Base Encoding & Decoding Tool

Base encoding converts binary data into text using a limited set of characters. This tool supports Base64 (standard and URL-safe), Base32 (five variants), Base58, and custom alphabets—useful for everything from embedding images in HTML to generating cryptocurrency addresses.

Read the comprehensive Base Encoding Guide →

Encoded Result

Supported Formats

Format	Variant	Alphabet	Padding	Best For
Base64	Standard	`A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /`	Yes (`=`)	General purpose, MIME, data URIs
Base64	URL-safe	`A-Z, a-z, 0-9, -, _`	No	JWT tokens, URLs, filenames
Base32	RFC 4648	`A-Z, 2-7`	Yes (`=`)	TOTP secrets, general use
	Extended Hex	`0-9, A-V`	Yes (`=`)	Hex sort order preservation
	z-base-32	`ybndrfg8ejkm…`	No	Human readability, Tahoe-LAFS
	Crockford	`0-9, A-Z (no I,L,O,U)`	No	Error tolerance, short IDs
	Bech32	`qpzry9x8gf2t…`	No	Bitcoin SegWit (alphabet only)
Base58	—	`1-9, A-H, J-N, P-Z, a-k, m-z`	No	Crypto addresses, IPFS
Custom	—	Any (2-256 chars)	Optional	Domain-specific encoding

When to Use Each Format

Base64

Email attachments (MIME encoding)
Embedding images in HTML/CSS with data: URIs
Binary data in JSON or XML
HTTP Basic Authentication headers
JWT tokens and URL parameters (URL-safe variant)

Base32

TOTP/HOTP secrets (Google Authenticator)
Tor .onion addresses
Case-insensitive identifiers
Recovery codes and license keys

Base58

Cryptocurrency addresses (Bitcoin, Ethereum)
IPFS content identifiers
Short codes avoiding ambiguous characters (0/O, 1/I/l)

Custom Alphabets

Domain-specific encoding schemes
Legacy system compatibility
Any alphabet from 2 to 256 characters

Security Warning

Base encoding is not encryption. Anyone can decode it instantly. Never use base encoding to protect sensitive data.

Don’t encode passwords (use bcrypt or Argon2)
Don’t encode secrets or API keys (use AES or RSA encryption)
Do use it for encoding binary data as text
Do use it for data transmission and compatibility

Learn More

The Base Encoding Guide explains how each algorithm works, with examples, performance comparisons, common pitfalls, and RFC specifications.