Find the right standard for your project in seconds. Select your project type and priority - credit quality, volume, speed to market or SDG co-benefits - and get a ranked recommendation with plain-English explanation.
Open Free Selector →Choosing the wrong carbon standard can cost a project developer years and tens of thousands of pounds. Some standards have restricted project eligibility - Gold Standard, for example, does not certify avoided deforestation (REDD+) or most agricultural soil carbon projects. Others have strict additionality requirements that make it very difficult to register projects in countries with strong renewable energy targets.
Getting methodology selection right at the outset also determines your credit price, your buyer market, your verification costs and your timeline to first issuance. A project that would take two years to register under Verra VCS might take only nine months under Plan Vivo. The right choice depends on your specific circumstances - project type, scale, location, and what you're optimising for.
| Project type | Primary recommendation | Alternative | Not suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improved cookstoves | Gold Standard GS4GG (AMS-II.G) | Verra VCS (CDM AMS-II.G) | Puro.earth, Plan Vivo |
| Safe water / borehole | Gold Standard GS4GG (AMS-III.AV) | - | Verra, Puro.earth |
| Biochar CDR | Puro.earth Biochar Method v2 | Verra VM0044 | Gold Standard (limited), Plan Vivo |
| Solar PV | Gold Standard GS4GG | Verra VCS | Puro.earth, Plan Vivo |
| Afforestation / ARR | Verra VM0047 v1.1 | Plan Vivo | Puro.earth |
| REDD+ (avoided deforestation) | Verra VCS + CCB | - | Gold Standard, Puro.earth |
| Agricultural land management | Verra VM0042 | Gold Standard ALM | Puro.earth, Plan Vivo |
| Methane capture / biogas | Gold Standard GS4GG | Verra VCS (AMS-III.D) | Puro.earth, Plan Vivo |
| Blue carbon / mangroves | Verra VM0033 + CCB | - | Gold Standard, Puro.earth |
If your project type is eligible under multiple standards, your priority usually determines the best choice:
For biochar and engineered CDR projects, Puro.earth consistently achieves the highest prices (£60–£120/t) due to strong corporate demand for high-permanence carbon removal. For cookstove, water and other reduction projects, Gold Standard commands a premium over Verra - typically 30–50% higher per credit - reflecting its stricter requirements and stronger brand recognition among premium buyers.
Verra VCS has the deepest buyer market globally. VCUs (Verra's credit units) are the most liquid voluntary carbon instrument - widely traded on exchanges, accepted by the broadest range of corporate buyers, and available in the largest volumes. If you're developing a project at scale and need to move large credit volumes, Verra is the default choice for most project types.
Plan Vivo typically offers the fastest registration path for eligible community land management projects - often 9–18 months versus 18–36 months for Verra or Gold Standard. Puro.earth also has a relatively streamlined process for biochar projects using approved facilities. Gold Standard's current wait times for new project reviews have extended to 12–24 months for new methodology applications, though standard methodology projects move faster.
Gold Standard is the strongest choice for projects where SDG impact claims matter - it requires independently verified SDG contributions and provides the most recognised certification for social and environmental co-benefits. This is particularly important for corporate buyers with sustainability communications programmes who need to demonstrate impact beyond carbon.
A methodology is a specific ruleset - approved by a standard body - that defines how emission reductions for a particular project type are measured, monitored and verified. Each standard maintains a library of approved methodologies covering different project categories. A project must use an approved methodology for its project type; it cannot simply self-certify its approach.
Key concepts within a methodology include:
Select your project type and priority to get an instant recommendation with explanation. No sign-up needed.
Open Methodology Selector →