Verra runs the world's largest voluntary carbon registry. Gold Standard is smaller but tighter on social benefits. Both issue credits — but they suit different projects.
Verra: the volume player
About 70% of all voluntary carbon credits sit on Verra's registry. Its methodologies (VCS, VM series) cover almost every project type. Faster to onboard, more market liquidity, credits trade widely. Best for large-volume, standard project types.
Gold Standard: the integrity brand
Started by WWF. Every project must prove concrete social + environmental co-benefits — not just carbon. Credits typically trade at a 20–40% premium. Slower audits. Best for community-heavy, farmer-facing projects.
Which one for India?
For soil carbon and agroforestry at scale: Verra's VM0042 / VM0047 are the pragmatic default. For a cookstoves, women-led, or SDG-heavy story: Gold Standard commands a better price. Some aggregators register the same project on both.