Free Hash Generator Online — MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 & SHA-512
A hash is a fixed-length “fingerprint” of any input — feed in a word or a whole file and you get a short string that changes completely if even one character changes. Crucially it's one-way: you can't turn the hash back into the original. That's why hashes are used to check file integrity (did this download arrive intact?), store passwords safely, and detect duplicates. This tool shows MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 side by side so you can compare.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is MD5 safe for passwords?
- No — MD5 is cryptographically broken and should not be used to store passwords. Use bcrypt, Argon2, or SHA-256 with proper salting for passwords.
- What is the difference between SHA-1 and SHA-256?
- SHA-256 produces a 256-bit (64-character) hash and is significantly stronger. SHA-1 (40-character output) is considered weak and should be avoided for security purposes.