Base64 Encode / Decode vs URL Encoder / Decoder

Base64 and URL encoding both transform binary or text data into safe ASCII strings, but they serve different purposes and produce very different output.

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Base64 Encode / Decode

Base64 encode or decode any text or binary data instantly in your browser. Supports standard Base64, URL-safe Base64, and padding-free variants used in JWT tokens, data URIs, HTTP Basic Auth, and email attachments. No data leaves your device.

  • ✓Encodes any binary data to printable ASCII
  • ✓Output uses A-Z, a-z, 0-9, +, /, = characters
  • ✓Increases size by ~33%
  • ✓Common in JWTs, data URIs, email attachments
  • ✓Not URL-safe by default (use Base64url variant)
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URL Encoder / Decoder

URL encode or decode text online instantly. Supports percent-encoding for query parameters, path components, and full URIs using encodeURIComponent and encodeURI rules. 100% client-side, no data sent to servers.

  • ✓Encodes special characters for use in URLs
  • ✓Replaces reserved chars with % hex sequences
  • ✓Only encodes characters that are unsafe in URLs
  • ✓Output is typically longer for non-ASCII text
  • ✓Always URL-safe — designed for query strings

When to use each

Use Base64 Encode / Decode when…

You need to encode binary data (images, files) to text, or are working with JWTs, data URIs, or email attachments.

Use URL Encoder / Decoder when…

You need to safely include special characters in a URL query string or path segment.