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TimeBinder vs FreeTSA: which free timestamp fits you?

Start with one file Any file type. Up to 10 files per TimeBind. Opens plans and pricing.

Clicking opens our plans and pricing page. Start on the Free plan there. Files are hashed locally on your computer; nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

FreeTSA is a free RFC 3161 time-stamp authority, used mostly from the command line. TimeBinder records file fingerprints on Bitcoin. Here’s a fair side-by-side.

Your files never leave your computer. With TimeBinder, each file is hashed locally on your own device. Nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

TimeBinder vs FreeTSA: the short answer

FreeTSA is a free RFC 3161 time-stamp authority. You send it a file’s fingerprint, and it returns a timestamp token signed with its own certificate. You check the token later with tools such as OpenSSL, against FreeTSA’s published certificates. TimeBinder records a file’s SHA-256 fingerprint on the Bitcoin blockchain through a browser, with no command line. Its Free plan includes 1 Token a month for one Pooled TimeBind of up to 10 files, with no credit card required. If you’re comfortable with OpenSSL and a signed token suits your process, FreeTSA costs nothing. If you’d rather drag files into a browser and share a certificate with a QR code, TimeBinder is simpler. Either way, a timestamp shows only that a file existed no later than a recorded time.

Published 1 November 2026. Sources and TimeBinder pricing checked on 1 November 2026.

What is TimeBinder? TimeBinder is a blockchain timestamping service. It shows that a digital file existed no later than a specific time, and that it still matches its fingerprint, by anchoring the file’s SHA-256 fingerprint to the Bitcoin blockchain. Files are hashed in your browser and never uploaded, and each TimeBind comes with a Proof of Time Certificate that can be checked later. It does not prove who created a file or that its contents are true.

TimeBinder vs FreeTSA at a glance

	FreeTSA (from its own site)	TimeBinder
Method	RFC 3161 token signed by FreeTSA’s time-stamp authority	Fingerprint recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain
What you trust	FreeTSA’s signing certificate. Its site says timestamps made from 16 March 2026 are valid “until February 2040”	The Bitcoin blockchain. ASAP TimeBinds can be checked from the certificate and Bitcoin. Pooled TimeBinds are checked through TimeBinder
How you use it	Command-line requests (its examples use openssl and curl), plus an online form	In a browser: drag in files, get a certificate
Several files	“create a text file with all their SHA-512 hashes and timestamp it”	Up to 10 files per TimeBind, any size or type
Cost	Free, subject to its usage policies	Free plan: 1 Token a month (one Pooled TimeBind). Tokens: 1 for $5, 3 for $15, 9 for $40
Sharing the result	You keep and share the token file and certificates	Certificate with a QR code, public or restricted to email addresses you choose. Checking is free
Speed	A signed token straight away	Pooled: usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity. ASAP: its own transaction, sent straight away

Where FreeTSA is stronger

It’s free for as many requests as its usage policies allow. TimeBinder’s free allowance is one Pooled TimeBind a month.
A standard format. RFC 3161 tokens are what some document and code-signing tools expect. If a system asks for an RFC 3161 timestamp, a blockchain record isn’t a substitute.
Immediate tokens. The signed response comes back at once.

Where TimeBinder may suit you better

No command line. Using FreeTSA well means creating and checking request files yourself. TimeBinder does the steps in the browser and gives you a certificate to share.
No single signing authority. A FreeTSA token is as good as FreeTSA’s certificate and your copy of it. A TimeBinder ASAP record sits on Bitcoin and can be checked without relying on TimeBinder.
Several files in one record, without making a hash list. Up to 10 files go into one TimeBind.
A plain choice between cost and independence:
– Pooled (1 Token): Your fingerprint is grouped with other users’ in one shared Bitcoin entry, usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity. It’s checked through TimeBinder.
– ASAP (3 Tokens): It gets its own Bitcoin transaction, sent straight away, and can be checked independently, without relying on TimeBinder.

The RFC 3161 vs blockchain timestamp guide explains the two methods in general. The Pooled vs ASAP explainer covers TimeBinder’s two options.

What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t

What it shows

That this exact file existed no later than the time recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain
That a file shown later still matches its fingerprint: the same file gives the same fingerprint, and any edit gives a different one
An independent record that anyone you allow can check, without relying on your own systems

What it doesn’t show

It doesn’t show who made a file, or who owns it.
It doesn’t show the contents are true or accurate, or whether AI was used.
It doesn’t stop anyone copying or changing a file. It shows whether a file still matches its fingerprint.
A Pooled TimeBind can’t be checked without TimeBinder.
It can’t say how a court, client or anyone else will treat it.

This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer in your country. Pooled TimeBinds are verified through TimeBinder. ASAP TimeBinds can also be verified independently, from the certificate and the public Bitcoin blockchain. Checking is always free.

When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool

Your software or process asks for an RFC 3161 token. Use a time-stamp authority such as FreeTSA, or the one your process names.
You need a qualified electronic timestamp under eIDAS. TimeBinder isn’t built for that.
You timestamp many files every day and are happy scripting. A free RFC 3161 service or OpenTimestamps may cost less.
You need a signature or identity check. A timestamp isn’t one.

TimeBinder pricing

Free: $0. 1 Token a month (1 Pooled TimeBind). No credit card required. Use it each month, as it doesn’t carry over.
Essential: $20 a month for 5 Tokens (5 Pooled, or 1 ASAP + 2 Pooled). A paid plan replaces the Free plan’s monthly Token. Unused Tokens roll over. Cancel any time.
Expert: $50 a month for 15 Tokens (15 Pooled, 5 ASAP, or a mix).
Extra Tokens: 1 for $5, 3 for $15 or 9 for $40. Tokens you buy never expire.

Enterprise plans have custom Token limits and dedicated support. Service terms for every plan are set out in the TimeBinder Terms and Conditions. For occasional use, which plan do I need suggests the Free plan plus Tokens as you go.

TimeBinder vs FreeTSA: FAQ

Is FreeTSA really free?

Its site says “freeTSA.org provides a free Time Stamp Authority” and asks users to read its usage policies. TimeBinder’s Free plan includes one Pooled TimeBind a month.

What’s the difference between an RFC 3161 timestamp and a Bitcoin timestamp?

An RFC 3161 token is signed by a time-stamp authority, so you rely on that authority’s certificate. A Bitcoin timestamp records the file’s fingerprint in a public blockchain entry.

Do I need the command line for FreeTSA?

Its main examples use openssl and curl, and it also offers an online form. TimeBinder works entirely in the browser.

Can I timestamp several files at once?

FreeTSA suggests timestamping a text file that lists all the files’ hashes. TimeBinder takes up to 10 files in one TimeBind.

Does either show who made the file?

No. Both show only that a file existed no later than the recorded time.

Related guides

TimeBind your files

If you’d like to try a Bitcoin timestamp in the browser, start on the Free plan: it includes 1 Token a month for one Pooled TimeBind, and no credit card is required.

Open plans and pricing and choose a plan. The Free plan is $0.
Sign in, then add your files. They stay on your computer.
Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.

See plans and pricing →

Your files stay privateEvery file is hashed locally on your own computer. Your files are never uploaded or stored by TimeBinder; only a fingerprint is sealed to Bitcoin.

The Free plan includes 1 Token every month. See pricing