OpenTimestamps alternatives: Bitcoin timestamping without the command line

Is there an easy OpenTimestamps service for non-technical users?

OpenTimestamps’ own website is the easiest place to start: it has an in-browser “Stamp & Verify” tool, and its calendar servers “are free to use and they don’t require any registration or api key”. If that’s all you need, stay with it. Its website also lists member companies. People who want no files to manage and no node to run usually want three things: a browser app, a readable certificate, and a clear way to check it later. TimeBinder covers those, and the trade-off is explained in the next sections. See how TimeBinder works for each step.

What OpenTimestamps does well

OpenTimestamps deserves credit. On its own site and in its documentation:

• It’s free. Its calendar servers “are free to use and they don’t require any registration or api key”. They “rely on donations”.
• Your file stays private. Its website says “The hash is calculated on your browser preserving your privacy.” A hash is a short code calculated from the file’s exact contents.
• It’s efficient. Calendar servers batch many hashes together. Its client README says “we’re not doing one transaction per timestamp.”
• It’s checkable without a company. With the original file, its .ots proof file and the right tools, you can check a timestamp yourself.
• Its code is public. The client is published on GitHub, and there’s a browser “Stamp & Verify” page as well as command-line clients.

If you’re comfortable with that setup, you may not need an alternative at all. See TimeBinder vs OpenTimestamps for a closer look.

Why non-technical users look for an OpenTimestamps alternative

The browser page makes stamping easy. The friction usually comes later:

• You must keep the .ots file. You need it, together with the original file, to check the timestamp. It has to stay with the original file for as long as you might need it.
• Timestamps start incomplete. The README explains that you “upgrade an incomplete timestamp, which adds the path to the Bitcoin blockchain to the timestamp itself”. That’s an extra step to remember.
• Full verification needs a node. The client README says “to verify timestamps you need a local Bitcoin Core node (a pruned node is fine)”.
• There’s no certificate to hand over. A client or lawyer may not know what to do with an .ots file.

None of this is a flaw. It’s the cost of a free, decentralised tool. Some people would rather pay a little to have it handled.

OpenTimestamps alternatives compared

An RFC 3161 time-stamp isn’t a Bitcoin timestamp. It relies on the authority’s certificate instead. It’s on this list because it’s the standard choice for signed PDFs and code, and in the EU a qualified one carries a legal presumption. See RFC 3161 vs blockchain timestamps.

How TimeBinder works, in four steps

1. Sign in. Open the TimeBinder app and sign in with email or Google. There’s nothing to install.
2. Add your files. Add up to 10 files of any type and size. Your browser calculates a SHA-256 hash for each one. Nothing is uploaded, and TimeBinder never stores your files.
3. Choose how it’s anchored: batched with other users’ fingerprints, or in its own Bitcoin transaction.
4. Download your certificate. Your Proof of Time Certificate shows the Bitcoin transaction ID and a QR code. You can make it publicly checkable, or limit it to email addresses you choose.

Two ways a TimeBind is checked

This is the most important difference from OpenTimestamps, so here it is plainly:

• A batched TimeBind groups your fingerprints with other users’ into one shared Bitcoin entry, usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity. Checking it later goes through TimeBinder, which supplies the proof linking your file to the shared entry.
• A TimeBind with its own Bitcoin transaction is broadcast straight away. The certificate holds what’s needed to check it with the transaction ID and the public Bitcoin blockchain.

So a batched TimeBind depends on TimeBinder in a way an OpenTimestamps proof doesn’t. If the person checking must not rely on TimeBinder, choose a TimeBind with its own Bitcoin transaction. It’s broadcast straight away, but Bitcoin confirmation still depends on the network. See how TimeBinder works for the names, Token costs and steps.

Already have an .ots file?

Keep it, and keep the original file with it. Moving to another service doesn’t change an existing OpenTimestamps proof. To check one, see how to verify an OpenTimestamps .ots file.

When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool

• You want a completely free tool with no account, and you’re happy to keep .ots files. Stay with OpenTimestamps.
• You need an EU qualified electronic time stamp. Use a qualified Time Stamping Authority.
• You need an API for high-volume business systems. A service such as OriginStamp is built for that.
• You want the cheapest batched option, but the record must be checkable without TimeBinder. Use a TimeBind with its own transaction, or OpenTimestamps.
• You need a copyright registration. No timestamp is one.

What it costs

OpenTimestamps is free. TimeBinder has a Free plan. For paid plans and Token prices, see TimeBinder plans and pricing. Service terms for every plan are set out in the TimeBinder Terms and Conditions.

You pay by card through Stripe. You don’t need Bitcoin or a crypto wallet, and checking a TimeBind is always free.