MD5 vs SHA-1
MD5 vs SHA-1 compared — length, speed and security. Both are broken for security; here is what each is still useful for.
MD5 (128-bit) and SHA-1 (160-bit) are both older hash functions that are broken for security — practical collisions exist for both. Neither should be used for signatures or passwords; use SHA-256 instead.
MD5 vs SHA-1 at a glance
| MD5 | SHA-1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | 128-bit (32 hex) | 160-bit (40 hex) |
| Speed | Faster | Fast |
| Collisions | Broken | Broken |
| Safe for security? | No | No |
When to use MD5
Use MD5 only for non-security checksums (deduplication, corruption checks).
When to use SHA-1
Use SHA-1 only where a legacy system requires it; prefer SHA-256 for anything new.
Tools for MD5 & SHA-1
MD5 Hash Generator
Compute MD5 digest of text or files (up to 50 MB) in your browser. Output in hex or Base64.
Open toolSHA-1 Hash Generator
Compute SHA-1 digest of text or files in your browser using Web Crypto API. Useful for Git commit hashes and legacy systems.
Open toolSHA-256 Hash Generator
Compute SHA-256 digest of text or files in your browser using Web Crypto API. Output in hex or Base64.
Open toolHash Generator — All Algorithms
Compute MD4, MD5, SHA-1, SHA-224, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512, SHA3, Keccak-256, CRC-32 and NTLM hashes of text or files in your browser.
Open toolMD5 vs SHA-1
Is SHA-1 more secure than MD5?
Marginally, but both are broken — collision attacks are practical for each. For any security use (signatures, certificates, passwords) move to SHA-256.