Find the right timestamping authority for your digital trust and integrity needs
TimestampCompare benchmarks RFC 3161 and eIDAS-qualified timestamping providers worldwide so CIO/CISO/CTOs, compliance and legal teams can make informed, neutral decisions.
Highest-rated providers: Universign, Evidency, and GlobalSign
Universign
#1 · 9.4/10Regulated industries requiring eIDAS qualified timestamps
Evidency
#2 · 9.2/10Timestamping and eSealing services focus. Dev-friendly & legal expertise for custom use cases.
GlobalSign
#3 · 9.1/10Enterprise PKI and document signing ecosystems
All three providers consistently outperform market averages in transparency, regulatory alignment, and API maturity.
Timestamping provider comparison table
All tracked timestamping authorities are shown below, including providers currently under review.
| Provider | Coverage | Best for | eIDAS | Cost | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universign | Europe-wide, strong in France and Benelux | Regulated industries requiring eIDAS qualified timestamps | Yes | Mid–high | 9.4 |
| Evidency | Europe & UK-wide with strong European presence | Timestamping and eSealing services focus. Dev-friendly & legal expertise for custom use cases. | Yes | Low | 9.2 |
| GlobalSign | Global with strong APAC presence | Enterprise PKI and document signing ecosystems | Yes | Mid | 9.1 |
| LuxTrust | Luxembourg, EU-wide | Luxembourg-based businesses and regulated sectors requiring secure e-identity, e-signatures and qualified timestamping | Yes | Mid | 9 |
| CertEurope | France, EU | French enterprises seeking eIDAS-qualified e-signatures and RGS-certified PKI services (Tinexta InfoCert subsidiary) | Yes | Mid | 8.6 |
| Certigna | France, EU | French organisations needing ANSSI-qualified timestamping with transparent token pricing from €36/year | Yes | Low–mid | 8.6 |
| InfoCert | EU-wide with strong Southern European presence | Legal-grade timestamping and qualified trust services | Yes | Mid | 8.5 |
| SK ID Solutions | Baltics, Nordics, EU | National e-ID ecosystems and Baltic digital infrastructure | Yes | Low–mid | 8.5 |
| DigiCert | Global enterprise footprint; eIDAS-qualified via QuoVadis subsidiary (BE/NL) | High-volume code signing and document timestamping; qualified EU trust services via QuoVadis | Yes | Mid–high | 8.3 |
| Yousign | EU-wide, primarily France and Southern Europe | SMEs and enterprises seeking an eIDAS-qualified e-signature and timestamping platform with API access | Yes | Mid–high | 8.3 |
| SwissSign | Switzerland, EU recognized | Swiss-regulated document timestamping and banking sector | No | High | 8.2 |
| Entrust Under review | North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (public CA business sold to Sectigo, Jan 2025) | Enterprise identity, private PKI and managed certificate lifecycle; public timestamping now via Sectigo | No | High | 7.9 |
| Disig | Slovakia, CEE, EU | Slovak businesses and public sector requiring eIDAS-qualified certificates and timestamping services | Yes | Low–mid | 7.9 |
| Certum (Asseco) | Central and Eastern Europe, EU-wide | Affordable eIDAS-qualified timestamping in CEE markets | Yes | Low–mid | 7.8 |
| D-Trust | DACH region and EU | German regulatory compliance and public-sector timestamping | Yes | Mid | 7.2 |
| Datasure | France, EU | Sovereign French startup QTSP; TOP 5 French trusted third party; ANSSI-qualified timestamping with dedicated API, transparent pricing and a public status page | Yes | Low–mid | 7.2 |
| Certinomis | France, EU-wide | French public sector, regulated industries and B2B e-document workflows | Yes | Mid | 7.2 |
| Sectigo | Global | Cost-effective timestamping for code signing workflows | No | Low–mid | 7 |
| A-Trust | Austria, DACH, EU | Austrian government and regulated sectors | Yes | Mid | 6.7 |
| FreeTSA Under review | Global (no SLA) | Development, testing, and non-critical timestamp needs | No | Free | 6 |
Frequently asked questions about timestamping
What is an electronic timestamp?
A trusted timestamp is a cryptographic proof that a specific piece of data existed at a particular point in time. It is issued by a Timestamp Authority (TSA) and follows the RFC 3161 standard, providing non-repudiation and long-term evidence integrity.
What is eIDAS-qualified timestamping?
Under the EU eIDAS regulation, a qualified electronic timestamp has the legal presumption of accuracy of the date and time it indicates, and of the integrity of the data to which the timestamp is bound. Only Qualified Trust Service Providers (QTSPs) listed by EU member states can issue these.
How do I choose a timestamping provider?
Evaluate providers on regulatory qualification (eIDAS, national requirements), RFC 3161 compliance, supported hash algorithms, API integration options, bulk timestamping capability, archive timestamping for long-term validation, and pricing. TimestampCompare scores providers across all these dimensions.
Is timestamping legally required?
Timestamping is not universally mandated, but it is required or strongly recommended in many contexts: EU electronic signatures (eIDAS), code signing best practices, long-term document archival, legal evidence preservation, and regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and government procurement.