While companies consider carbon offset marketplaces an easy fix to close the gap in their carbon reduction goals, the reality is far messier. What looks like a simple solution is a landscape riddled with unreliable claims, murky quality, and a lack of transparency.
The Verra controversy shook the market’s trust in carbon offsetting. Companies like Shell and Gucci faced public backlash for using dubious credits, while Nestlé scaled back, seeking alternative paths to carbon reductions.
Despite the growing skepticism, carbon offsets remain a key tool for addressing emissions as companies work towards net-zero targets.
In 2022, the voluntary carbon market reached approximately $2 billion, quadrupling from 2020. Analysts say it could even surge up to $250 billion by 2050.
Companies must thoroughly vet their carbon credit partners to avoid greenwashing accusations and face the same fate as Shell or Gucci. The stakes are high—without thorough scrutiny, you risk not only your sustainability goals but also your reputation.
Given the fragmented nature of the market, here are 7 carbon offset marketplaces vetted by GreyB that focus on transparency, third-party verification, and aligning offsets with credible standards to ensure real, measurable impact.
Top Carbon Offset Marketplaces You Can Trust
1. Nori: Blockchain Transparency for Trustworthy Carbon Offsetting
What sets it apart?
Nori prioritizes integrity through robust methodologies developed with independent experts, third-party verification, an open registry to prevent double counting, and transparent governance.
This positions Nori well to combat the most immediate obstacle in carbon offsetting ventures: the lack of transparency and trust.
Key Features:
- All carbon removals are third-party verified and tracked on-chain.
- It supports carbon offsetting via regenerative and permanent CDR mechanisms.
- Regenerative mechanisms claim 10 years, while permanent CDR pathways claim 1000+ years of durability.
- Their newest offering, Nori Net Zero Tonne, pairs one Nori Regenerative Tonne with one Permanent CDR Tonne — with overlapping carbon storage timelines.
- Offsetting initiatives are developed based on a peer-reviewed whitepaper and are in line with the Oxford Principles recommendations and IPCC mitigation strategies.
- Website and API integrations for a real-time and convenient experience.
Methods of Offsetting: Hybrid of regenerative (agricultural, bio-based) and technological (Carbon Capture, Biomass, Enhanced Rock weathering, etc.)
Clientele: Includes well-known entities like Meta, Alphabet, Shopify, Polygon, Seattle Chocolate, Sandbox, Freshpet, Rarible, Acutia, and Myria.
Pricing: Access to an exact pricing structure requires contacting the company’s sales team.
Geographical Coverage: Global Coverage
2. TerraPass: Flexible, Certified Offsets for Budget-Conscious Sustainability
What sets it apart?
Terrapass adheres to strict procurement standards, conducts thorough due diligence on projects, and ensures all projects actively reduce CO2e emissions. Terrapass sources carbon offsets generated within the past five years using scientifically validated methodologies for carbon emission reduction. The company publishes independent audit results verifying emission reductions. Apart from this, Terrapass focuses on making a measurable impact through education, online tools, carbon offsets, and renewable energy while maintaining competitive pricing.
Key Features:
- All carbon offsets are certified by leading independent verifiers, including the Verified Carbon Standard, Gold Standard, American Carbon Registry, or the Climate Action Reserve.
- An accredited accounting firm verifies funded projects to confirm the precise number of emissions reductions achieved.
- Green-e Climate Certification is undertaken annually, ensuring that carbon offset purchases are verified and effective.
- The focus on third-party certifications and affordable subscription models ensures carbon reduction without overextending budgets.
Methods of Offsetting: Forestry and Sustainable Management, Biomass, Landfill Gas Combustion, Renewable Energy, Landfill Gas Capture, etc.
Clientele: This includes entities like Pellman’s Automotive, Tradewind Aviation, Paramount Jets, Zimmerman Group, and Dassault Systemes, among others.
Pricing: £13.25 per mT, with a subscription option of £12.86 per mT/month
Geographical Coverage: Global Coverage
3. Supercritical: Data-Driven Carbon Removal with Real-Time Transparency
What sets it apart?
The platform offers live pricing and availability data for various carbon removal projects. The World Economic Forum has recognized the service as a Technology Pioneer. Further, the company is supported by investors such as Lightspeed Venture Partners, GreenCode Ventures, and MMC Ventures. The team comprises experts in climate science, product development, technology, and commercial sectors. Supercritical focuses primarily on offering comprehensive and transparent market information and removal solutions.
Key Features:
- The company’s 118-parameter vetting strategy covers climate science, environmental impact, delivery risk, and social benefits.
- Diverse offsetting methods based on price point, mechanism, and level of permanence of carbon offsetting.
- A platform for live pricing and easy-to-execute, standardized transactions.
- Focus on achieving the feasibility of offsetting at scale.
Method of Offsetting: Biochar, Enhanced Rock Weathering, Woody Biomass Sinking, Direct Air Capture with Ocean Storage, Bio-oil, and Forestry.
Clientele: Includes Virgin Atlantic, Rothschild & Co., accuRx, Tide, RMP Enterprise, and what3words, among others.
Pricing: Prices vary depending on the chosen method, from $38/t (Tree Planting) to $800/t (Direct Air Capture).
Geographical Coverage: Global Coverage
4. Patch: API-Powered Carbon Offsetting for Seamless Business Integration
What sets it apart?
The platform offers access to various projects, including nature-based solutions like reforestation and technological methods such as direct air capture. Patch simplifies integrating carbon offsets into business operations by providing an API enabling seamless fractional contributions to offset projects.
