Which plan do I need? Free, extra Tokens, Essential or Expert, with the maths shown

The prices this page uses

All of these are from TimeBinder’s live plans and pricing page, checked on 31 October 2026. Prices are in US dollars.

Two rules from the pricing page matter most for the maths:

• “A paid plan replaces the Free plan’s monthly Token, so Essential gives you 5 Tokens a month, not 6”.
• On Essential and Expert, the pricing page says “unused Tokens roll over every month”.

Step 1: turn your month into Tokens

Tokens pay for TimeBinds. A TimeBind is one timestamp of up to 10 files: your browser works out a hash of each file (a short code calculated from the file’s exact contents), and those hashes are anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain. Your files aren’t uploaded.

• Pooled TimeBind (1 Token): batched with other users’ fingerprints and anchored to Bitcoin, usually within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity. Checked through TimeBinder. Good for drafts, revisions and everyday records.
• ASAP TimeBind (3 Tokens): your own Bitcoin transaction, broadcast straight away. That doesn’t mean instant confirmation; that depends on the Bitcoin network. It can be checked independently from the certificate and the Bitcoin blockchain. Good for finished work or anything that might be disputed. See ASAP vs Pooled verification.

Tokens a month = Pooled TimeBinds + (3 × ASAP TimeBinds).

Count TimeBinds, not files. Each TimeBind holds up to 10 files, and the pricing page says there’s no limit on their size or type. If you have more than 10 files, you can zip a folder and TimeBind the zip (keep that exact zip), as our guide to timestamping a photo series explains.

Step 2: the Free plan’s monthly Token changes the maths

Per Token, Essential is $4 (5 for $20) and Expert is about $3.33 (15 for $50), against $5 for a single bought Token. Those figures are correct, but on their own they leave out the Free plan’s monthly Token you give up when you subscribe. As the pricing page says, a paid plan replaces the Free plan’s monthly Token, so Essential gives you 5 Tokens a month, not 6.

Compared with staying on Free, here’s what each plan adds:

In other words, Essential replaces the Free plan’s monthly Token, so it adds 4 Tokens for $20: the same $5 a Token as buying them one at a time, and more than the 9-Token pack. Expert’s extra Tokens cost about $3.57 each, the lowest of any option.

Step 3: the break-even tables

This month only. Cheapest way to cover a month’s Tokens. “Free + bought” uses the Free plan’s monthly Token, then the cheapest mix of 1-, 3- and 9-Token buys (the 3-Token buy costs the same per Token as singles; a 9-pack costs the same as 8 singles and less than 9). Plans buy any extras the same way.

In the 9-Token row, Free + bought leaves you 1 spare Token, which never expires.

Over many months. Bought Tokens never expire, so a regular user can buy 9-packs and spread them across months at $40 ÷ 9 = $4.44 a Token. Average monthly cost:

• Free + 9-packs: (Tokens − 1) × $4.44
• Essential: $20, plus (Tokens − 5) × $4.44 above 5
• Expert: $50, plus (Tokens − 15) × $4.44 above 15

(Figures use $40 ÷ 9 unrounded, then round to the cent.)

What the tables show:

• Essential is never cheaper than Free + bought Tokens. In a single month it ties at some volumes (5–9 and 14–18 Tokens) and costs more at others. Over many months with 9-packs, it costs $2.22 a month more at 5 Tokens or above, and more again below 5.
• Expert is cheapest from 13 Tokens a month, whether you look at one month ($50 vs $55) or the long run ($50 vs $53.33). At 12 Tokens a month it ties with Free + Tokens in a single month and costs $1.11 more on average.
• Below about 12 Tokens a month, Free + Tokens is the cheapest or equal cheapest option.

So which should you choose?

• Free: you need 1 Pooled TimeBind a month or less. That covers up to 10 files, or a zipped folder.
• Free + extra Tokens: you timestamp now and then, or up to about 12 Tokens a month, or you need an occasional ASAP. Bought Tokens never expire, so there’s nothing to waste.
• Essential: you’d rather have a set monthly allowance than top up by hand, and you’re fine paying the same or a little more for that. The pricing page says unused Tokens on Essential roll over every month.
• Expert: you use 13 or more Tokens a month, such as 13 Pooled TimeBinds, or 4 ASAP + 1 Pooled, or 5 ASAP.
• Business or Business Plus: a firm or team that timestamps every week. Business is $149 a month for 60 Tokens, and Business Plus is $299 a month for 150 Tokens. API access is included in the Business, Business Plus and Enterprise plans. To set one up, email support@timebinder.io or use the contact form. See TimeBinder business plans for firms and teams.
• Enterprise: a team that needs custom limits or dedicated support. Service terms for every plan are set out in the TimeBinder Terms and Conditions.

One thing to note: the tables count the Free plan’s Token like any other Token, but the pricing page describes it as “1 Token every month (1 Pooled TimeBind)”. If most of your TimeBinds are ASAP and the Free plan’s monthly Token can’t go toward one, Free + bought Tokens would cost up to $5 a month more than the tables show.

Free + Tokens, Essential and Expert compared

When TimeBinder isn’t the right tool

• You only need a free timestamp and you’re comfortable with technical tools. OpenTimestamps is free and open source. See TimeBinder vs OpenTimestamps and free blockchain timestamp options.
• You need identity checks, a signature or a notary. A timestamp doesn’t record who you are.
• You need advice on evidence for a dispute. Talk to a lawyer before spending money on any tool.
• You’re not sure you’ll use it at all. Use the Free plan first; it costs $0.