91 symbols · basE91 · ~23% overhead · densest printable

Base91 converter

The densest encoding that stays within safe printable ASCII (~23% overhead). Invented as "basE91," it squeezes more bits per character than any competing text-safe encoding. Less standardized than Base64 or Base85, but unbeatable for compactness in printable form.

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How to use this tool

  1. Type or paste text into the Text → Base91 box — the basE91 encoding appears instantly in Base91 output.
  2. Click Copy result to grab the string.
  3. To decode, paste a Base91 string into Base91 → Text and the plain text appears below.
  4. The symbol ribbon lights up to show which of the 91 characters your data uses.
  5. Use Clear any time to reset a box.

Why this tool is helpful

Maximum compactness

The densest printable-ASCII encoding — about 23% overhead, smaller than Base64 or Base85.

Bandwidth & embedded systems

When every byte counts, basE91 fits the same data into fewer characters.

See bit-packing in action

Watch a streaming 13/14-bit packing algorithm work character by character.

Explore a clever niche format

Understand the trade-offs of pushing near the theoretical limit of printable ASCII.

Stay private

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, logged, or sent to a server.

FAQ

What is basE91?

A binary-to-text encoding invented to be the densest possible within printable ASCII, at roughly 23% overhead.

Why is it denser than Base64?

91 symbols encode about 6.5 bits per character, versus 6 bits per character for Base64's 64 symbols.

What alphabet does it use?

All printable ASCII characters except the hyphen, single quote, backslash, and space — 91 symbols.

Is Base91 standardized?

Less so than Base64 or Base85. It is primarily a niche/compactness encoding rather than a universal standard.

Is it case-sensitive?

Yes. Upper and lowercase letters and punctuation all have distinct values.

Does any of my data leave my browser?

Never. All conversion happens locally in JavaScript.