Key Features:
- Only rigorously vetted projects are allowed onto the platform. Vetting parameters include Technical validation of the offset mechanism, data transparency, industry expert guidance, ease of diversification, and protection against delivery risks.
- Fractional contributions are supported. As a result, offsetting can be performed at any budget and price point.
- API integration allows seamless integration of carbon offset practices in the company’s website, unlocking demand for sustainable action from the target company’s retail base.
- Partnered with Puro Earth, which provides its unique standards and certification, adding to the credibility of the marketplace.
Method of Offsetting: Hydroelectric plants, Biochar, Regenerative grazing, Ocean Carbon Removal, and Concrete Mineralization, among others.
Clientele: 200+ companies, including Deloitte, VISA, EQT, Bain & Company, Autodesk, and Starling Bank.
Pricing: While an exact minimum or maximum dollar figure is not cited, the company allows fractional contributions. In essence, this means the pricing can take on any desired value.
Geographical Coverage: Global Coverage
5. Cloverly: Real-Time Carbon Offsetting with Customizable Climate Solutions
What sets it apart?
Cloverly gives businesses full control with real-time data and customizable carbon credits. Their rigorous in-house vetting processes and strong partnerships ensure that each project is transparent and effective. The platform’s comprehensive support ensures businesses can trust their investment in sustainability.
Key Features:
- Real-time project availability and pricing.
- Streamlined contracts, payments, and retirement management.
- Fully customizable API for embedding climate action.
- End-to-end consultation with in-house climate science team.
- Independent ratings and in-house evaluations to maintain integrity.
- Included in Puro Earth’s list of partners, ensuring compliance with Puro standards for credibility, trustworthiness, and transparency.
Method of Offsetting: Direct Air Capture, Afforestation, Sustainable Grassland Management, Biochar, Seaweed Sinking, and Enhanced Weathering, among others.
Clientele: Visa, Redwood, Paula’s Choice, Optera, and American Express, among others.
Pricing: Access to an exact pricing structure requires contacting the company’s sales team.
Geographical Coverage: Global Coverage
6. Carbon Future: Rigorous, Long-Term Carbon Removal with End-to-End Transparency
What sets it apart?
Carbonfuture is a leading carbon offset company, with >40 % market share for delivered durable carbon removal in 2023. They offer a comprehensive suite of services, including rigorous due diligence, data-driven tracking, and third-party certification to ensure the highest standards of quality and reliability in carbon removal projects. Their MRV+ (Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) system integrates every stage of the carbon removal process, enhancing transparency and confidence.
Key Features:
- The rigorous vetting process to ensure access to only trustworthy carbon sources.
- All credits are certified by established third-party standards and validated by accredited auditors.
- Provides tools to manage and monitor carbon removal portfolios
- Fully digitized, end-to-end tracking of carbon removal credits.
- Locks in reliable pricing to de-risk investments.
- Offers spot trade, project finance, long-term purchase, and insetting options.
- It is among Puro Earth’s list of partners. Compliance with the Puro standard adds credibility and trustworthiness to the marketplace’s transactions.
Methods of Offsetting: Biochar Carbon Removal, Carbonated Building Materials, Bioenergy, Carbon Capture & Storage, Direct Air Carbon Capture, Enhanced Weathering, and Ocean Carbon Removal.
Clientele: Includes Swiss Helicopter, Microsoft, Klarna, Wren, and PAESSLER, among others.
Pricing: The disclosed prices of the projects range from €140 to € 220. The majority of projects have undisclosed costs that could be higher or lower.
Geographical Coverage: Global Coverage
7. Carbon TradeXchange: 24/7 Carbon Trading with Lowest Transaction Fees
What sets it apart?
Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX) is a digital platform for trading voluntary carbon credits. It serves as a spot exchange connected to Europe, the US, Africa, and Asia registries, focusing on cost efficiency. The platform operates continuously, allowing for real-time settlement of trades and immediate transfer of cash and credits.
Key Features:
- Trades Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard, and United Nations CDM credits.
- Focus on transparency and cost-effectiveness. It claims to have the lowest transaction fees for carbon offsets in the market and provides wholesale trading rates.
- It operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing for real-time transactions. This also makes it one of the most liquid carbon offset marketplaces available.
Method of Offsetting: Diverse mechanisms used.
Pricing: The exact pricing structure can be obtained by contacting the company’s sales team. However, the company claims carbon offsetting is available within any budget.
Geographical Coverage: Connected to multiple registries across Europe, the US, Africa, and Asia.
Conclusion
Due to its relatively young age, carbon offset marketplaces face a lack of standardization, the risk of inaccurate or misleading claims, and a general lack of transparency. Further, the public and corporate trust in the structure appears to fluctuate considerably.
Regardless, the market is key to achieving a carbon-neutral ecosystem at scale. With enhancements in standardization and oversight and the presence of entities that aim to bring transparency and trust to the sector, carbon offsetting can serve as a key element to a company’s carbon neutrality strategy, especially in the short and medium term.
GreyB specializes in helping businesses navigate the complexities of sustainability and carbon neutrality.
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At GreyB, the complexities of staying ahead in today’s innovation landscape are well understood. We’re passionate about treating your challenges as our own, and our mission is to uncover the most valuable opportunities for your business. To see how we’ve helped other companies thrive, read how we helped a company decarbonize its supply chain, or reach out to explore how we can collaborate on your next big move.
Authored By: Basit Manzoor, Analytics
Edited By: Nidhi, Marketing
