Free Bcrypt Generator — Hash & Verify Passwords Securely Online

What Is Bcrypt?

Bcrypt is a password hashing algorithm designed for security. Unlike simple hash functions like MD5 or SHA-1, bcrypt incorporates a salt (random data) and a configurable cost factor that makes it computationally expensive to crack — even with modern hardware. It's the industry standard for storing passwords securely in databases.

Our free bcrypt generator lets you create bcrypt hashes from any plaintext string and verify existing hashes — all directly in your browser with no data sent to external servers.

Why Bcrypt Matters for Security

Storing passwords in plaintext or using weak hashing algorithms is one of the most common — and dangerous — security mistakes. Here's why bcrypt is the gold standard:

• Built-in salting — Each hash includes a unique random salt, so identical passwords produce different hashes
• Adaptive cost factor — You can increase the number of rounds as hardware gets faster, keeping hashes resistant to brute-force attacks
• Slow by design — Bcrypt is intentionally slow to compute, making large-scale password cracking impractical
• Battle-tested — Based on the Blowfish cipher, bcrypt has been trusted since 1999 with no critical vulnerabilities

How to Use the Bcrypt Generator

1. Enter the plaintext password or string you want to hash
2. Select the cost factor (also called rounds) — the default of 10 is suitable for most applications
3. Click Generate to create the bcrypt hash
4. Copy the resulting hash for use in your application or database
5. To verify a password, enter the plaintext and the hash to check if they match

Understanding the Cost Factor

The cost factor determines how many iterations bcrypt performs. Each increment doubles the computation time:

• Cost 10 — ~100ms per hash (good default for most web applications)
• Cost 12 — ~400ms per hash (recommended for high-security applications)
• Cost 14 — ~1.6 seconds per hash (maximum practical security for most servers)

Higher cost factors provide more security but increase login times. Choose a balance that works for your application's performance requirements.

Anatomy of a Bcrypt Hash

A bcrypt hash looks like this: $2b$10$N9qo8uLOickgx2ZMRZoMyeIjZAgcfl7p92ldGxad68LJZdL17lhWy

• $2b$ — Algorithm identifier (bcrypt version)
• 10$ — Cost factor (10 rounds)
• Next 22 characters — The salt (base64-encoded)
• Remaining 31 characters — The hash output

Common Use Cases

• Web application development — Hashing user passwords before storing them in your database
• API authentication — Generating secure tokens and API key hashes
• Database migration — Converting plaintext or weakly hashed passwords to bcrypt
• Security testing — Verifying that password hashing is implemented correctly
• DevOps configuration — Creating hashed passwords for server configs (e.g., htpasswd alternatives)

Best Practices for Password Hashing

• Never store plaintext passwords — Always hash passwords before saving them
• Use a cost factor of at least 10 — Lower values are too fast to resist brute-force attacks
• Don't roll your own crypto — Use established libraries like bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2
• Rehash on login — If a user's hash uses an old cost factor, upgrade it when they log in
• Never use MD5 or SHA for passwords — These are fast hashes designed for data integrity, not password security

Related Security Tools

• MD5 Generator — Generate MD5 hashes for checksums and data verification
• Password Generator — Create strong, random passwords
• Password Strength Checker — Test how strong your passwords are
• SSL Lookup — Verify SSL certificate security for any domain
• Safe URL Checker — Check if a URL is safe from malware and phishing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bcrypt better than MD5 or SHA-256 for passwords?

Yes, significantly. MD5 and SHA-256 are designed to be fast, which makes them easy to brute-force. Bcrypt is intentionally slow and includes built-in salting, making it far more resistant to password cracking attacks.

What cost factor should I use?

A cost factor of 10–12 is recommended for most web applications. This provides a good balance between security and performance. For high-security applications, consider cost factor 12–14, but test that your server can handle the increased computation time during peak login traffic.

Can bcrypt hashes be decrypted?

No. Bcrypt is a one-way hashing function — it cannot be reversed or decrypted. The only way to verify a password is to hash the input and compare it to the stored hash. This is by design and is what makes bcrypt secure.

What's the difference between bcrypt, scrypt, and Argon2?

All three are secure password hashing algorithms. Bcrypt is the most widely used and supported. Scrypt adds memory-hardness to resist GPU attacks. Argon2 is the newest (winner of the 2015 Password Hashing Competition) and offers the most configurability. For most applications, bcrypt remains an excellent choice.