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Best file timestamping services: an honest comparison of the options
There isn’t one best file timestamping service for everyone. The right choice depends on who will check the record and which rules apply to you. Most options fall into four types. OpenTimestamps is free, open-source software that anchors a file’s hash to Bitcoin. RFC 3161 time-stamp authorities, such as FreeTSA, sign a time-stamp token for a hash, and in the EU, Evidency describes itself as a qualified Trust Service Provider under eIDAS. Developer and business services, such as OriginStamp and ProofLedger, add APIs and certificates. Browser tools, such as ProofStamper and TimeBinder®, need no command line. TimeBinder anchors your file’s fingerprint to Bitcoin and gives you a Proof of Time Certificate. None of these shows who made a file.
What any file timestamp can and can’t show
A file timestamp records that an exact file existed no later than a certain time, and lets you check later that the file still matches its fingerprint. A fingerprint (a hash) is a short code calculated from the file’s exact contents. Change one byte and the fingerprint changes.
A timestamp doesn’t show who made the file, whether its contents are true or original, whether AI was used, or who owns it. How a court or other decision-maker treats it depends on where you are and the rules that apply. This is general information, not legal advice.
The four types of file timestamping service
- Bitcoin anchoring, free and open source. OpenTimestamps batches hashes through calendar servers that, its site says, “are free to use and they don’t require any registration or api key”. Its client is published under the GNU Lesser General Public License.
- RFC 3161 time-stamp authorities (TSAs). You send a hash, and the authority returns a signed time-stamp token. FreeTSA says it “provides a free Time Stamp Authority”. In the EU, some providers are qualified under eIDAS. Evidency describes itself as “a qualified Trust Service Provider (TSP)” “certified by ANSSI”.
- Developer and business APIs. OriginStamp says “The proof exists on Bitcoin and Ethereum” and that “Our REST API handles millions of timestamps per month”. ProofLedger offers “Proof of existence as an API” anchored on Polygon.
- Browser tools with a certificate. ProofStamper adds an RFC 3161 timestamp “via FreeTSA” and gives you an “RFC 3161 token + readable PDF certificate”. TimeBinder anchors to Bitcoin from the browser. See how TimeBinder works.
For the difference between the first two types, see RFC 3161 vs blockchain timestamps.
Best file timestamping services compared
Facts below are from each provider’s own page, fetched on 3 November 2026. Prices aren’t listed here; check each provider’s own page.
| Service | Type | Free option? | Is the file uploaded? | How it’s checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenTimestamps | Bitcoin anchoring, open source | Yes; calendar servers “rely on donations” | No. “The hash is calculated on your browser” | With its tools and the .ots proof file. Its README says verifying needs “a local Bitcoin Core node (a pruned node is fine)” |
| FreeTSA | RFC 3161 TSA | Yes. It “provides a free Time Stamp Authority” | No. The request “contains a hash of the file” | With a time-stamp token; its examples use OpenSSL |
| Evidency | Qualified TSA (EU, eIDAS) | Not stated; it lists “Fixed-fee pricing” | Not stated on the page fetched | It offers a “timestamp token verification tool” |
| OriginStamp | Blockchain anchoring for business | Its page has a “Try Free” button; no price list on the pages fetched | No. “Files are hashed locally in your browser” | Its page says its timestamps can be verified without OriginStamp. |
| ProofStamper | Browser tool using an RFC 3161 TSA | Yes. “Free • No registration” | No. “Local SHA-256 hash” | RFC 3161 token plus PDF certificate |
| ProofLedger | Developer API, Polygon anchoring | Yes. “Get a free API key” | No. “only its SHA-256 fingerprint” leaves your servers | Polygon-anchored certificate; its site has a “Verify a proof” page |
| TimeBinder | Bitcoin anchoring in the browser | Yes. Free plan available; see the pricing page | No. Files are fingerprinted on your device | In the TimeBinder verifier; some TimeBinds can also be checked with the certificate and the public Bitcoin blockchain |
ProofStamper also says its tool “does not constitute a qualified electronic signature under the eIDAS regulation”. If you need a qualified time stamp in the EU, check that the provider is qualified.
How to choose a file timestamping service
- Who will check it? If the checker must not rely on any company, open methods such as OpenTimestamps or a TimeBind with its own Bitcoin transaction suit that. Read how each one is checked.
- Do rules require a particular kind? If you’ve been told you need a qualified time stamp in the EU, ask a lawyer or the body involved, and choose a qualified provider.
- Are you comfortable with a command line? If yes, OpenTimestamps or FreeTSA with OpenSSL cost nothing. If not, choose a browser tool.
- How many files, and from where? High-volume systems are what developer APIs are built for.
- What will you hand over? Some options give you a proof file only. Others give you a readable PDF certificate.
- Where does the file go? Most services above say they work from a hash, but Evidency’s page doesn’t say. Check each one’s own page before you use it.
Where TimeBinder fits
TimeBinder is for people who want a Bitcoin-anchored record without running software. You add up to 10 files of any type in the browser, each one is fingerprinted on your device, and nothing is uploaded. You get a Proof of Time Certificate showing the Bitcoin transaction reference and a QR code. Later, you or someone you share it with can drop the same file into the verifier and see that it still matches its fingerprint and existed no later than the recorded time. Some TimeBinds are batched into a shared Bitcoin entry and checked through TimeBinder. Others get their own Bitcoin transaction and can be checked with the certificate and the public Bitcoin blockchain.
For creative work specifically, see best timestamping services for creators. For head-to-heads, see TimeBinder vs OpenTimestamps, TimeBinder vs OriginStamp and TimeBinder vs ProofStamper.
When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool
- You need an EU qualified time stamp. Use a qualified trust service provider.
- You want it free with no account, and you can manage proof files. OpenTimestamps or FreeTSA may be enough. See OpenTimestamps alternatives.
- You need an API for high-volume business systems. A developer service is built for that.
- You need to show who made the work or register copyright. No timestamp does either.
FAQ
What are the best file timestamping services?
It depends on the job. OpenTimestamps and FreeTSA are free. Evidency describes itself as a qualified Trust Service Provider under eIDAS. OriginStamp and ProofLedger offer APIs, and browser tools such as ProofStamper and TimeBinder need no command line. Check each provider’s own page before choosing.
What’s the difference between an RFC 3161 timestamp and a blockchain timestamp?
An RFC 3161 time-stamp token is signed by a time-stamp authority and checked with its certificate. A blockchain timestamp anchors the file’s hash in a public blockchain, such as Bitcoin, and is checked against that record.
Is there a free file timestamping service?
Yes. OpenTimestamps says its calendar servers are free to use with no registration, and FreeTSA says it provides a free Time Stamp Authority. ProofStamper and ProofLedger list free options, and TimeBinder has a Free plan.
Do I have to upload my file to timestamp it?
Not with most of the services on this page. OpenTimestamps, FreeTSA, OriginStamp, ProofStamper, ProofLedger and TimeBinder each say they work from the file’s hash; Evidency’s page doesn’t say. Read each provider’s own page before you rely on it.
Does a timestamp show who created a file?
No. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a certain time and still matches its fingerprint. It doesn’t show who made it, who owns it, or whether it’s original.
Which service is accepted in court?
No page here can promise that. How a decision-maker treats a timestamp depends on the place and the rules that apply. Ask a lawyer. This is general information, not legal advice.
Start with one file
If you want a Bitcoin-anchored record without the command line, you can start on the Free plan.
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