CPD Ireland vs The CPD Certification Service
A factual comparison for Irish training providers considering CPD accreditation or reviewing an existing CPD Certification Service membership.
Different strengths, different fit
The CPD Certification Service is a long-established UK organisation with an international membership base. CPD Ireland is a Dublin-based service built specifically around the Irish provider market. This page does not claim that one service is universally better; it highlights material differences a provider may reasonably consider.
| Area | CPD Ireland | The CPD Certification Service |
|---|---|---|
| Base & focus | Operated from Dublin, with an explicit focus on providers operating in Ireland. | Established in 1996, registered in London, and describes a membership base spanning more than 100 countries. |
| Commercial model | Published annual provider plans: €2,500 for up to 10 courses, €4,500 for up to 25, and €7,500 for up to 50, excluding VAT. | Describes different membership levels determined through initial dialogue and the number of training activities. Its public “become accredited” page does not publish those membership prices. |
| Course assessment | Each submitted course is assessed independently against the published CPD Ireland Course Accreditation Standard. Accreditation is not automatic. | Member organisations submit courses and event materials for formal review by its assessment team; approved activities can use its CPD Certified symbols. |
| Provider portal | Provider Portal for submissions, status, released feedback, accredited course records, public profile management and learner-certificate issuance. | Its myCPD/CPD provider portal advertises organisation management, CPDSMART training submissions, delegate certificates, invoices/payments and course enquiries. |
| Learner certificates | Providers can issue CPD Ireland-branded Certificates of CPD Completion with unique certificate numbers and online verification/QR routes. | Its Delegate Certificate Service issues digitally verified CPD certificates to delegates through the myCPD Portal and is described as included for members at no extra cost. |
| Public evidence | Public CPD Register plus published provider profiles and course records. | CPD Member Directory and published provider/course/event information on its website. |
| Scale & heritage | A newer Irish accreditation service focused on building a local provider and learner network. | States more than 30 years' experience, with over 40,000 providers, courses and events published on its website and members in over 100 countries. |
| Switching to CPD Ireland | Existing accreditation/course evidence can be mapped against the CPD Ireland Standard so providers do not recreate usable evidence unnecessarily. A fresh CPD Ireland decision is still required. | Not applicable to a CPD Ireland switch; providers should check their current membership terms and renewal arrangements directly with the service. |
You want the Irish operating experience
- You prefer a Dublin-based accreditation relationship focused on the Irish provider market
- You want annual course-volume pricing published before you enquire
- You value the connected Provider Portal → certificate → verification → MyCPD workflow
- You want to explore switching using the accreditation evidence you already hold
International scale and heritage matter most
Its public materials emphasise a long operating history, a large international community, established membership services and a Delegate Certificate Service handling high certificate volumes.
Providers should assess the actual service, contract, support and price offered to them rather than choosing from a comparison page alone.
What this comparison is based on
Competitor information was checked against The CPD Certification Service's own public website on 23 August 2026. Services and pricing can change, so confirm current terms directly before making a purchasing decision.
- The CPD Certification Service — Become Accredited
- The CPD Certification Service — Delegate Certificate Service
- The CPD Certification Service — myCPD Portal registration/features
- The CPD Certification Service — About
- The CPD Certification Service — Legal information
The CPD Certification Service and its marks are owned by their respective proprietor. CPD Ireland is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The CPD Certification Service.
See what a move to CPD Ireland would involve.
Show us your current setup and we’ll explain how your existing evidence can be used in a CPD Ireland review.