Your fee is calculated from three things: how many clients you had last year, what industry you're in, and the typical size of your contracts. Use the calculator below to find out instantly.
More clients means we contact more of them — which takes more work. Larger sample, more credibility, slightly higher fee.
Industries where the stakes are higher — legal, medical, roofing, financial — carry a higher multiplier. Creative fields start lower.
A business with $50,000 contracts benefits more from a trust credential than one with $200 jobs. The fee scales accordingly — and so does the ROI.
The minimum fee is $500. There is no maximum — for a business with 1,000+ clients in a high-stakes industry, the fee can reach $11,000. The fee is always published, calculated from the same formula, and never negotiated.
A portion of every fee goes into IBT's Trust Reserve — a dedicated fund that lets IBT defend its certifications in court if they're ever challenged. It's how "certified" stays meaningful. Learn more →
IBT certification is priced relative to your business. For most, winning a single additional client — one who chose you over a competitor specifically because your results are independently verified — covers the entire year.
| Business type | Typical IBT fee | Avg job value | Jobs to break even |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roofing contractor | ~$5,000 | $12,000 | 0.4 |
| HVAC company | ~$3,000 | $8,000 | 0.4 |
| Law firm | ~$4,000 | $18,000 | 0.2 |
| Marketing agency | ~$2,000 | $24,000 | 0.1 |
| Lawn care company | ~$1,000 | $600/yr client | 1.7 |
A "jobs to break even" of 0.4 means winning half a job covers it. For most businesses, if even one prospect chooses you over a competitor because of the IBT badge, the fee is already covered.
All examples use a medium contract size (C = 1.0×). Your number may be higher or lower depending on contract value.
| Business type | Clients (N) | Tier | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphic designer | 15 | Low | $500 |
| Lawn care company | 80 | Low | $1,000 |
| Marketing agency | 30 | Medium | $2,000 |
| HVAC company | 200 | High | $5,000 |
| Roofing contractor | 234 | High | $5,000 |
| Law firm | 100 | High | $3,000 |
| Financial advisor | 500 | High | $7,000 |
Need an exact number? Contact IBT — or use the calculator above.
We contact every client in your sample — by phone, email, and SMS. We verify their identity. We ask the question. You never see the individual responses.
You receive a detailed report showing your sample size, response count, positive/negative breakdown, and your Standing determination — win or lose.
Your IBT badge, certificate ID, and directory listing — valid for one year. Verifiable by any prospect in seconds. Renewable annually.
Use the calculator above, or apply now — we'll confirm your fee in the first step.