarantee.
Are all trust badges equally effective in building trust?
No. Trust badges depend on brand recognition. Generally, the more widely recognized a trust badge, the more likely it is to help increase customer trust.
Where should trust badges be placed on a website for maximum impact?
Trust badges for your entire business—like B Corp certification or an accreditation from the Better Business Bureau—might be effective on homepages and other high-traffic pages. Product certifications can be most effective on product pages. Payment badges are often placed on checkout pages, and policy badges (like free shipping or a money-back guarantee) can be useful near the Add to Cart button.
