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Proof of Existence alternatives. The original Bitcoin document-hash service is still online. OpenTimestamps and a TimeBind date a file the same basic way, with different tools.

Q: Is OriginStamp the same as Proof of Existence?

No. Both are services that timestamp a hash, but they are different products. OriginStamp’s official site currently also promotes OriginVault, an archiving product.

TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.

A TimeBind is a dated, checkable record that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. The fingerprint is made in the browser, and the file stays on your device. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free; after that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15.

Proof of Existence alternatives: the short answer

Proof of Existence is one of the earliest public Bitcoin services for dating a document hash. The original app is still at proofofexistence.com. poex.io publishes an open-source command-line tool that talks to that app, and it states that your file is not uploaded — you can drop a file or paste a SHA-256 digest.

Other options in the same family include OpenTimestamps (free, open source, you keep a .ots proof) and commercial services such as OriginStamp. A TimeBind also records a SHA-256 fingerprint in Bitcoin, in the browser, and issues a Proof of Time Certificate. None of these shows who made a file or that the contents are true. Prices and product facts below were checked on each provider’s official pages on 12 November 2026 and may change.

Proof of Existence vs OpenTimestamps vs TimeBinder

	Proof of Existence (poex / proofofexistence.com)	OpenTimestamps	TimeBind
What it is	A public Bitcoin “notary” app for a document hash, with an open-source CLI on poex.io.	A free, open-source protocol and toolkit that anchors hashes in Bitcoin.	A self-serve app that anchors a hash in Bitcoin and issues a certificate you can open in a browser.
File uploaded?	poex.io says no; you can submit a SHA-256 digest instead.	No. The hash is computed locally.	No. The hash is computed in your browser.
What you keep	The document and whatever receipt or transaction the service shows you.	The original file plus a `.ots` proof, checked with OTS tools or a Bitcoin node.	The original file plus a Proof of Time Certificate.
How you check it	Through the service and the Bitcoin transaction it records.	With the OpenTimestamps tools or your own node.	In the TimeBinder verifier; ASAP TimeBinds can also be checked from the certificate and the public chain.
Cost (12 Nov 2026)	No public price list was visible in the site’s static HTML. Check the live app for any fee.	Free; calendar servers rely on donations, per the project.	First Pooled TimeBind free; then from US$5, or US$15 for ASAP.
Shows authorship?	No.	No.	No.

Sources: proofofexistence.com, poex.io, and OpenTimestamps. OriginStamp is a separate commercial service; its official site currently leads with OriginVault, and a timestamp demo remains on the OriginStamp domain — see TimeBinder vs OriginStamp rather than restating that product here. Terms: proof of existence, OpenTimestamps, SHA-256, blockchain timestamp. Tool: SHA-256 hash checker.

When to use which

Use Proof of Existence or its CLI

You specifically want the original public Bitcoin notary, or you already have a hash registered there
You are comfortable checking a Bitcoin transaction and keeping your own notes

Use OpenTimestamps

You want a free, open-source toolchain and are happy to keep a .ots file
You can check the proof with the official tools or your own Bitcoin node

Use a TimeBind

You want a certificate you can open in a browser, without running those tools
You are dating files in a browser and want a first Pooled TimeBind free

For a wider look at no-cost options, see free blockchain timestamp options. For the idea behind all of them, see what is proof of existence?.

What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t

What it shows

That an exact file existed no later than the recorded time
That a later copy still matches, bit for bit, if the fingerprint is the same

What it doesn’t show

Who made the file, who owns it, or who holds the copyright
That the contents are true, original, or human-made
Whether AI was used, or how a court, platform or insurer will treat the record

The SHA-256 fingerprint is made in your browser. The file is never uploaded. The record is anchored to Bitcoin. This is general information, not legal advice.

Your file’s fingerprint, anchored to a global network secured by real electricity and cryptography.

Editing a file—including with AI—changes its fingerprint, not its existing network record.

How this works

Your file’s SHA-256 fingerprint, a short code worked out from its exact contents, is made in your browser, and the file itself stays on your device. A cryptographic commitment to that fingerprint, which may be combined with others, is then anchored in a block on the Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin is secured by proof of work: computers around the world spend real electricity to add each block, and changing an earlier block would mean redoing that work faster than the rest of the network. Until that block is confirmed, your proof is pending. Once the Bitcoin anchoring is confirmed, you can verify the proof against that recorded commitment. The confirmed record can then be checked; Pooled TimeBinds are checked through TimeBinder, while ASAP TimeBinds can also be checked independently. If you check the file later and its fingerprint still matches, that shows the file existed no later than the recorded time. The record doesn’t show who made the file, whether AI was used, or that its contents are true.

Your filestays on your device
FingerprintSHA-256
Network timestampon Bitcoin

Frequently asked questions

Is Proof of Existence still running?

Yes, as of 12 November 2026. proofofexistence.com still serves the app, and poex.io still offers an open-source CLI that talks to it. Always check the live site before you rely on it. We could not find a public price list in the static HTML, so this page does not invent a fee.

Does Proof of Existence upload my file?

poex.io states that your file will not be uploaded and that you can paste a SHA-256 digest instead. That is the same basic idea as a TimeBind: only a fingerprint is recorded.

Is OriginStamp the same as Proof of Existence?

No. Both are commercial or public services that timestamp a hash, but they are different products. OriginStamp’s official site currently also promotes OriginVault, an archiving product. For a dedicated comparison see TimeBinder vs OriginStamp.

Is OpenTimestamps a Proof of Existence alternative?

Yes, if you want a free, open-source way to anchor a hash in Bitcoin and you are happy to keep a .ots proof. See TimeBinder vs OpenTimestamps.

Does any of these prove I created the file?

No. A hash anchored in Bitcoin can show that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. It does not show who made the file or that the contents are true.

Related comparisons

Date a file hash in your browser

If you want a certificate you can open without running a CLI, you can TimeBind the exact file. The file stays on your device.

Make your first TimeBind free → See plans and pricing

Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device. A TimeBind shows a file existed no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t show who made it.

Open TimeBinder and timestamp a file

Fingerprint the file in your browser. The file stays on your device. Your first Pooled TimeBind is free; then from US$5, or US$15 for ASAP.

See plans and pricing

Related glossary entries: Bitcoin transaction fee and satoshi.